Israel is one of the most popular countries in the Middle East for American tourists. US citizens do not need to apply for a travel visa in advance to visit Israel-all you need is a passport valid for at least the next 6 months and you’re good to go. However, having an Israeli stamp in your passport can make it difficult to get travel visas for certain other countries. For example, if you have an Israeli stamp in your passport, the following countries will not issue you a travel visa or allow you to enter the country:
- Libya
- Sudan
- Lebanon
- Syria
- Saudi Arabia
- Kuwait
- Yemen
- Iran
For this reason, most travel guides recommend making Israel the last stop on your Middle East tour. You can also ask the Israel customs officials to stamp a detachable sheet of paper inside of your passport rather than the passport itself. In most cases, they will comply, but the US Department of State advises that making this request means that you “may face additional, often time-consuming, and probing questioning by immigration and border authorities, or may even be denied entry into Israel, the West Bank, or Gaza.”
You do have another option: applying for a second passport. US citizens are able to get a duplicate valid passport with authorization from the State Department. The second passport is valid for only two years, but if you’re a frequent traveler, it’s a good investment anyway because it makes applying for travel visas much less of a headache.
No matter where you’re going, RushMyTravelVisa makes it easy to determine exactly what documents you’ll need. We’ll research your itinerary and walk you through the application process, helping you avoid common mistakes and ensuring that you get your travel visas as quickly as possible.
Let us help you get the travel visas you need today!
Tags: Israel, Middle East, travel visas
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