A Tourist or Business Visitor Visa (B-2) enables a foreign national to visit Israel solely for tourism or business purposes. This type of visa does not allow the foreign national to work in Israel.
In this context, it must be clarified that a business visit is defined as a short visit of one – two weeks during which the foreign national meets with clients, conducts business meetings, submits bids, etc. A longer-term stay, as well as the performance of other activities, may be considered as work and will expose the foreign national to criminal sanctions and to punishment.
Considering this, obtaining legal consultation prior to the visit will assist the visitor in clarifying the purpose of the visit, including the type of activities to be conducted throughout its duration. The relevant visa will be obtained accordingly.
Business visitors arriving from countries that have entrance agreements with Israel, such as the United States and Western Europe, may obtain a Tourist/Business Visitor Visa upon arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport.
Visitors from countries without such entrance agreements (amongst others, certain countries in Eastern Europe, South America, and the Far East), are required to submit a request for an entrance visa at the Israeli consulate of their country of residence prior to entering Israel.
The length of this visa is determined by the border inspection's representative. If there is no concern as to the visitor's intention to work and/or settle down in Israel, a three months' visa is issued, one which may be extended by three additional months. (In other words: six months of the calendar year). An extension beyond this time period will be granted only under exceptional circumstances.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
