ETA-IL and the foreign partner: when it is needed and when it is not
Written by Alon, founder of IsraelVisa · Based on the procedures of the Population and Immigration Authority
Published: 5 November 2026
The short answer
ETA-IL is the online travel authorisation that the Population and Immigration Authority requires from visitors with a visa-exempt passport. Since 1 January 2025 such a visitor must hold an approved ETA-IL, or a valid visa, before setting out for Israel. It is a tourist authorisation for a stay of up to 90 days, and it gives no right of entry.
For a couple in the Gradual Process: the Authority's page lists holders of a valid Israeli visa, B/1 and A/5 among them, as people who do not apply; a visa-exempt partner coming to live in Israel still needs the entry approval of the procedures; and an ETA-IL does not replace the application for status.
Who needs an ETA-IL
A citizen of a country whose nationals do not need a B/2 visa for Israel must complete an ETA-IL form before travelling. It covers tourism, business and other purposes that involve neither work nor medical treatment, for up to 90 days per visit.
- Every traveller needs one, whatever their age; an adult fills in the form for a minor.
- The passport must be valid for at least three months from the date of arrival; biometric and non-biometric passports are both accepted.
- Apply only on the Authority's own site, israel-entry.piba.gov.il: the address ends in gov.il, and the Authority sends a receipt for the payment, a consular notice adds.
ETA-IL on the official site of the Population and Immigration Authority
Who does not need one: the official list
The page names the groups that do not apply. We give the list as it stands:
- Israeli citizens and holders of an Israeli identity number, including a permanent resident with a valid identity number.
- A traveller on a foreign passport who also holds Israeli citizenship, showing proof of it to the airline.
- Travellers with a valid Israeli visa of type B/1, B/3, B/4, A/1, A/2, A/3, A/4 or A/5.
- Crew on the crew APIS list, seamen with a seaman's book, United States military holding a CAC, and diplomats and holders of official or service passports.
A partner on a B/1 or A/5 licence
A partner whose application has been approved holds a B/1 licence, and later an A/5; both are in the list. On the wording of the page, such a partner does not apply for an ETA-IL for a trip abroad and back. A B/2 visitor licence is not in the list; ask the Authority's help centre before travelling on one.
Both procedures add that a partner with an application filed who holds a valid temporary licence, a tourist visa, a B/1 or an A/5, must obtain a re-entry visa before leaving Israel, or the licence expires on departure; the re-entry visa is at the official's discretion. So before any trip: a valid licence, a re-entry visa, and a passport still valid on the way back.
How and when to apply
The form is completed in one sitting. Its five steps are e-mail verification, travel information, passport details, personal details, and a review followed by payment. The fee shown on the page is 25 shekels and is not refunded; a mistake cannot be corrected after submission, so a new form and a new fee are needed.
- When: the Authority recommends applying at least 72 hours before booking flights, hotels or other expenses of the trip. Most applicants get an answer at once; in some cases it takes up to 72 hours, by e-mail.
- Validity: up to two years from approval or until the passport expires, whichever comes first, for multiple trips. A new passport, or a change of name, gender or citizenship, means a new application.
- A refusal: the status comes by e-mail with a referral to the help centre, and the page asks not to file again. Some applicants are told to contact the nearest Israeli embassy.
What an ETA-IL does not do
The page is explicit: an ETA-IL only lets you reach the border crossing. It grants no permission to enter or live in Israel, and the border control officer may find that the traveller is not authorised to enter under Israeli law and the Authority's procedures.
An ETA-IL is a tourist authorisation; it does not open the Gradual Process or replace the application for status. Both procedures say that a foreign partner abroad who wants to come and live with the Israeli partner must apply before arriving, even with a visa-exempt passport.
A visa-exempt partner coming to Israel as a tourist: what the procedures say
The entry approval of the Gradual Process
When the foreign partner is still abroad, the procedures set their own entry step: an application together at the Israeli representation if you are both abroad, or an online application filed in advance by the Israeli partner with a request for an entry visa, also for a visa-exempt passport.
A visa-exempt partner then collects the approval notice from the representation and presents it at border control on arrival; no fee is charged for this entry visa. A partner who needs a visa receives a B/2 visa valid for 30 days. The approval is not the start of the Gradual Process: within 30 days of the arrival you file the online application for status.
The July 2026 editions do not mention ETA-IL, and the approval notice is not a visa on the exemption list; when you collect it, ask the representation whether the airline will also expect an ETA-IL.
The Gradual Process: how a foreign partner gets status in Israel
How IsraelVisa helps
IsraelVisa helps you keep the foreign partner's travel papers in order: the licence and its dates, the re-entry visa before a trip, the ETA-IL approval when one is needed, and the application for status itself, in one place and at your own pace. IsraelVisa does not give legal advice; if you wish, you can find independent lawyers through IsraelVisa.
Frequently asked questions
My partner holds a B/1 licence with a re-entry visa. Is an ETA-IL needed for the flight back?
The Authority's ETA-IL page lists travellers with a valid Israeli visa of type B/1, B/3, B/4 or A/1 to A/5 as people who do not apply. The procedures add that the licence expires on departure unless a re-entry visa was obtained first, so arrange that before the trip.
Can my partner come to live with me on an ETA-IL?
No. An ETA-IL is a tourist authorisation for a stay of up to 90 days and gives no right of entry. A partner coming to live in Israel applies before arrival under procedure 5.2.0008 or 5.2.0009, also with a visa-exempt passport.
How long does an ETA-IL last?
Up to two years from approval or until the passport expires, whichever comes first, and it covers multiple trips. A new passport, or a change of name, gender or citizenship, requires a new application and a new fee.
What happens if the ETA-IL is refused?
The status is sent by e-mail and the applicant is referred to the help centre; the page asks not to file further applications. Some applicants are directed to the nearest Israeli embassy or consulate. For a partner joining an Israeli, the application at the representation under the procedures remains the route.
Related guides
Sources
- ETA-IL - the official site of the Population and Immigration Authority: about, step by step, exemptions and FAQ
- Procedure 5.2.0008 - status for a foreign spouse married to an Israeli citizen (edition 16, 20.07.2026), sections A, C.2, C.5, C.25, D.5 and E.1 (Hebrew)
- Procedure 5.2.0009 - applications for status on the basis of a shared life (edition 17, 16.07.2026), sections A, C.5, C.21, D.5 and E.1 (Hebrew)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consulate General in Toronto - notice on the ETA-IL requirement (07.04.2025)
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The information in this article is general and does not constitute legal advice. The procedures are updated from time to time; check the current version on the website of the Population and Immigration Authority.