Need Info - Please Help!
Does anyone know what visa status an American citizen who marrys a Palestinian Citizen gets?
Here is what I know:
1) Any American can enter Israel with a 3 month travelers visa.
2) They can extend it another 3 months at Ministry of Interior for a total of 6 months.
3) They can travel from Tel Aviv.
But what I want to know is if they are married and have a marriage license from the USA and a church in Palestine, can they DENY entry into Israel/Palestine or can't they because they are married to a Palestinian citizen?
Any information would be greatly appreciated as I can't find any!
I am asking because I have known Americans that come here for touring or school have been denyed a visa and have been sent back to the USA the same day they arrived at the Tel Aviv airport.
Is the person who is married to a Palestinian exempt from this kind of treatment?
posted by Palestinian Princess @ Monday, May 01, 2006
19 Comments:
As an American, I don't think you need a visa to visit Israel. My daughters & I traveled to Israel in 1999 with an american passport & they only gave me a hard time, because I have never recinded my Israeli citizenship when I became an american citizen. When my husband & I went last year, he went with an american passport & I went with an Israeli passport to enter & exited on my american passport. I don't think we were the exception, we were always questioned at the airport about where we are going & who we are staying with.
I hope I answered part of your question, I rambled on.
H
Already found a candidate husband, I see. That didn't take long.
The Ministry of the Interior can deny anyone into Israel for any (usually "security") reason. More than 100 humanitarian peace workers were denied entry into TLV in the last couple of years alone.
Justin Olbrantz ... hahaha, no its not me.
Actually I didn't give you guys any details...
When I was living in the states, I was friends with this AWESOME Middle Eastern (I dont want to say what country, because I dont want the people in Nablus to be able to figure out who I am) anyway, this girl and I became close the whole 5 years I lived there and at that time she also met my brother and the fell in love, so she is going to be my new sister in law and my best friend... AWWWWWWW...
So I was just trying to get some info, because she is kinda freaking out about that "OH MY GOD, WHAT IF THEY DONT LET ME IN, OH NO."
And as many of you know, my brother that lives here, the one who is getting married is taking care of the family business here in Nablus, so she has agreed to try it out here for 5 years, and improve her arabic while here, etc.
Ok, so you know the story... I just need some more info though, I want her to feel good...
israel can deny entry to anyone. being married makes no difference whatsoever. i took my husband's name as it was possibly better for me. last time i flew to tel aviv i said exactly where i was going - bethlehem, and why - to visit my husband's family. i had far less trouble than usual. but it depends on which security person you get.
Last time I was there I nearly got thrown out after 8 hours of questions. God knows what they would have done if I said I was coming because I was married to a Palestinian.
On the other hand, Palestinians themselves sometimes seem to get through with less hassle than Brits or Americans. I don't know why this is - something about having the right kind of security pass maybe?
Joe
Freedom Clothing Project - exporting T-shirts from Beit Jala
Tomer is right, she will be asked the same questions over & over again by different people. My girls got very exasperated with that as they were not used to the interogations in the US. It wouldn't be a bad idea for your friend to call the Israeli consulate & ask them anonymously.
H
Here's a website, state side.
http://www.israelfm.org/contact_us.htm
Contact the 'Consular Department', top of the list.
Let us know how it turns out...
Abu-Issa
I just spent some time at the Israeli consulate webpage and couldn't find help for people who weren't Jewish who wanted to emigrate to Israel.
It must be there somewhere.
I mean, surely non-Jews emigrate to Israel.
Definitely don't say you want to immigrate to Israel if you want to live in the PA...
The Israelis are incredibly security-conscious, and that applies to Jews also. Everyone gets grilled, and if you want to know why, just ask the PFLP.
Even so, an American trying to go to Nablus to see her spouse isn't going to have much trouble. Compare this, for example, to a Jew trying to pray at the tomb of Yosef...
Lucy you should ask Imaan from "living in gaza" - i understood that she moved to gaza from Sweden because of her husband being a Gazan. Swedish pasports are no US pasports, but they're foreign pasports all the same.....
Ben Gurion airport is not a great place to arrive to. The security questions and searches are not limited to just palestinians. All my Jewish friends complain and alot have been searched and and been delayed by bagage searches. Israelis are also not polished in their manners and can be rude and abrupt.
Touchy and too security conscious but considering the bombings and threats they have i.e a world leader threatens to wipe them off the face of the earth. I put up with it. In today's world security is never to be taken for granted even in London. Heathrow is a better airport and the British are groomed and polished in their manners.
I don't think there are any non-jewish immigrants to Israel. I think you have to be Jewish or of Jewish descent.
I do not think that they deny anyone entry if they are just visiting. Saying that she is coming to visit her husband will give you a few questions, especially as he is living in Nablus. I agree there is a high probability that she will be questioned. Saying nothing and trying for regular tourist might work but it might also backfire. Is she intenting to live there? or is it just a visit?
I would find out as much as possible before she arrives. See what the American consul says in Israel and the Israeli consulates in America. Get the paperwork before she comes. If she then decides to live here then that will be a matter for the Palestinian Authority.
anyone who does not have palestinian id (israeli administered of course) cannot be 'resident' in the west bank or gaza strip. one can only be there on a tourist visa so one would need to leave everytime the visa is due to expire. some people have been living there a long time and have to leave each time the visa expires. some however just remained and have no legal residency. if caught they would be deported. before the second intifada it was possible to extend the visas but not any more. if one decided to take palestinian id the application, like everything, is vetted by shabak. one would also give up any protection afforded by the consulate of that individual's own country - israel recognises the palestinian id only, not any other passport held. israel has total control, that's what oslo 'gave' palestinians.
There are non-jewish immigrants to Israel. They are not automatically granted citizenship, the same as in most countries on Earth.
Really? How strange that nothing on the Israeli embassy websites mention non-Jews can immigrate.
Do you have a pointer?
whatever you do - make sure they do NOT get a green (palestinian ID) - because even if they have an american passport, if they hold pa citizenship as well, it will only makes things worse for them.
If your friend just wants to visit Israel for 3 to 6 months, then, as an American, he is entitled to do so. It may help to say you are just visiting and not discuss the situation.
But if your friend wants to stay longer and possibly immigrate, I'd suggest talking to the consulate. It's going to be very hard, especially if he is not Jewish.
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