Flying to Israel: Here are the latest COVID-19 regulations for travelers

At the moment, foreign citizens are not permitted to enter Israel unless they receive special permissions from the Exceptions Committee.

However, Israeli citizens may travel to and from Israel.

The following countries are "red countries", meaning that they have the highest warning levels and that Israelis are prohibited from flying to these select locations, unless they obtain a permission from the Exceptions Committee.

• Uzbekistan

• Argentina

• Belarus

• Brazil

• South Africa

• India

• Mexico

• Spain

• Kyrgyzstan

• Russia

Israelis who return from these countries must enter full quarantine upon their return to Israel, even if they are fully vaccinated or recovered.

People who travel to banned countries without permission are subject to an NIS 5,000 fine.

The following countries are "orange countries", meaning that there are severe warnings about flying to and from these countries. Anyone flying from the following countries must enter full quarantine upon their arrival:

• Uganda

• United Arab Emirates

• Seychelles Islands

• Great Britain

• Georgia

• Guatemala

• Honduras

• Zimbabwe

• Zambia

• Liberia

• Mongolia

• Myanmar

• Namibia

• Fiji

• Panama

• Paraguay

• Colombia

• Costa Rica

• Cambodia

• Kenya

• Cyprus

• Turkey

Finally, the following countries are "yellow countries," meaning that those unvaccinated must enter full quarantine upon their arrival in Israel, while those vaccinated or who had COVID-19 in the past must enter quarantine for either 24 hours or until they receive a negative coronavirus test result (whichever is first): 

• Uruguay

• Bahamas

• El Salvador

• Angolia

• Eswatini

• Ecuador

• Eritrea

• Armenia

• Ethiopia

• Botswana

• Bolivia

• Bahrain

• Belize

• Guinea

• Philipines

• Dominican Republic

• Holland

• Central African Republic

• Venezuela

• Tanzania

• Greece

• Jordan

• Lesotho

• Mozambique

• Malawi

• Maldives

• Egypt

• Morocco

• Nepal

• Sierra Leone

• Portugal

• Peru

Any countries that do not appear in the above lists, such as the US, require quarantine for up to 24 hours or until a negative coronavirus test (the first of the two) for those vaccinated, those who had previously been sick with COVID-19, and those vaccinated alike.

All lists are subject to change, and countries that do not currently appear on the lists at the moment may be added to the lists at a later time.

In general, all those flying back into Israel must fill out a comprehensive entry statement form on the government's website. They must also take a coronavirus PCR test and have a negative result within 72 hours of departure of their flight, and must take a PCR test upon their arrival in Israel.

"Full quarantine," as mentioned above, means entering quarantine for 14 days which may be shortened to a minimum of seven days with two negative PCR tests, one on the first and the other on the seventh day.

The government additionally permits that people take connection flights with up to 12 hours layover in an orange or red country without having to follow that country's specific restrictions, but rather following the restrictions of the origin country.

Foreign nationals who have received authorization to enter Israel for work purposes (b1 visa holders) who have stayed in one of the 10 banned countries will need to spend 14 days in another country before flying to Israel, the Government Press Office told foreign press on Monday.

This rule applies even to those foreign nationals who work in Israel as press and are therefore considered residents, including those who are vaccinated against coronavirus or recovered, the GPO explained. The only exception is those who visited a banned country in transit and spent less than 12 hours in the country’s airport.

Maayan Hoffman, Rossella Tercatin contributed to this report.