Expanded Tourist Visa Interview Waivers for Israelis
On March 22, 2018, David Rosenberg of Arutz Sheva 7 reported that the U.S. Embassy in Israel made it easier for certain Israeli citizens to renew tourist visas.1
The instructions for when an Israeli citizen may be eligible for an interview waiver are now posted on the website of the U.S. Embassy in Israel [PDF version English and Hebrew].
An Israeli citizen seeking to renew his or her B1 or B2 visa in Israel is not required to go to the U.S. Embassy in Israel for an interview if he or she meets the following requirements:
The applicant is applying for a tourist visa (B1/B2);
The applicant’s last visa was issued after January 1, 2008, and the applicant was at least 14 years old when it was issued; and
The applicant’s last visa is still valid, or expired within the previous 12 months.
Applicants under the age of 14 and over the age of 79 are eligible for interview waivers as well.
Provided that an applicant meets all of the above requirements, the applicant may mail in his or her passport along with the old visa to the U.S. Embassy in Israel. The Embassy website advises individuals to “be sure to put in the correct information” on the scheduling website. The scheduling website will then provide instructions on how to send in the passport. Applicants who are using a trusted travel agency are advised to “ensure that [the agency] is requesting the correct service…”
Future Addition to Visa Waiver Program?
In the Arutz Sheva 7 report, David Rosenberg stated that there is speculation that Israel may be added to the list of countries eligible for participation in the Visa Waiver Program in the near future. However, there is still a “gap over key issues which have delayed Israel’s addition to the visa waiver program” involving access to personal information databanks in Israel.
We will update the site with further information as it becomes available.
