Update, 8/15: Chaim V’Chesed reports that Israel has decided that students coming from “Green” countries will be exempt from quarantine. They also note that this throws a monkey wrench into the plans of many schools as there is no interaction allowed between students subject to quarantine and students exempt from quarantine until the end of the 14 day quarantine period. Because of this, some schools may delay the arrival of students from Green countries.
Originally posted on 8/14:
Starting on Sunday, Israel will no longer require quarantine for returning citizens or foreign nationals who have permission to enter Israel when returning from the following “Green” countries:
- Austria
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Croatia
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- Finland
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- Italy
- Jordan
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- New Zealand
- Rwanda
- Slovenia
However if you were in any other country in the 14 days prior to flying to Israel, you will need to quarantine for 14 days.
Additionally, while the EU in general doesn’t allow Israelis to enter, Israel has come to an agreement with Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovenia for Israelis to enter without quarantine. Greece will also allow 600 Israelis per week to enter without quarantine.
Foreign nationals are still unable to travel to Israel unless they have permission to enter Israel for a bar/bas mitzvah or wedding of a sibling/sibling-in-law, child, or grandchild, for grandparents visiting for a month before and after a birth, and people attending a funeral of an immediate relative.
If a foreign national does have permission to enter Israel then you can skip quarantine if you have only been to green countries in the past 14 days.
What does that mean for Americans with permission to enter Israel?
- Americans can enter Croatia for tourism, present a negative COVID PCR result from the past 48 hours, and not have to quarantine. If you provide a negative test older than 48 hours you can get retested locally, quarantine, and emerge when you get a negative result. You can spend 14 days in Croatia before flying to Israel without the need to quarantine.
- Americans can enter England for tourism and self-isolate there for 14 days, before flying to Israel without the need to quarantine.
You can read a Croatia trip report on DDF here in the Croatia Master Thread.
Chaim V’Chesed notes that Israel is still discussing whether to exempt students coming from green countries from quarantine. I don’t see why they should be different than other foreign nationals that have permission to enter, but apparently it’s still under debate.
If you’re going to an eligible wedding or bar/bas mitzvah in Israel, it sure seems worthwhile to vacation in Croatia for 2 weeks so that you can avoid having to quarantine for 2 week in Israel!
Of course this situation is still fluid and can change. Plus, Israel plans to update the green counties list every 2 weeks, so a country that is currently green, may be removed by the time you travel.
Are you eligible for entry to Israel? Will you consider spending 2 weeks in Croatia?
And you didn’t include a trip report for Croatia?!
Thanks for this, now gotta head over to DDF to check them out.
Here you go:
https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=53929.msg2036678#msg2036678
How are they to know how long you were in the green country?
you don’t think they know exactly where you’ve been?
by seeing the visa stamped?
By looking at your passport, lol
Perhaps they’ll ask for proof if you present a passport from a non-green country.
Maybe spending two weeks in Hong Kong is better than Croatia. At least theres more action
Except Hong Kong isn’t taking Americans.
1. Going to England seems to just move 14 day quarantine from one country to another.
2. For students, an outbreak could be much worse, so that might be the logic of keeping the current “pod” system of 6 or fewer, as an extra precaution.
3. It’s worth noting that it’s increasingly difficult to get a PCR test within 48 hours – most places have far longer turnaround, as it only makes sense if the 48 hours is from when the sample was taken, not when the results were received.
1. Someone may have a place to quarantine there and not in Israel. Plus UK enforcement is very lax…
2. Fair point.
3. https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=118097.0
So molecular rapid tests counts as a PCR?
same with Canada
Why is quarantining for American citizens who have permission to enter Israel better in England then in Israel ?are the uk authorities more lax with quarantine restrictions than Israel?
1. Someone may have a place to quarantine there and not in Israel.
2. UK enforcement is very lax..
3. The best way to go is clearly via Croatia.
This is so convoluted you would be netter off just making Aliyah and being a good Jew.
Why make Aliyah? I am a “good Jew” right here in Passaic. MAGA: Making Golus Great Again!
That is not even funny…
Oh gosh. Yep just what galut is meant to be….
3.
Why isn’t going through Canada the best option?
Because you can’t stay there for 14 days.
By students you mean just non married or even married students who quarantine at home and get permits similar to other foreigners
Seems like unmarried students may have to still quarantine, while married students would be able to bypass quarantine.
Any idea why Switzerland isn’t on this list , they are way ahead then Germany and Italy?
Americans are not allowed to enter Switzerland.
Even Europeans entering from the US need to quarantine for 10 days if they stay in Switzerland.
according to the israeli law even married students still have to quarantine. check out with chaim v’chessed
I wish I had 2 weeks to spend in Croatia. I doubt my job will allow me to work from there for 2 weeks before going to Israel for 8 days.
Can the spouse and child of an israeli citizen enter without a Bar Mitzvah/Wedding?
Yes. You need to get permission.
if You’re in Schengen already, somehow got stuck here, and you travel to Greece via Schengen supposedly the israel passport is not checked. But then I would need proof that I was in Greece for two weeks I guess also. Would the hotel bill count as proof? I know the alternative is croatia, but now you say I could get into bulgaria with an Israeli passport also? And would I have to quarantine in bulgaria? I have no home anywhere now, as I have been living nonstop many years in hotels and some short term apartments, as currently in Switzerland.
