Changes to Israel’s Loose Leaf Visa Policy
Read this carefully for those travellers who want to travel to Israel plus countries which deny entry to passport holders with an Israeli stamp.

As part of our service to Mediterranean travelers, Greece and Mediterranean Travel Centre informs you of a new and improved procedure at Ben Gurion Airport for those passengers who do not wish to have their passports stamped with an Israeli tourist visa because they plan to travel to countries which deny entry to holders of passports with an Israeli; visa stamp such as Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Brunei (among others).  It should be noted that travellers with an Israeli stamp in their passport will not encounter any problems in Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Dubai, Malaysia, Indonesia and the UAE so this problem does not apply to all Muslim countries, contrary to popular but ill-informed myth.

Since last year loose leaf visas have not been available at the airport. The tourist may choose not to have their passport stamped but were not able to show a tourist stamp in their passport granting them exemption from VAT for hotels and car hire.

We have encountered a number of cases now where the clients have been charged significant amounts of VAT at their hotel upon check out.

New procedures at Ben Gurion airport now allow for a tourist to fill out a Form 17L as a substitute for a passport visa stamp.

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. The forms are also available at the various Land Crossings into Israel.

The stamped form is proof of tourist status and must be retained by the tourist while in Israel.  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.