Visiting Palestine: how entry to the West Bank works

Foreign visitors cannot obtain a Palestinian visa at a border. None of the official Palestinian or Israeli pages consulted for this guide describes a separate Palestinian entry visa issued at a crossing. Visitors reach the West Bank either by arriving in Israel or by crossing from Jordan at the Allenby / King Hussein Bridge, and both routes pass through Israeli border control. The Israel Airports Authority runs the Allenby terminal, the Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA) keeps an entry duty officer there, and a District Coordination and Liaison office links the Israeli and Palestinian sides.

Because of this, the document that lets a foreigner enter is the Israeli one. Nationals of visa-exempt countries need an approved ETA-IL before they travel; it costs NIS 25 and allows up to 90 days per visit. Nationals of visa-required countries need a B/2 visitor visa from an Israeli embassy or consulate; the country list on the PIBA ETA-IL portal shows which group a passport belongs to. Anyone coming from Jordan over the King Hussein Bridge must also hold a Jordanian visa obtained in advance, because the Jordanian side does not issue visas at that crossing.

Inside the West Bank, the Palestinian Ministry of Interior has a General Directorate of Residencies and Foreigners Affairs. It accepts residence requests from foreigners through the ministry's directorates in the governorates, and its stated purpose is to regulate the entry, exit and residence of foreigners in the West Bank.

This guide covers the West Bank only. The official sources consulted do not describe a route for foreign visitors into Gaza, so Gaza is not covered here. Crossing hours change at short notice: the Allenby terminal currently works on a reduced timetable that it attributes to the security situation, so check the Israel Airports Authority notices shortly before you travel.