photog72

I asked passport control not to stamp my passport (upcoming trips to other nations in the Middle East is my reason for this). However, they never gave me a separate piece of paper with a stamp on it. They did, but that was the gate pass to clear passport control. Will I or should I have trouble leaving Israel without the entry stamp?

expatinglasgow

this is unclear. please clarify.

depending on what, exactly, happened when you entered, you should expect a lot of questions...but eventually you should get through.

photog72

No big deal. I am writing from the Dan Lounge in the C concourse. I had zero problems going through passport control and security just 10 minutes ago. No questions, aside from the usual when you first enter the lines for the baggage scanners.

TLVorbust

1. As long as you are in the computer is doesn't really matter if you have the stamp or not.

2. Are you sure that they didn't give you a stamp? Numerous times that have stamped my but the ink was so light or with so little ink that it was nearly imposible to see the stamp.

photog72

No stamp at all. I looked at it thoroughly.

fmkgb

Tangential question to this... I also asked customs not to stamp my passport, received the paper with stamp which was taken from me upon exiting customs area.

I am a US tourist staying in hotels in Israel. Apparently, the law is that if you have a tourist stamp (are here for tourism purposes) you do not have to pay 16% VAT in hotels and car rentals. I rented a car at Hertz yesterday and not having the customs stamp they gave me an affidavit to sign that I was in fact in Israel as a tourist. Thus no VAT charge from Hertz. Very easy.

Then I checked into the Crowne Plaza in Haifa and they want to charge me the VAT. They don't have an affidavit form and know of no way to avoid the tax. They called Crowne Plaza in Tel Aviv for advice and they did not know anything about an affidavit either. Both hotels say they have had many guests in the same situation. They say they have no way not to charge me the 16% VAT. They suggested that I go to VAT or customs department at airport upon departure to try to get a refund. Sure...

Will I have a problem (and have to pay the VAT) at EVERY hotel I am at in Israel -- thus far have booked the Sheraton and Hilton in Tel Aviv? Does anyone know a procedure to either not pay the tax or to get a refund upon leaving the country?

In the future, how should I proceed if I don't want Israel customs to stamp my passport AND I don't want to pay the VAT? Will they give me TWO paper stamps (one to give the guard upon exiting customs and one to keep for VAT purposes? Doubt it but would appreciate any knowledgeable input.

thanks

clubman

Interesting.

To be honest I am very surprised Hertz actually allowed this and did not charge you VAT.
Especially as I'm pretty sure it was Hertz that got themselves caught in some scam to do with Israelis getting away with not paying VAT, and since then they have been very careful
What would stop any Israeli with dual nationality renting a car, showing their non Israeli passport and claiming the same?
I know this would not work with Avis that's for sure.

So not surprised the hotels insist on charging you, its the law!

Not sure how to get round it though.

apirchik

Just be careful not to get a stamp in your passport on the way out ...

fmkgb

UPDATE: We returned the Hertz car and were told that the affidavit was not valid and they WOULD have to charge us the VAT. They did say that we should get an exit stamp and could email or fax them the stamp and they would refund the VAT to our credit card. Boo...

LAX_Esq

When returning from the West Bank using my US passport w/ no Israeli stamp, the IDF guys have asked me where my visa was. I've just said that I asked for no stamp when I entered, and that's the end of it. I presume they'd have given me more trouble if I looked Arab/Muslim or had an Arab/Muslim name.

If you're leaving Israel from TLV, they'll scan your passport and it will come up on the computer that you entered on X date and it won't matter whether you have the stamp.

Thumper

Yes, I was going to mention it is not unusual for a foreign passport to have no stamp - if you are a dual national. And that it would most likely expose you to VAT. I leave and reenter the US on my American passport and do the same in Israel with my Israeli passport. Neither ever shows me going anywhere, just leaving and returning. And now with the computer banks at passport control and the "Quick card" my Israeli passport is not stamped either unless I request it. (cool system - swipe my card, use the biometric scanner and go through after my Hall pass pops out.

You can get the money refunded as promised, and since it is not an insignificant percentage, you should pursue it. Check your hotel receipt too if applicable.

photog72

Thumper, some of us do not have dual citizenship, so we don't have two passports. The reason I did not get my passport stamped was I needed to travel to a couple of countries hostile to Israel, and I'm sure they wouldn't let me in had I shown them my passport w/ Israeli stamps in it. When I traveled there last, I was lucky, I was traveliing w/ a brother who put the rental car on his CC and his passport (w/ Israeli entrance stamps) was used to avoid the VAT.

Thumper

I do the same with my wife who is not a citizen.

My point was simply that stampless passports are not uncommon, but you wouls be grouped with those of us who get the tax "benefit" of no tourist stamp.

Glad it worked out in the end!

mkhano

This is what the Isreali Ministry of Tourism says:

To: All Tourism Trade and Tourists


Shalom,

SUBSTITUTE FOR PASSPORT VISA STAMP - FORM 17 L

Upon arrival to Israel, tourists wishing not to have their passports stamped can request from the border control to have their tourist visa stamped on "Form 17 L" instead of their passport. This will ensure that they gain all the benefits of holding a tourist status while in Israel.

We hope that in the near future, Form 17 L will be available on each airline carrier. At present, the forms are available at Ben Gurion International Airport, at the side of the hall before the border control booths. Tourists interested in filling out the form are requested to do so at the designated area and then proceed to border control. Those interested in attaining the form but heading straight to Border Control without first filling it out, will be sent to side of the hall to complete as directed. At the various Land Crossings to Israel, the forms are at the Border Control officials in the booths.

Tourists are requested to fill in family name, first name, father's first name, country of birth, nationality, passport number, gender, year of birth and then general details regarding the tourist's entrance/exit. On the entrance side, tourists are requested to state carrier/ship, flight number and port of embarkation. On the exit site of the form, tourists will be asked to state port of destination, carrier/ship and flight number. The form should be stamped both at the entrance and at the exit by the border control official.

For your information, the stamped form is proof of tourist status and must be retained by the tourist while in Israel. It is incumbent upon the tourist to make sure he doesn't lose it. When planning a purchase, together with the passport Form 17 L must be shown (but not handed in) in order to receive tourist privileges such as return of VAT for hotel services, car rentals as well as at specially registered duty free shops throughout the country.

We wish you a pleasant visit and should you need any help or information, our Tourist information Offices throughout the country are at your service.

Sincerely yours,
Tourism Facilitation