Israel ETA-IL for travellers: who needs it, cost, and how to apply

What ETA-IL is

The Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA) operates ETA-IL, an Electronic Travel Authorization. Visitors from visa-exempt countries can apply for travel authorization through the ETA-IL system. Those who are eligible will be able to travel to Israel and stay for up to 90 days or less.

Obtaining an ETA-IL does not constitute a guarantee of entry into Israel. An Electronic Travel Authorization only allows you to reach the border-crossing into Israel; a border control officer may determine that you are not authorized to enter.

Source: israel-entry.piba.gov.il/learn-about

Who needs it

You can apply for an ETA-IL if all of the following are true, according to PIBA:

1. You are a citizen of a country that is exempt from a visa to Israel.
2. Your passport is valid for at least three months from the date of your arrival in Israel.
3. You plan to visit Israel for up to 90 days.

PIBA’s help centre: if you are a citizen of an eligible country that does not require a B/2 visa for Israel, you must complete an ETA-IL form. PIBA points to a list of countries that require a visa rather than publishing a named visa-exempt list on the pages we checked.

Check eligibility on the official portal: israel-entry.piba.gov.il

TODO: paste PIBA’s official visa-required / visa-exempt country list URL here once confirmed on gov.il, and name UK, US, Canada, Australia, France and Germany only if they appear on that list.

Who is exempt

PIBA lists these ETA-IL exemptions on the official learn-about page:

• Travelers with a valid Israeli visa (B1, B3, B4, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5)
• Travelers holding a foreign passport who also have Israeli citizenship
• Crew members that appear on the Crew APIS
• U.S. military members holding a CAC
• Seamen with a seamen book
• Diplomats and passengers with official and service passports

Israeli citizens or holders of an Israeli identity number do not need to apply for an ETA-IL. A traveler with Israeli citizenship using a foreign passport should present a certificate proving Israeli citizenship to the airline, even if it is not currently valid.

Cost

Official application fee: 25 NIS. PIBA: “You cannot get a refund after you apply.” The MFA notice states ETA-IL should cost 25 Israeli shekels only, on a governmental website whose URL ends with gov.il. If you obtain a new passport or change your name, gender, or country of citizenship, a new application is required and the 25 NIS fee is charged again.

TODO: we did not independently confirm accepted payment methods (cards, currencies) on the official form — do not state them until checked on the portal.

Processing time and validity

• Reply: within 24 to 72 hours (sometimes within a few minutes), per PIBA Get help.
• PIBA recommends applying at least 72 hours before booking flights or hotels.
• Validity: up to 2 years, or until the current passport expires — whichever comes first.
• Stay: up to 90 days per visit. Longer stays require a PIBA extension request, not ETA-IL.

During its validity period, an ETA-IL approval may be revoked for immigration or security reasons; PIBA says you will be informed by email.

How to apply

Apply only on the official governmental site (URL ending with gov.il): https://israel-entry.piba.gov.il/

The MFA notice: if you did not get a payment receipt, you have not been on the ETA-IL site.

After submitting, you cannot correct the form; you need to fill out a new form. You can correct the application only before submission, on the review step.

Applications are individual. PIBA’s “group payment” is a consolidated payment for group members; each person still opens their own request. Group payment must be completed within 30 days of submitting the applications.

TODO (product): visaforisraelis.com does not currently file inbound ETA-IL applications for foreign travellers. No apply-with-us CTA on this page until that product exists.

Common mistakes

• Applying on a lookalike site that is not gov.il (MFA: fee should be 25 NIS only).
• Trying to edit the form after it has been submitted — PIBA requires a new form.
• A minor applying independently — an adult must apply on their behalf.
• Assuming a printed confirmation is mandatory — PIBA does not require a printout, but advises having the confirmation number or a printed copy.
• Confusing the 2-year validity with a 2-year stay — each visit is still 90 days or less.
• Israeli dual nationals applying unnecessarily — they should show proof of Israeli citizenship instead.

What happens at the border

Having a valid ETA-IL does not automatically grant the right to enter Israel. All travellers are subject to border control checks. Officers may deny entry according to Israeli law and PIBA procedures.

Airlines are not required by PIBA to ask for a printed confirmation, but PIBA is not responsible for airline procedures, so it is advisable to have the confirmation number or a printed copy.

United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, France, Germany

On the official pages we checked, ETA-IL rules are written for all visa-exempt nationalities together, not as separate products per passport. If your citizenship is visa-exempt for Israel, the fee (25 NIS), processing window (24–72 hours), validity (2 years or passport expiry), and stay (90 days) are the same.

One nationality-specific exemption is named by PIBA: U.S. military members holding a CAC are listed among ETA-IL exemptions. We did not find matching named exemptions for UK, Canadian, Australian, French, or German citizens on those pages.

• United States: same ETA-IL rules if visa-exempt; CAC holders are listed as exempt from ETA-IL.
• United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Germany: nothing on the official learn-about / get-help pages describes a different fee, validity, or form. Confirm visa-exempt status on the official eligibility check before applying.