Israel, Passports, going to the middle east in the future etc.
#16
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Bargara Australia
Programs: VA, SQ, IHG, HH,ALL, Europcar
Posts: 1,530
I have been into the USA and Canada, and the UK and been subjected to a number of questions at Immigration, to assess the purpose of my visit.
I have also been questioned in NZ and Singapore but less so.
Every border has the right to ask a questions or five to assess if you are suitable for the visa you have - even if its a visa on arrival type of entry.
Equally holding a passport and an airline ticket does not give you an automatic right to enter a country.
If you are entering Israel the legitmate reasons, answer the questions truthfully and you will have nothing to worry about
I do not understand the reasoning for your questions
I have also been questioned in NZ and Singapore but less so.
Every border has the right to ask a questions or five to assess if you are suitable for the visa you have - even if its a visa on arrival type of entry.
Equally holding a passport and an airline ticket does not give you an automatic right to enter a country.
If you are entering Israel the legitmate reasons, answer the questions truthfully and you will have nothing to worry about
I do not understand the reasoning for your questions
#17
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP >3 Million miles,HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 2,890
"I ve personally never been asked questions but I don't travel to 'difficult' countries so often."
Israel is not a "difficult" country. It is a country that is going to make sure that its residents, and visitors stay safe. As long as you are coming as a tourist with no nefarious alternative reasons you will have no problems. Most people go through immigration in less than a minute.
Israel is not a "difficult" country. It is a country that is going to make sure that its residents, and visitors stay safe. As long as you are coming as a tourist with no nefarious alternative reasons you will have no problems. Most people go through immigration in less than a minute.
I did not mean to insult, all I am saying is that I have only travelled to countries without any form of serious border control (within Schengen, or to balkan countries where they just lazily look at the passport then let you through, or to brazil which I am a citizen of so no real border control for me).
#18
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
Programs: Too many golds, no plat: OZ*G, AC*G, NZ*G, VA Gold, QF Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,350
Was he crossing to Israel by land? The "paper visa" is only at TLV airport afaik (Eilat/Aqaba crossing didn't have it about 2 years ago, not sure about the rest)
On the border crossing you can still get a stamp on a separate paper if you ask for it in advance, but it is kind of pointless in the border crossing since if he left Jordan in a border crossing to Israel, there is only one country he could have gone to...
On the border crossing you can still get a stamp on a separate paper if you ask for it in advance, but it is kind of pointless in the border crossing since if he left Jordan in a border crossing to Israel, there is only one country he could have gone to...
Your comment now has got me slightly worried. Can anyone else on the board vouch for whether it is or isn't possible to get officials on both sides of the border stamping a piece of paper rather than your actual passport?
#19
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: 6E Westbound, 4E Eastbound
Programs: AA EXP & 3MM, Priority Club Plat since 1984
Posts: 6,293
Through previous posts of mine, you can see that I have personal experience working at the Allenby Crossing (Can't believe I referred to it by the slang name)
As a general rule, the crossing has moved to stamping a piece of paper versus the passport as the default choice. For certain populations, Jordanians flying from Tel Aviv, Palestinians crossing from Jordan to Israel and a few others, there is an additional orange ink on white paper transfer/transport pass that will allow you to go through the crossings.
While I have outstanding relations with our dear allies on the other side of the bridge, I cannot speak to nor vouch how your documents will be handled by the Jordanian authorities.
My advice is be polite, make eye contact, speak slowly and clearly, (so much is done in non-native tongues increasing everyones nerves. and be at peace with your trip and your intentions. It is a beautiful part of the world, and people are incredible on both sides of all the borders.
As a general rule, the crossing has moved to stamping a piece of paper versus the passport as the default choice. For certain populations, Jordanians flying from Tel Aviv, Palestinians crossing from Jordan to Israel and a few others, there is an additional orange ink on white paper transfer/transport pass that will allow you to go through the crossings.
While I have outstanding relations with our dear allies on the other side of the bridge, I cannot speak to nor vouch how your documents will be handled by the Jordanian authorities.
