Passport Control. Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK This morning (Sun), an American tourist who landed last night at Ben Gurion Airport was rejected at the border control station after she claimed she had pre-filled a ETA form (required from 1.1.25).
However, it quickly became clear that she had actually filled the form on a fake website, which presented itself as the ETA-IL website.
The tourist even showed border inspectors several emails she received from the company and said she paid $79 for the service but did not receive approval. For in-depth examination, the tourist provided all forms, which were handed over to the police and was instructed to file a complaint.
Starting from January 1, 2025, every tourist arriving in Israel from a visa-exempt country is required to fill out the ETA form before arriving in Israel.
The new entry visa initiative aims at several main goals: improving national security and organizing immigration processes, as well as preventing unnecessary inconvenience and saving time for travelers in situations where entry refusal is known in advance.
Photo: PassportNewsFirstly, the cost of the form is only 25 NIS, so any site showing a different price is definitely not the correct site.
To receive the visa, you must enter only the official site in Hebrew or in English - the visa cannot be obtained on other sites.
Secondly, the response is received within a maximum of 72 hours from the time of submission of the application form.
Didn't receive a response? It's probably not the correct site.
The electronic travel authorization will be valid for two years, or until the passport with which the application was submitted expires - whichever comes first. This means that as long as you received ETA-IL approval for your trip, there is no need to submit another application during the validity period.
Note that ETA-IL approval allows visitors to stay in Israel for up to 90 days. If you wish to stay longer, you should apply for a stay extension at one of the Population Authority offices.