Tel Aviv entry rules: the ETA-IL, entry card and border questions

Visitors who do not need a visa for Israel must still hold an electronic travel authorisation, the ETA-IL, before they arrive. The UK government says that as of 1 January 2025 the ETA is required for visits to Israel, is valid for two years, covers a visit of 90 days and costs 25 new Israeli shekels. Canada says travelers from visa-exempt countries need an ETA-IL and should submit the application at least 72 hours before the expected arrival date. This page explains how the rule works for a visitor arriving at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, what the border can ask for and what can go wrong. It is a reference for people comparing rules, not encouragement to travel: the UK warns of rocket and drone risk across Israel and Canada advises avoiding non-essential travel, and the decision guide should be read first.

The rules below come from the UK entry requirements page for British citizens, updated on 22 July 2026, and Canada's entry and exit section, updated on 29 July 2026. Other passports differ. The UK page links the Israeli Population and Immigration Authority's ETA site at israel-entry.piba.gov.il for applications, and this guide could not open that site, so check eligibility and the fee there.

Read the original on the UK government's Israel entry requirements page, which covers Israel and Palestine.

The two governments agree on the main points. The table sets them side by side, with the sections that follow explaining each.

For British citizens, the UK says tourists can visit Israel without a visa and, on entry, get permission to stay for up to 3 months, but that the ETA is also needed. If you work in Israel without the proper permissions, you can be detained and deported, and the process could take several months. Canada lists work visas as required.

At Ben Gurion, the UK says visitors get an entry card instead of an entry stamp in their passport. At other entry points you may get an entry card or a stamp. Keep the card with your passport until you leave, because the UK describes it as evidence that you entered Israel legally and says you may need it, particularly if you cross into Palestine. Canada says you will need the card to enter the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and to keep it in a secure place to avoid complications at departure.

There is a stamp problem that deserves attention. The UK says entry stamps stating "Palestinian Authority only" or "Judea and Samaria only" have been issued to some travelers at the Allenby Bridge crossing with Jordan and at Ben Gurion Airport. A stamp like that effectively limits where a traveler can go, and the UK says it is unclear how someone who receives it at Ben Gurion can leave the airport without violating the restriction. It adds that the stamp has been issued to people with no Palestinian or other Arab ancestry. If you are refused entry, the UK says your passport may be stamped with an entry stamp and two red lines drawn across it to show the refusal.

Israeli border officials at Ben Gurion have also asked some travelers to sign a form stating that they are not allowed to enter territories controlled by the Palestinian Authority without advance authorization from the Israeli Territory Actions Coordinator. The UK says you can be deported from Israel and barred from entry for up to 10 years for violating this restriction. If immigration officials believe you plan to enter Gaza without permission, or are entering Israel to work in Palestine, they may refuse you entry.

The Israeli authorities decide who can enter. The UK says you may experience lengthy personal questioning and baggage searches at security on entry and exit, and that some visitors may face longer searches and questioning, including those with Palestinian or Arab ancestry or ancestry of a predominantly Muslim country, those with evidence of previous travel that may be considered suspicious and those who are considered to have publicly criticized the state of Israel. Allow extra time for security checks at airports, especially during Israeli holidays and the summer tourist season, the UK adds.

The UK lists reasons for which foreign nationals can legally be refused entry: having publicly called for a boycott of Israel or Israeli settlements, belonging to an organization that has called for a boycott, publicly denying the Holocaust or the October 7 attack, or publicly supporting the prosecution of Israeli citizens in a foreign country or an international court for actions during their military duties. It says travelers in these categories may be held at border control for more checks, sometimes for several hours and in detention facilities, and that Israeli security has sometimes asked for access to travelers' personal email or social media accounts as a condition of entry. Baggage and digital devices may be searched and could be withheld.

If you are refused entry, the UK says you will be booked on the next available flight back to where you flew from, on the same airline, and may be taken to the Immigration Detention Centre a few minutes from the airport to wait. You will have access to a telephone, information in English and medical assistance if needed. Your luggage stays at the airport, so tell officials if you need medication from it. The British Embassy can be contacted from the detention center and can help where possible but cannot intervene in immigration decisions. Canada adds that customs officials may ask to see a return or onward ticket as proof you have funds for your stay.

Evidence of previous travel to other countries in the region, such as entry or exit stamps, does not normally stop you entering Israel, the UK says, though you may face extra questioning. It advises asking the Israeli Embassy in the UK if you have concerns. The UK also says dual nationals holding Iranian, Iraqi, Syrian or Lebanese citizenship have previously been heavily questioned, denied entry and deported, and that being deported can mean detention for several days until a flight is available.

Other special cases are worth reading in the original. The UK says British nationals of Palestinian origin, or British nationals married to Palestinians, have been refused entry into Israel, and that British-Palestinian dual nationals living in the West Bank and Gaza may only exit Palestine through the Allenby crossing into Jordan or the Rafah crossing into Egypt. Canada says anyone registered in the Israeli West Bank and Gaza population registries, including Canadian passport holders of Palestinian descent born there after 1967, is prohibited from entering through Ben Gurion. Both say children with at least one Israeli parent may be considered Israeli nationals who must enter and leave on an Israeli passport, and Canada says Israeli-Canadians must show proof of military status.

Palestine does not issue its own visas, Canada says, so travelers must pass through Israeli ports of entry and comply with Israeli requirements. Both governments describe tight Israeli control of checkpoints and say closures can restrict movement even for people with valid permits. Canada says you need specific permits with strict conditions to enter the West Bank, depending on your purpose, and that the Erez crossing to Gaza is closed. Both governments advise against all travel to Gaza and to parts of the West Bank.

For what happens after you arrive, see the guide to shelters, alerts and getting around Tel Aviv. If you are comparing rules, read them alongside the advice: the UK says your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice in the areas it lists, and the travel insurance guide explains how exclusions work.

The first mistake is treating a visa-free stay as a no-paperwork stay: the ETA is required. The second is applying through a third party that adds a fee, when the UK page points to the official authority. The third is leaving the ETA until the last day: Canada says to apply at least 72 hours ahead. The fourth is assuming social media is private at the border. The fifth is ignoring the stamp issue: a "Palestinian Authority only" stamp changes what you can do.

The last is relying on a summary. The pages behind these rules change, so this is only a snapshot of 4 October 2026. Read the originals, ask the embassy if your case is unusual and keep your confirmation offline. See visas and entry for general rules. The entry rules here describe a process, not a recommendation to travel.