My advice is be polite, make eye contact, speak slowly and clearly, (so much is done in non-native tongues increasing everyones nerves. and be at peace with your trip and your intentions. It is a beautiful part of the world, and people are incredible on both sides of all the borders.
Ditto, from what I've read elsewhere if you cross overland from Jordan to Israel on the King Hussein/Allenby bridge the Jordanians will also stamp you out on a piece of paper rather than onto your passport, provided you are coming back into Jordan (ie so they will be able to stamp you out properly when you leave for the second time). In fact I'm kind of counting on this being the case, as we're planning to do an overland side trip from Jordan to Israel and back on an upcoming trip, and excited as I am about going to Israel I definitely don't want any stamps as evidence of that (whether Israeli or Jordanian from the land border crossing with Israel) that might cause me problems with any future travel in the Middle East.
Your comment now has got me slightly worried. Can anyone else on the board vouch for whether it is or isn't possible to get officials on both sides of the border stamping a piece of paper rather than your actual passport?
Your comment now has got me slightly worried. Can anyone else on the board vouch for whether it is or isn't possible to get officials on both sides of the border stamping a piece of paper rather than your actual passport?
#20
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
Programs: Too many golds, no plat: OZ*G, AC*G, NZ*G, VA Gold, QF Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,350
Through previous posts of mine, you can see that I have personal experience working at the Allenby Crossing (Can't believe I referred to it by the slang name)
As a general rule, the crossing has moved to stamping a piece of paper versus the passport as the default choice. For certain populations, Jordanians flying from Tel Aviv, Palestinians crossing from Jordan to Israel and a few others, there is an additional orange ink on white paper transfer/transport pass that will allow you to go through the crossings.
While I have outstanding relations with our dear allies on the other side of the bridge, I cannot speak to nor vouch how your documents will be handled by the Jordanian authorities.
As a general rule, the crossing has moved to stamping a piece of paper versus the passport as the default choice. For certain populations, Jordanians flying from Tel Aviv, Palestinians crossing from Jordan to Israel and a few others, there is an additional orange ink on white paper transfer/transport pass that will allow you to go through the crossings.
While I have outstanding relations with our dear allies on the other side of the bridge, I cannot speak to nor vouch how your documents will be handled by the Jordanian authorities.
My advice is be polite, make eye contact, speak slowly and clearly, (so much is done in non-native tongues increasing everyones nerves. and be at peace with your trip and your intentions. It is a beautiful part of the world, and people are incredible on both sides of all the borders.
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HaMerkaz/Exit 145
Programs: UA, LY, BA, AA
Posts: 13,167
I did not mean to insult, all I am saying is that I have only travelled to countries without any form of serious border control (within Schengen, or to balkan countries where they just lazily look at the passport then let you through, or to brazil which I am a citizen of so no real border control for me).
#22
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,412
Ditto, from what I've read elsewhere if you cross overland from Jordan to Israel on the King Hussein/Allenby bridge the Jordanians will also stamp you out on a piece of paper rather than onto your passport, provided you are coming back into Jordan (ie so they will be able to stamp you out properly when you leave for the second time). In fact I'm kind of counting on this being the case, as we're planning to do an overland side trip from Jordan to Israel and back on an upcoming trip, and excited as I am about going to Israel I definitely don't want any stamps as evidence of that (whether Israeli or Jordanian from the land border crossing with Israel) that might cause me problems with any future travel in the Middle East.
Your comment now has got me slightly worried. Can anyone else on the board vouch for whether it is or isn't possible to get officials on both sides of the border stamping a piece of paper rather than your actual passport?
Your comment now has got me slightly worried. Can anyone else on the board vouch for whether it is or isn't possible to get officials on both sides of the border stamping a piece of paper rather than your actual passport?
No personal experience, I only ever crossed in Wadi Araba crossing, and the last time was about 1.5 years ago.
