PassportSouth Africa

Trip checklist: Israel

For South African passport holders. Last checked 5 October 2026.

Visa requirement

South Africans need an online travel authorisation before flying to Israel.

Permitted stay

You can stay up to 90 days per visit.

Before you go

  • Purpose of visit

    Tourism, family visits, business meetings and short courses. Work of any kind, including volunteering, needs a separate visa (B/4 volunteer, work or student visas are applied for through VFS Global in South Africa). Working without permission can lead to detention and deportation.

  • Passport validity

    At least 3 months (90 days) beyond your date of arrival, with one blank page. If you later want to extend your stay, the passport must be valid at least 6 months beyond the requested end date.

  • How to apply

    Apply online only at the Population and Immigration Authority portal, israel-entry.piba.gov.il. Fee NIS 25, paid online, non-refundable. Valid 2 years or until the passport expires, whichever is first; each visit up to 90 days. Apply at least 72 hours before departure; the application must be finished in one session. Children need their own ETA-IL.

  • Where South Africans apply

    Online at israel-entry.piba.gov.il; there is nothing to submit in person. For visas (work, study, volunteer, or a refused ETA-IL), the Embassy of Israel in Pretoria has stopped taking applications in person since 7 August 2023 and uses VFS Global South Africa. VFS lists a B/2 visitor visa at R540 visa fee plus R395 service fee, about 7 working days.

  • Travel insurance

    Not mandatory for entry. Strongly advised to buy insurance that covers medical evacuation and conflict-related disruption. Many policies exclude travel against government advice.

  • Return or onward ticket

    Not published as a formal entry rule. Border officers may ask for a return or onward ticket and proof of funds; a ticket is one of the documents accepted when applying to extend a stay.

  • Proof of funds

    Not published as a fixed amount. Officers may ask; proof of funds is listed as an alternative to a ticket in the extension procedure.

  • Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa

    No vaccinations required by Israel. Israel is not a yellow fever risk country, so no yellow fever certificate is needed to return to South Africa, unless you transited more than 12 hours through the airport of a yellow fever risk country on the way.

  • Arrival forms

    No paper arrival form. At Ben Gurion airport passports are not stamped; you get a small entry card (gate pass) instead. Keep it with your passport as proof of legal entry. Some travellers are given restricted entry such as 'Palestinian Authority only'.

  • Extending your stay and overstaying

    To stay longer, book an appointment with the Population and Immigration Authority and apply in person. Fee NIS 195. You need a passport valid 6 months past the requested date, a photo, proof of funds or a ticket, and a letter explaining why. Overstaying can lead to detention, deportation and a later entry ban.

  • Transit

    Not published for airside transit. Few travellers transit Israel. Anyone entering Israel, including at land crossings with Jordan (Allenby or King Hussein Bridge, Sheikh Hussein, Yitzhak Rabin or Wadi Araba) and Egypt (Taba), needs an ETA-IL. These crossings may close at short notice.

  • Travelling with children

    Each child needs their own ETA-IL. A child aged 17 or under travelling alone or with one parent should carry a parental consent letter with accommodation and contact details. Also carry South Africa's own documents for minors leaving SA.

  • Confirm with the embassy

    Rules change. Check the official source before you book.

Where to apply

Research sources

  1. 1. Government of Israel, tourist visa table (updated 7 April 2022) (Official, gov.il) https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/reports/tourist-visa-table/en/2022_Foreign_Visa_to_Israel.pdf
  2. 2. Embassy of Israel in Finland (Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs) (Official, embassies.gov.il) https://embassies.gov.il/helsinki-en/NewsAndEvents/Pages/ETA-IL.aspx
  3. 3. Embassy of Israel in Pretoria (Official, embassies.gov.il) https://embassies.gov.il/pretoria/ConsularServices/Pages/Visa-Information-.aspx
  4. 4. Population and Immigration Authority, Israel (gov.il) (Official, gov.il) https://www.gov.il/en/service/request_for_extension_tourisem_visa_or_visitor_visa
  5. 5. UK FCDO (Other government, gov.uk) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel/entry-requirements
  6. 6. US Department of State (Other government, travel.state.gov) https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Israel.html
  7. 7. Government of Canada travel advice (Other government, travel.gc.ca) https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/israel-and-palestine
  8. 8. UK FCDO (Other government, gov.uk) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel
  9. 9. Australian Government Smartraveller (Other government, smartraveller.gov.au) https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/middle-east/israel
  10. 10. DIRCO, South African High Commission Canberra (Other government, dirco.gov.za) https://dirco.gov.za/canberra/yellow-fever/
  11. 11. South African Government (DIRCO media statement, 2 March 2026) (Other government, gov.za) https://www.gov.za/news/media-statements/international-relations-and-cooperation-issues-security-advisory-and-travel
  12. 12. Wikipedia (Reference, en.wikipedia.org) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Israel
  13. 13. Wikipedia (Reference, en.wikipedia.org) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_South_African_citizens
  14. 14. GSA (Global Sales Agency) South Africa country guide (Commercial, thegsa.co.za) https://www.thegsa.co.za/visa-and-country-info/2748-israel-country-guide
  15. 15. VFS Global (Israel, South Africa) (Commercial, vfsglobal.com) https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/israel/southafrica/english/index.html

From doineedavisa.co.za/israel. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.