Israel has delayed the introduction of paid electronic visas for Ukrainians for five months.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Israel reported this.
Israel has delayed the introduction of paid visas for Ukrainian citizens: what is known
The embassy's statement noted that the Population and Immigration Authority of the State of Israel has postponed the launch of the ETA-IL (electronic visa) pilot project for 5 months.
Now watching
The diplomatic department recalled that from August 1 of this year, all foreigners eligible for visa-free entry to Israel must apply for an ETA-IL electronic visa permit to enter the country for up to 90 days, for tourism or business purposes, through a web platform.
However, an agreement was reached and it was decided that Ukrainian citizens will be required to obtain prior permission (ETA-IL) to enter Israel starting January 1, 2025.
What preceded
Recall that in June of this year it became known that from July 1, Israel will end the visa-free regime for all countries, including Ukraine.
Thus, to enter the country, it is necessary to submit documents for an ETA-IL permit to stay in Israel for up to 90 days.
Note that Ukraine and Israel have had close relations since the introduction of the visa-free policy in 2010. However, even before the latest requirement, these relations were worsened by certain Israeli actions, such as restricting Ukrainian settlers and denying entry to many Ukrainian citizens.
Then the Ukrainian embassy stated that in response to the requirement to obtain an ETA-IL permit for a stay of up to 90 days in Israel, Ukraine would introduce similar pre-approval requirements for Israeli citizens, including pilgrims.
At the same time, the embassy noted that Ukraine remains open to dialogue with Israel to agree on these changes in travel policy in favor of both countries.
