Israel Experts Partners:

Please read all of the information below very carefully.

Note: new information has recently been added regarding participants flying from Los Angeles (and therefore transiting through Canada).

Know that it is your responsibility to ensure that you meet all visa and passport requirements. Failure to do so will result in your not being allowed to board the flight or enter Israel.

In order to enter Israel as a visitor, it is necessary to have a valid passport. As is the case with many other countries, Israeli customs and immigration laws require that the passport be valid for at least six months beyond the planned return date from Israel.

If you need information on how to apply for a U.S. passport, go to the passport section of the U.S. State Department's website.

If you are a citizen of the United States or Canada and have a valid passport as defined above, you will not need a visa to enter Israel.
Holders of other passports should contact the nearest Israeli diplomatic mission as soon as possible to verify whether or not a visitor's visa is needed. A complete list of Israeli diplomatic missions abroad may be found on the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website.

The Israeli embassy or consulate may require a letter confirming that you are, in fact, participating on a trip organized by IsraelExperts and Taglit-Birthright Israel in order to issue a visa. If that is the case, we will gladly prepare it and send it to you or the Israeli diplomatic mission of your choice.

According to Israeli citizenship law, you are considered to be a citizen of the State of Israel if you were born in Israel, or if you acquired Israeli citizenship by immigrating to Israel, or if you were born outside of Israel to a parent who is a citizen of Israel (mother or father) and who acquired Israeli citizenship by birth or through immigration to Israel. This last case is the easiest one to miss because it is the least "obvious" among them. Israeli citizenship, once acquired, is permanent, is independent of the place of residence, and may only be given up through a formal request and administrative procedure.

If you are a citizen of the State of Israel, by any of the definitions above, Israeli law requires that you enter and leave Israel using an Israeli passport (It is recommended that you bring your other passport as well for your return into Canada or the United States). If you do not currently have an Israeli passport, you may apply for one by contacting the nearest Israeli diplomatic mission. A complete list of Israeli diplomatic missions abroad may be found on the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website.

Also, given the fact that military service is compulsory for both men and women in Israel, it is necessary for you to obtain military service deferment or exemption papers, a routine procedure for the overwhelming majority of applicants. Although you can theoretically take care of these matters once in Israel, we strongly recommend that you do so before your trip. You will not have time during your 10-day trip to settle these matters and you also want to resolve any army-related issues before arriving in Israel.

If any of the above information is unclear or if you have any further questions, please contact us as soon as possible.

Important note: All of the information above was exact and valid at the time it was posted to the website and will be updated if and when we are made aware of changes. However, visa and passport requirements can change over time and your nearest Israeli and Canadian consulate or embassy is therefore the best source for the most updated information on the matter.