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC, IB+, TAM multi+
Posts: 453
Yeah I am thinking of going to Petra, which is in Jordan. However it's quite far to the south and I am not sure if it can be done in a day's trip from Jerusalem, or if I'll have to stay the night there?
I know it can be reached easily from Eilat, but I see no reason to go to Eilat, other than to go to Petra if I absolutely must. Because Eilat is mostly a holiday resort for beach and diving, and I won't be doing either of those things in February.
I know it can be reached easily from Eilat, but I see no reason to go to Eilat, other than to go to Petra if I absolutely must. Because Eilat is mostly a holiday resort for beach and diving, and I won't be doing either of those things in February.
#24
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,412
Yeah I am thinking of going to Petra, which is in Jordan. However it's quite far to the south and I am not sure if it can be done in a day's trip from Jerusalem, or if I'll have to stay the night there?
I know it can be reached easily from Eilat, but I see no reason to go to Eilat, other than to go to Petra if I absolutely must. Because Eilat is mostly a holiday resort for beach and diving, and I won't be doing either of those things in February.
I know it can be reached easily from Eilat, but I see no reason to go to Eilat, other than to go to Petra if I absolutely must. Because Eilat is mostly a holiday resort for beach and diving, and I won't be doing either of those things in February.
There are day trips from Eilat, so you can either spend 2 nights in Eilat, or possibly just one before the trip and then catch a late bus/flight out of Eilat back to Jerusalem/Tel Aviv, you can also stay those nights in Aqaba instead.
If you ask me February is probably one of the best months to go to the beach or dive in the red sea, the water temperature is around 22-23 degrees, and the outside temperature will probably be about 20-25 degrees during the day.
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC, IB+, TAM multi+
Posts: 453
A day trip from Jerusalem to Petra make no sense, it would be too long of a drive. (You are looking at ~4 hours Jerusalem to Eilat, and ~2.5 from the border to Petra)
There are day trips from Eilat, so you can either spend 2 nights in Eilat, or possibly just one before the trip and then catch a late bus/flight out of Eilat back to Jerusalem/Tel Aviv, you can also stay those nights in Aqaba instead.
If you ask me February is probably one of the best months to go to the beach or dive in the red sea, the water temperature is around 22-23 degrees, and the outside temperature will probably be about 20-25 degrees during the day.
There are day trips from Eilat, so you can either spend 2 nights in Eilat, or possibly just one before the trip and then catch a late bus/flight out of Eilat back to Jerusalem/Tel Aviv, you can also stay those nights in Aqaba instead.
If you ask me February is probably one of the best months to go to the beach or dive in the red sea, the water temperature is around 22-23 degrees, and the outside temperature will probably be about 20-25 degrees during the day.
I thought it would be much colder there, even in february, so that's a pleasant surprise.
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HaMerkaz/Exit 145
Programs: UA, LY, BA, AA
Posts: 13,167
There's tons of snorkeling in Eilat - basically anywhere that has scuba diving has snorkeling. Here's one place: http://snuba.co.il/Snorkeling.htm
#27
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,412
Getting to the South beach is as easy as taking a bus from the center of the city, or if you pre-arrange with a diving center they might even be able to pick you up in the morning for free.
#29
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,412
I don't know if there is much to see while snorkeling in the North beach, and there are a lot of water sports going around so it might also be dangerous, better stick to the South beach for snorkeling.
http://www.airlinebyjsink.com/the-whys/of-hookah.aspx
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HaMerkaz/Exit 145
Programs: UA, LY, BA, AA
Posts: 13,167
Indeed there are some hotels, but except hotels, restaurants and diving centers nothing else, so I guess it gets boring in the evenings.
I don't know if there is much to see while snorkeling in the North beach, and there are a lot of water sports going around so it might also be dangerous, better stick to the South beach for snorkeling.
I don't know if there is much to see while snorkeling in the North beach, and there are a lot of water sports going around so it might also be dangerous, better stick to the South beach for snorkeling.
Interesting, never seen this before. Thanks