Israel And Ben Gurion COVID-19 Reopening Master Thread

[LizR]

If I go to israel for a week, Do I need to take any kind of test when returning to the US ?

You will need a PCR negative covid test within 72 hours of arriving

[Ploni3]

Anyone have experience with either of these situations?
1) Entry permit naming multiple parties in one family and the parties fly on separate flights from different cities using copies of the same permit.
AND
2) Entry permit granted by one consulate and party flies out of a different city/country.
Thanks!

[njmacman]

Vaccine makes no difference. Covid test is required by the US in order to board flight.

One can definitely test on Sunday in Israel. Cheapest that I'm aware of is at the airport, though if you're flying Sunday night you might want to get your test rather early on Sunday (as a backup, just in case it doesn't come back on time, just edit the date on the test you took upon arrival in Israel).

This is just wrong. This is how the process gets messed up for honest travellers.

[thaber]

Anyone have experience with either of these situations?
1) Entry permit naming multiple parties in one family and the parties fly on separate flights from different cities using copies of the same permit.
AND
2) Entry permit granted by one consulate and party flies out of a different city/country.
Thanks!

Yes on both. Although party #1 (me) is still in the air and party #2 hasn't taken off yet.
The ishur (consulate) doesn't say where you're leaving from or what flight. It's good for one entry from date of issue for the people listed and it's good.
I also have an ishur from misrad hapnim which is actually a separate paper for each traveler.

[thaber]

Some data points if anyone is flying ex LAX.
took a PCR test at the brand new testing center that opened last week in the terminal (across from El AL counter) (different then the site that's been there outside for the last little bit) . They guarantee results with en hour, and we had a 10 am appointment. No one knows about this yet and there was no one there. $200 pp prepaid when you make the appointment.
Flight was 130, there was a small line at the check in, I went over to confirm they'd be ok with results via email (that's the only way they give them) and walked around a bit. Got results about 10:50, came back to a zoo. On the J line, had a 55  minute wait. (humbling There's a lot of yelling, crying, screaming etc.
Got to the front, happened to have a manager process us, I'm pretty sure the pre check in security also checked passports, they took them and brought them back. But the check in person was distracted, glanced at ishur, glanced at one of the pcr tests on my phone, had no idea they were testing across the way, and handed over boarding passes.
Went to regular security as elal isn't goires precheck (humbled again). One of our passports wasn't dinging right, went back down, got a new boarding pass from the same guy and all good.
Lounges in TBIT are all closed, flagship in terminal 4 just reopened, I was there last week and wasn't worth the walk. Took off an hour late for unknown security reasons, and here we are.

[jaywhy]

Did you just go through the regular application process?

Yup.

[jaywhy]

Quick TR.
Arrived in TLV yesterday 4/26. Applied via MIA consulate on 4/15 as a foreign spouse married to a citizen. Permit received 4/22. Did not need to show proof of recovery or vax card. No apostile either.
Checkin at MIA only asked to see permit, did not ask for covid test.
Arrival in TLV was very simple. 5 minute stop at the ministry of health desk to verify the info I prefilled online, did not either ask for covid test or permit. B2 visa was received via the biometric machine in about 20 seconds. I made an appt at checktofly in advance for the covid test but it was empty when I got there so that was quick as well.
From stepping off the plane to stepping into a cab was 25 minutes.

[thaber]

Quick TR.
Arrived in TLV yesterday 4/26. Applied via MIA consulate on 4/15 as a foreign spouse married to a citizen. Permit received 4/22. Did not need to show proof of recovery or vax card. No apostile either.
Checkin at MIA only asked to see permit, did not ask for covid test.
Arrival in TLV was very simple. 5 minute stop at the ministry of health desk to verify the info I prefilled online, did not either ask for covid test or permit. B2 visa was received via the biometric machine in about 20 seconds. I made an appt at checktofly in advance for the covid test but it was empty when I got there so that was quick as well.
From stepping off the plane to stepping into a cab was 25 minutes.

IYH by me in a few hours!

[oldguy]

Yes on both. Although party #1 (me) is still in the air and party #2 hasn't taken off yet.
The ishur (consulate) doesn't say where you're leaving from or what flight. It's good for one entry from date of issue for the people listed and it's good.
I also have an ishur from misrad hapnim which is actually a separate paper for each traveler.

What if Party #1 is a spouse to party #2, and the reason of the permit is that party #2 has a sibling that's an Israeli citizen, When applying via the consulate will they make issue if the spouses don't fly together?

[thaber]

What if Party #1 is a spouse to party #2, and the reason of the permit is that party #2 has a sibling that's an Israeli citizen, When applying via the consulate will they make issue if the spouses don't fly together?

I can't answer that in an educated manner

[theblakdavid]

PSA Israel is now allowing in parents of  foreigners with student visas  in Israel for births of grandchildren, within 30 days of birth (before or after).
Needs to be applied for through the consulate

[awardflyer]

Are hotels in Israel accepting foreigners with U.S. vaccination or post/neg covid tests from the U.S.? Also why are the hotels still so expensive in Jeru?

