Passports and Visas

U.S. citizens, even infants, need only a valid passport to enter Israel for stays of up to 90 days. Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after your travel date or you won't be permitted entry. No health certificate or inoculations are required.

Israel issues three-month tourist visas free of charge at the point of entry when a valid passport is presented. Some countries, particularly those in the Middle East, refuse to admit travelers whose passports carry an Israeli visa entry stamp. If you're concerned about regional mobility, you can ask the customs officer at your point of entry to issue a tourist visa on a separate piece of paper; you can also apply for a second passport and include a letter with the application explaining that you need the passport for travel to Israel. Be advised that it is not unheard of for Israeli customs officers to stamp passports despite requests not to do so; if you plan to travel repeatedly between Israel and those Arab states still hostile to Israel, a second passport is advisable.

Notarized consent from parents is required for children under 18 traveling alone, with one parent, or in someone else's custody.