Students from “green” countries exempt from quarantine
https://chaimvchessed.com/students-from-green-countries-to-be-exempt-from-quarantine/
My only question is, do students coming from “green” countries still need a permit that the yeshiva must get for them, or being that there is no quarantine requirement, they are just like Israelis and can freely (obviously filling out the form before traveling)?
All foreigners need special permission to enter Israel, regardless where they’re coming from.
is canada letting in israelis or americans?
you could go thru canada and to us by plane?
No, but you are allowed to transit without entering.
why did Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovenia allow for Isrelis to enter if their citizens will not be allowed to enter isrel ?
Tourist dollars!
So if I fly from EWR-YYZ-TLV I will be exempt from quarantine?
Not unless you have a 14 day connection in YYZ…
This doesn’t help, because Israel is only exempting people who haven’t been to a red country at all in the previous 14 days, regardless of where your flight comes from. So unless you’re going to stop in Toronto for 14 days first, you’ll still be subject to quarantine in Israel.
Greetings from Zagreb! For those considering this option, we made it successfully from JFK-WAW-ZAG last week. Safe travels to all those venturing out again…
Nice, please post a trip report!
https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?board=25.0
Can anyone explain the Greece mind?
600 people don’t spread the virus, but 601 does?
Good for all of those that have permits/entry visas/permission to enter E”Y. Anyone have a lead for those that currently do not have a proper permit/visa/permission? Any and all outlandish ideas welcome.
Thanks!
Take boar to Gaza and then tunnel in.
Aliyah!
Hi,
Im a us citizen and im married (to an israeli) and live in israel but im still in process of making Aliya and im here in israel as a tourist for now.
Need to fly for a brothers wedding in ny, will i have issues returning home to israel? I dont mind quarantining when i return…
You shouldn’t have a problem – but need to get permission via misrad hapnim or the embassy by proving that the “center of your life” is in Israel. Chaim v’chessed or NBN might be able to help with this.
if together with your wife they will let you go – but the only small problem is that the airline wont let you
If you have dual american CANADIAN citizenship you can drive to Canada and fly from there and there is no way they can know you have not been in Canada for 14 days already because they don’t stamp your passport
They’ll still ask you.
any idea why Australia is not on the list? they have less cases than most of these countries
They’re not allowed to leave the country without an exemption.
So…..can an American with no special circumstances (wedding, bris, burial) come for Sukkot? Can we quarantine in our private sukka?
No
Can students (with a student visa) come in from green country if they get approval for the inbound clearance application WITHOUT a special entry permit from the school?
Good luck finding a direct Croatia tel Aviv flight these days…
It doesn’t need to be direct.
There will for sure be many charters to there and Bulgaria now that’s its so attractive.
Sure but given that Croatia is part of EU if you also didnt fly directly there your stamp would be from first port of entry and you would have a very difficult time proving you were indeed in Croatia for 14 days..
Shouldn’t be hard to prove. Bring hotel receipts, etc.
Imo easiest and best way is going to Greece on a Sunday when you’ll get in. Many more direct flights from USA and to Israel plus Greece is far cheaper for a 14 day stay . While Croatia is stunning 14 days is a long time . Greece it’s just top of the iceberg
Greece isn’t taking Americans.
I’m referring to “americans” with Israeli passports of course.
Now, why in heavens would I quarantine in Croatia if I can do so in the holy land? Spend an extra 2 wks. in Israel? what am I missing please?
Read the post again.
Read somewhere that the Austrian consulate in Israel announced that starting September, they will allow grandchildren of pre-war Austrian Jews to get an Austrian passport.
This is great for Israelis who are grandchildren of Austrians, as Austrian passport holders do not need an entry visa into the US.
Was wondering if there is any benefit for Americans who are of Austrian descent, if having the passport will gain us entry anywhere (places like Hungary that are not letting in US citizens etc) And would there be any benefit of finding another way around the mandatory quarantine in Israel
you will have much benefits of it
can you explain?
These ideas are all great. Just need to know what reasonable and reliable travel insurance can be bought to cover Corona. Thanks
Are you able to quarantine in Croatia for like 10 days and then do the rest in Isreal?
While I too wish to be in Israel, trying to find ways around quarantining puts the entire country and people of Israel at risk. I find those actions truly selfish. If you care about keeping society, your community, or Israel safe, stay home. Sukkot or not. Or be a decent human being and quarantine if you decide to go to Israel.
Read the post again. There’s no loophole.
Dan- you’re right. And I respect and appreciate all that you’re doing. That was directed to the commenters in the forums. I am finding that the kahal rachav is always looking for a reason to outsmart the restrictions that are in place to protect am Israel. And that’s more important than sitting in your own sukkah in Israel because you want to be there.
Yes, I have an aliyah visa but that also means I’m entitled to free one way ticket currently on United via Nefesh b Nefesh. Of course the Croatia option does not help with that plus I spent 8 days in Croatia last summer. It would be nice if the US was removed from that list or at a minimum the number of days in quarantine were reduced to a more tolerable amount. Until then I’ve been waiting it out in the USA to avoid the quarantine.
How about going thru Canada?
The issue is that you get an entry permit that expires exactly two weeks after it is issued. for Israeli citizens, it might help