In April 2021, after a long year with a strict non-entry policy, the Israeli government decided to allow visitors to enter Israel under certain circumstances. The Israeli government was reluctant about opening its borders. Therefore, they haven't made the process easy. The government has very strict rules on who is and isn't allowed to enter Israel. Here is a list of people who can and cannot enter Israel:

Israeli citizens

Israeli citizens (both vaccinated and unvaccinated) with a valid Israeli travel document (passport or travel document) can fly to Israel without prior approval. Unvaccinated Israeli citizens must quarantine for 10 days (with two negative Covid-19 tests).

First-degree relatives

This topic has been very confusing because the Israeli government is only allowing first-degree relatives to enter Israel. But what is a first-degree relative? First-degree relatives include a parent, sibling, spouse, or child of an Israeli citizen.

A person can only visit their first-degree relatives without a particular reason if that person is vaccinated. However, a person can visit their spouse or underaged child, or an underaged child can visit their parent even if they are unvaccinated.

Are grandparents considered first-degree relatives?

Grandparents are not considered first-degree relatives, and therefore their entry is not permitted. However, if they have a child in Israel, then they will be allowed to enter.

Unvaccinated foreigners

Foreigners who did not get their Covid-19 vaccine or people who are not recovered from the Coronavirus are allowed entry in some instances:

• If you are married to an Israeli citizen
• If you are an underage child of an Israeli citizen
• Parents of an underage Israeli citizen
• Foreign university students who have begun their studies in Israel
• Adult yeshiva/seminary students

There are certain situations or events for which the government is allowing people to enter:

• Wedding - Parents will be allowed to attend weddings of Israeli citizens, residents, or foreigners who live in Israel even if they are not vaccinated. Other first-degree family members will be allowed in only if they are vaccinated or recovered.
• Bar/Bat Mitzvah - First-degree family members of an Israeli citizen who is having a Bar/Bat Mitzvah will be allowed only if they are vaccinated or recovered
• Births - First-degree family members of a woman giving birth will be allowed only if they are vaccinated or recovered.
• Funeral - First-degree family members (their spouses are omitted) will be allowed to enter Israel for a funeral for 24 hours. The Shiva will be held in isolation.
• Visiting a lone soldier/ someone doing sherut Leumi- Parents, spouses, and siblings of lone soldiers and Sherut Leumi volunteers will be allowed entry.

It must be noted that these people must request entry at the Population & Immigration Authority or the local Israeli consulate and provide documentation proving their relationship to whom they are visiting. They will also need to provide an apostilled birth certificate.

This means that the government is not allowing people in for bar mitzvahs and births, as the only people allowed in would come even without these events for visits: same non-parent first-degree family members and weddings.

Everyone coming to Israel must isolate for at least 10 days with 2 negative PCR tests. Vaccinated and recovered people can undergo serological testing upon landing, and if the test returns positive, they will be freed from isolation after requesting release from isolation.

Quarantine is no longer allowed in hotels. Therefore, someone who is coming to Israel must have somewhere to stay or rent an Airbnb.

• An Israeli citizen or resident who lives abroad and has a first-degree family member who lives in Israel can visit with their partner and children even if they are foreigners.
• A foreigner who has a first-degree family who is an Israeli citizen or resident who lives in Israel can come to visit them

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