Middle East - No Hotel Room Taxes in Israel - Are Foreign/N.American Passport Holders VAT Exempt??

I'm looking over some of my reservation confirmations and noticing that the total costs listed all seem to be inclusive of tax. Whereas I am paying up to 20% in taxes at certain properties on the Jordanian side.

Does this mean that all foreign citizens or passport holders are exempt from all room taxes and V.A.T. surchages while staying at all properties throughout Israel?

If so, this is really fantastic! ^

I'm looking over some of my reservation confirmations and noticing that the total costs listed all seem to be inclusive of tax. Whereas I am paying up to 20% in taxes at certain properties on the Jordanian side.

Does this mean that all foreign citizens or passport holders are exempt from all room taxes and V.A.T. surchages while staying at all properties throughout Israel?

If so, this is really fantastic! ^

Those passports with visitor stamps are either exempt from paying VAT, or in those circumstances where you pay it, you can get it refunded.

Dual nationals (Israel and someplace else), are not exempt.

You have to present a passport (or some other form of ID - but as a non-Israeli, probably a passport). I don't know if they would check for an entry stamp or not.

Bear in mind that if I am not mistaken, if you hold an Israeli passport, it's not really legal to enter the country on another passport....

D.

I'm looking over some of my reservation confirmations and noticing that the total costs listed all seem to be inclusive of tax. Whereas I am paying up to 20% in taxes at certain properties on the Jordanian side.

Does this mean that all foreign citizens or passport holders are exempt from all room taxes and V.A.T. surchages while staying at all properties throughout Israel?

If so, this is really fantastic! ^

You have to present a passport (or some other form of ID - but as a non-Israeli, probably a passport). I don't know if they would check for an entry stamp or not.

Bear in mind that if I am not mistaken, if you hold an Israeli passport, it's not really legal to enter the country on another passport....

D.

It is my experience that if I produce my American passport at a hotel or a car rental, they immediately look for the entry stamp. There are so many dual national opportunites, it is a significant amount of money to the government. YMMV

And you are correct, it is difficult in the age of computers to enter Israel on your "foreign" passport.

Hotels and car rental agencies not only look for the tourist Visa in your passport but make a copy for their records.

Hotels and car rental agencies not only look for the tourist Visa in your passport but make a copy for their records.

Thank you for the confirmation!

Interesting - I never knew hotels also were VAT-exempt.

Interesting - I never knew hotels also were VAT-exempt.

Car rentals and hotel rooms are always in my wifes name if we travel around the country. That is allowed, even if you are named as a second driver.

Car rentals and hotel rooms are always in my wifes name if we travel around the country. That is allowed, even if you are named as a second driver.
when my parents came in for pesach, they wanted my passport as well, even though i was a secondary driver

Car rentals and hotel rooms are always in my wifes name if we travel around the country. That is allowed, even if you are named as a second driver.

It is important to mention (although you might know this) that in some hotels, the "tourist price" is more expensive than the "Israeli price" (by more than 16%). You should check both prices before reserving.

Most fancy hotels, at least in Jerusalem, charge one price. While I'm not certain this is the case nationally, I know it's illegal in Jerusalem to charge different prices depending on whether you're Israeli or not.

Most fancy hotels, at least in Jerusalem, charge one price. While I'm not certain this is the case nationally, I know it's illegal in Jerusalem to charge different prices depending on whether you're Israeli or not.

I am not aware of any such law (I know there is a similar one for car rental prices though), and had no luck finding it. I seriously doubt there is a law in place specifically for Jerusalem, but if you have a link or something (in Hebrew/English) I'd be glad to stand corrected.

Either way, I just called 2 different hotels in Jerusalem that are considered fancy (in general and in this forum) and received different prices for an Israeli citizen and a tourist.
In one hotel the tourist price was a bit cheaper, in the other it came out to be the same price (Israeli one with VAT was equal to tourist one without VAT).