Getting Ready to Travel to Israel
Congratulations! You’ve chosen a trip and you’re getting ready to take the next step on your Birthright Israel journey
Upload a copy of your passport on your Birthright Israel Application
Locate your passport and check it does not expire within six months of your final scheduled day in Israel.
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Arrange for local medical insurance and/or travel insurance (required for your trip) - see below
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Arrange for a local cell phone, SIM card, and/or data rental in Israel (required for your trip) - see below
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Notify your debit/credit card company of your travel plans to avoid a potential security hold
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Join your trips Facebook group to meet fellow participants (available 3-4 weeks prior)
Passport Validity:
Make sure you know where your passport is and that it is not expired or nearly expired. If your passport expires within six months of your final scheduled day in Israel, it must be renewed in advance of the trip. You will actually be denied boarding on the group flight if your passport expires less than six months prior to your arrival in Israel.
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Visa Rules:
If you are traveling with an American, Canadian, or EU passport, you do not need a visa to enter Israel. If you travel with a passport from another country or if you have a USA Travel Document as opposed to a regular passport, you may need a visa. Contact your local Israeli Consulate for details.
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Passport Copies:
You are required to submit a copy of the inside cover page of your passport - i.e. the page with your picture and passport number. If you haven’t done so already, please upload your passport copy to your Birthright Israel Application. Finally, if you did not post your passport number when you first registered, please submit this required information to your Application.
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Israeli citizens or children of Israeli citizens:
If either of your parents are citizens of Israel, or if you lived in Israel at some point in the past, it is your responsibility to make sure that your status with the Israeli Defense Forces is worked out and clear. If you hold an Israeli passport, you must enter Israel with your Israeli passport. If either of your parents are Israeli citizens, you may still have obligations to the State of Israel that must be worked out prior to your trip, even if you do not have an Israeli passport. It is critical that you take care of these matters before you arrive in Israel.
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If you do not take care of these matters prior to your trip, you may be obligated to stay in Israel by the State of Israel until resolution. If this applies to you, you will be solely responsible for your own situation and any costs involved. Again, we highly recommend that you be extremely cautious about these matters and contact one of the regional Israel consulate offices if you have any questions.
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Please note: Yael Adventures is not responsible for providing any travel documents. Please confirm with your local consulate for any necessary travel documents/visas to entire a foreign country, if applicable.
You are required to come to Israel with your own health insurance policy that is valid in Israel. This rule comes directly from Birthright Israel and is strictly enforced. We are required to record your health insurance provider and policy number as part of. We HIGHLY encourage you to purchase travel insurance for coverage against cancellations, lost luggage, theft and more.
If you are not insured or if your home medical insurance policy does not cover you abroad, then you NEED an insurance policy that covers you for the entire trip in Israel. An inexpensive and easy way to fulfill this requirement is to purchase travelers insurance through CTAS, which is underwritten by Harel Insurance Company, Israel’s largest medical insurer.
The basic CTAS policy costs $45 and provides coverage in Israel during the 10-day trip! If you extend your trip in Israel, your insurance policy can be extended for $4.50/day. There is a $10 insurance add-on if you wish to include the supplemental cancellation insurance. Order your CTAS Insurance at www.goyael.com/health-insurance.
Want to extend your stay in Israel after the 10-day Birthright Trip is over? In most cases, you can extend your ticket either before you depart or after you arrive in Israel. Extensions prior to departure can only be handled by Gil Travel, Birthright Israel’s official travel agency. Be sure to allow plenty of time for your extension request to be arranged. Most extension requests must be submitted at least 10 business days before departure. Although some airlines permit flight extensions to be made in Israel, it can be a time-consuming process, and seats are limited.
Staying in touch during the trip is a key part of your experience! It’s important for safety, for staying in touch with friends and family back home, and of course for posting pictures to your social media accounts so everyone knows how amazing your trip is! Our partner, Talk N' Save, provides easy, convenient, and inexpensive options for you to call home and access the Internet while you’re in Israel.
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It is required that you have some form of data plan in Israel, not simply using WIFI when available, for security and safety purposes.
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PLEASE NOTE: Your phone must be unlocked for an international SIM card to work!
Please find a suggested packing list below: