Israel, US sign MOU regarding visa-free travel

Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Mike Herzog, and the American ambassador to Israel, Tom Nides, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Wednesday regarding a visa exemption for the United States via the visa waiver program.

“I was privileged today to represent the government of Israel in signing a US-Israel memorandum of understanding on the extension of reciprocal privileges in the visa waiver program,” Israeli Ambassador Herzog announced today. “This is a significant milestone towards Israel joining the program.”

The long-discussed visa waiver for Israelis traveling to the US now looks likely to be passed sometime in this year after many months of speculation and negotiation.

Travelers seen at the arrival hall of Ben Gurion International Airport, near Tel Aviv, on April 11, 2018 (credit: MOSHE SHAI/FLASH90)

“This procedure will allow any American citizen to enter Israel, and subsequently, with the acceptance of Israel as a member of the program, will allow any Israeli to enter the USA without the need for a visa,” said National Security Adviser and Head of the National Assembly Tzachi Hanegbi. “The full application of the procedure will. apply to any American regardless of who he is, including Americans with dual citizenship, Americans living in Judea and Samaria and Americans living in the Gaza Strip,” continued Hanegbi.

“Thank you to everybody on both sides who worked so diligently towards this goal, especially my colleague and dear friend Ambassador Tom Nides and DHS Under Secretary Rob Silvers, for their significant contributions,” declared Herzog.

Israel and the US Visa Waiver Program

The US Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of participating nations to travel to the US for up to 90 days without a visa.

Currently, Israelis wishing to visit America must apply for a visa. However, American citizens don’t need a visa to visit Israel.

In late March 2023, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he expected his country to join the program by September, but the US State Department said Israel had yet to officially meet the requirements.

A big obstacle that Washington has pointed out is that Israel is yet to grant free passage for Palestinian-Americans at its airports and into the West Bank – a requirement that Israel seems to have granted as of Wednesday night.

Palestinian-American passage at all Israeli ports of entry

Later on Wednesday afternoon, the US State Department announced that American citizens – even if of Palestinian origin – can use any and all ports of entry in Israel, including Ben Gurion airport.

“For entry into the Visa Waiver Program, the complete list of requirements must be satisfied.  The Department is working closely with the Government of Israel in its efforts to meet those requirements, in furtherance of our shared goal that Israel join the Visa Waiver Program when it meets all program requirements,” the statement read.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed that the rule change was a prerequiste for acceptance into the visa waiver program during a press conference shortly after the announcement. “Over the next few weeks, we will be monitoring very closely – you’ll be able to look at the policies that they announce today,” Miller declared.