[thaber]

IYH by me in a few hours!

Update -
Landed, they do biometric passport upstairs in arrival walkway, and no more crazy passport lines.
My wife's scanned, mine didn't, agent was right there and processed.
Next stop processing bidud paperwork,
Then luggage,
Then covid test
Then meet the antibody test lady who drew our blood on a bench right outside the terminal.
Top to bottom under an hour.
BH for the smoothness!

[Ergel]

Update -
Landed, they do biometric passport upstairs in arrival walkway, and no more crazy passport lines.
My wife's scanned, mine didn't, agent was right there and processed.
Next stop processing bidud paperwork,
Then luggage,
Then covid test
Then meet the antibody test lady who drew our blood on a bench right outside the terminal.
Top to bottom under an hour.
BH for the smoothness!

Details on the antibody test?

[tavster]

Israel is reopening its gates to vaccinated tourists starting at the end of May, and launching a strategic campaign to ensure as many tourists as possible arrive in 2021, Minister of Tourism Orit Farkash-Hacohen announced Tuesday at a press conference in Tel Aviv.

“Israel today is a world leader in safety and health, and we will make sure every potential tourist knows this when planning their summer or winter vacation,” Farkash-Hacohen stated.”We cannot miss this opportunity – and, as minister of tourism I won't.”

 As part of its global campaign, Israel Ministry of Tourism will launch signs in three major cities, all of which combine the potential for inbound tourism and a high vaccination rate. The first sign will be aired in Dubai, in both English and Arabic, marking a historical step as it is the first time the Israeli government launches such a campaign in the United Arab Emirates. Additional billboards will air in New York’s iconic Times Square and London’s famous Piccadilly Circus, each with a different design but all with a common message: book your flight to Israel.


Times Square simulation:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1anlyw_FEPsY-ubJqiH4GbKrX5TNXvhO9/view

Picadilly:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zCXBmXbCxcB8cw4RPgDuVs0y9A_p2jkh/view?usp=sharing

Dubai:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cu9upmvb66yne2b5YJ5XUtUGp8nu7RUC/view?usp=sharing

 

[ExGingi]

Details on the antibody test?

+1

[NTorch]

Government to ban Israelis from traveling abroad?
Health Ministry presents new plan to keep coronavirus infection rate low while returning life in Israel to normal.

In order to keep the coronavirus infection rate low and allow the continued loosening of restrictions next week, Israel's Health Ministry will on Tuesday bring for a government vote a new strategy regarding Israel's borders.

According to a Health Ministry statement, the new strategy will tighten Israel's borders while allowing widescale reopening within Israel. This is in order to preserve the low infection rate within Israel as much as possible, while at the same time preventing the entry of new infections and coronavirus variants from outside Israel.

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein (Likud) has approved the recommendations of Health Ministry professionals, and the recommendations will be presented to the government for approval, the statement added.

Under the new policy, the world's countries will be divided into two groups: Level 1 will include most countries in the world, and the current policy will continue for this group. Level 2 will include high-risk countries, for which the current policies will be made stricter.

Israelis will be completely banned from traveling to Level 2 countries, other than in exceptional cases. Israelis returning from Level 2 countries will be obligated to quarantine, even if they are vaccinated or recovered from coronavirus.

At the same time, foreigners who receive special permits to enter Israel from Level 2 countries will be quarantined in hotels.

Criteria for Level 2 countries will be based on the work of the Center for Knowledge and Information, which was put together for the purpose of creating travel warnings. This includes attention to suspicious or dangerous variants found in a country, as well as the number and amount of coronavirus patients returning to Israel from these countries.

Currently, there are seven countries which meet the Level 2 criteria (the countries for which travel warnings have been issued): Ukraine, Ethiopia, Brazil, South Africa, India, Mexico and Turkey.

The list of countries will be updated once every two weeks, in a fashion similar to the previous "green" and "red" ratings. If a country sees an unusual rise in the criteria, it may be upgraded to Level 2 sooner.

The stricter policies will apply to anyone who spent time in a Level 2 country within 14 days prior to arrival in Israel.

The Health Ministry will publish ahead of time the countries which are expected to be moved to Level 2, in order to allow travelers to properly prepare.

"With regards to incoming tourism, the Health Ministry recommends delaying the incoming tourism pilot by one month (until the end of June)," the statement said, adding that "This is due to the spread of coronavirus infections in the rest of the world, and the discovery of new coronavirus variants."

"At the same time, there is great importance in the plan being approved by Israel's government, so that the restrictions can continue to be loosened without risk."

The "incoming tourism pilot" mentioned would allow groups of vaccinated tourists to enter Israel. It is scheduled to begin on May 23, 2021.

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/305108

[Yosel]

I have a flight today from JFK to Tel Aviv, tested positive this morning for coronavirus 229e, I have antibody test results 79.9. Any advice?

[tavster]

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/305108

IINM it's already been presented to the Cabinet and hasn't been voted - so far.
https://twitter.com/gotomichal/status/1387022470847291393?s=19

[Shauly101]

Details on the antibody test?

you ordered someone to come to the airport to do a Antibody?