Chaim V’Chessed reports that Israel will once again honor and issue entry permission for unmarried people with student visas to return to Israel after being abroad for up to 1 month. Israel stopped allowing single students with visas to enter the country due to the UK variant of COVID-19, but the policy of only allowing married students to enter was found to be discriminatory.
Globes reports that after getting their 2nd vaccine dose, Israel will issue “Green passports” that will allow holders to skip quarantine upon return to Israel from abroad. Cyprus has also announced that they will recognize Israeli green passports and allow holders to visit without having to quarantine.
Green passports will also be issued to those who have recovered from COVID-19. That should include those who have a positive followed by a negative PCR result and those who have antibodies.
The green passports will have an initial validity of 6 months and private businesses in Israel will be allowed to deny entry to those without a green passport.
It’s unclear how traveling with children will work as the vaccine is not yet approved for use in those under 16. Will they be exempt from having to quarantine when traveling with their parents? Will schools accept them back even if they are returning from abroad without having to quarantine?
Unfortunately, Israel doesn’t recognize medical records from abroad, so it’s unclear if Israel will recognize vaccinations or recoveries from abroad, though that would be a great way to open the country to tourism again!
Do you think more countries will launch green passports?
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41 Comments On "Israel Allowing Student Re-entry; Will Issue “Green Passport” To People Who Have Been Vaccinated Or Recovered From COVID-19"
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At this stage the Ministry of Education said that school won’t recognize the green passports.
So it kind of beats the purpose for someone with kids 🙁
But as you know things here can change fast
In Israel if you ask 2 ministers you get 3 answers. I guess let’s wait for these to be issued and for the dust to settle.
I assume they will issue them to kids who recovered?
Agreed.
They will issue to kids of parents who have green passports. Main problem is that ministry of education don’t recognize the green passport concept, so even if kids have them it doesn’t make a difference.
But it’s all very new so many things will change by the time they come online
Wrong.
In Israel you can get more than 3 answers from one minister, all within one hour.
The previous Rebbe said America is no different. Also in the U.S. you can get three answers from the same government official, all within one hour, and they will even put it in writing.
So so sick. Beyond wrong!
What are you referring to specifically?
Hmm. What about students in Israel who had a positive PCR and positive antibody but where never tested to get a negative PCR? MOH didn’t come to the seminary for that. Could they leave the country and return without quarantining?
Take another PCR now?
I guess we’re up a creek?
I believe u made some mistakes re the student visas. They will not be issuing new visas rather will issue new permits for those with current valid visas and studied in israel this year.
Thanks, I’ve clarified that it’s for entry permission.
You’re still saying they will issue entry permission. They do not issue student visas now, only entry permissions, and new ones WILL NOT be issued. Would be nice if you can correct that
It doesn’t say they will issue visas, so I’m not sure what there is to correct.
Dan I agree with Yosef it is misleading. I read this and thought they were issuing new entry for new visas. This is only for visas for students that were ALREADY studying in Israel who left and then couldn’t get back in. As a student trying to apply to get in now, this was very misleading.
Where does the post say anything about issuing visas?
I suppose, unfortunately there are some people who can use assistance in reading comprehension. It does not state anywhere in the article that new visas are being issued. It simply states “Israel will once again honor and issue entry permission for unmarried people with student visas.” no where does it mention anything about students wanted to start a new visa.
The header states Israel allowing student entry. This does not mean that every person who decided they want to apply for a visa today can. In no way, shape or form does it say that this is for new visas too.
Please everyone, take a minute and read an article completely before coming to conclusions. In addition, don’t tell the writer that they need to fix an article that does not say what the misreading reader thought they read.
frustrated to see how many people don’t read!!!!!
I agree, the title should read RE-entry to avoid misleading those who think they may “enter” for first time. just two letters that will help avoid unnecessary confusion.
What if I am married on a student visa but my wife and kids are Israeli? Will I be allowed to enter Israel?
Sure, just apply for entry permission.
Your statement is incorrect for the moment. They will not issue new visas yet, but only honor the ones previously issued and allow for unmarried students to enter.
I’m dealing with this issue and already got a link to your statement which is contrary to the reality. Unfortunately.
I don’t see anywhere that it states that Israel will issue new visas. It says Israel will issue permits to those with existing valid visas and have learned in Israel this year.
Israel does in a certain sense accept tests from abroad
the typical drill is that when you arrive you have to take a pcr if that is negative you have to send your positive and both negatives to a doctor which writes you a note that you have recovered from covid which then you have to file it with the department of health which sends you a quarantine exemption which can be used every time you enter israel
Any idea how you get such a letter in this case?
I only had an Antigen Positive available at the time (couldnt find the PCR one), got the negative PCR upon arrival. Doc said I needed a positive antibodies test. Kupa sent someone to my apt since i was in bidud. Thing is when they finally made arrangements and came I was done with bidud, but I figured get it done anyway so they can see I recovered.
I’m a dual citizen btw (US & Israel) so not sure if it’s different for non-citizens or not.
ExGingi is finally getting his way 🙂
@Dan you wrote
“That should include those who have a positive followed by a negative PCR result and those who have antibodies.”
Am I correct to understand this as an either or? Meaning they will accept antibody results even if one never got formally diagnosed with Sars Covid?
If the test was done in Israel, yes.
That’s what I was told. I got a negative PCR upon arrival, but could not show a positive PCR (only had a positive and negative Antigen test from the US).
My Kupa (HMO) told me I can take a serological antibodies test and if positive I could use that as proof of recovery.
Let me just add, nothing here works fast, so i’ll believe this Green passport when I see it….
Other countries won’t do this en masse (yet) because it will incentivize people to intentionally acquire covid.
Israel feels comfortable doing this because they’re leading the world in vaccination rates – meaning there isn’t that incentive to get intentionally infected.
How do I get the “Green Passport”? Who exactly issues it? Where is there a form request?
I arrived Thurs night from the US sent in my (IS) positive antibody results as well as a letter from kupat cholim that I’m ‘cured’ and cant get released from quarantine. Keep on sending in requests and all I get is an answer that they don’t recognize foreign results. Seems like some people at the MoH have reading comprehension problems. Who can I call? What do I do? I’m stuck at home for no reason!
Sorry to hear that. I was in a similar situation. Albeit I just couldnt get Meuhedet to get me a doctor to write the letter for me. Then they didnt like my Antigen tests.
Finally needed to get a serological test from here. I was told with that and the negative PCR test I have when i arrived should be fine.
I suppose you could try calling MOH…*5400 and/or try their WhatsApp 050-7925400 (fyi its like a really annoying phone queue and you never get a real person)
Yitzi, thanks for the post. Been there, done that (to all above). After getting an answer from them on Mon “that they don’t recognize foreign results”, I immediately responded that the papers I sent were from Meucheded. NO ANSWER! Tues I called again and tolled here what’s going on – now wait for it – she says they need my chutz l’aretz results. Medinat Chelm!!! Wed night, radio silence.
So, I’m still stuck at home. Anybody out there can help? PLEASE
I feel your pain Maier. As one nurse told me “THIS IS ISRAEL”, LOL. I mainly argued with Meuhedet, until they found out I only had Antigen test results from chul (only got the PCR one later).
It’s so annoying, it’s laughable. I only got someone to come for the serological antibodies test the day I finished bidud. I had them come just to prove to them that my test results were indeed not an issue.
Yitzi, thanks for taking the time to answer me. On Motsay Sh I sent in another readout from my blood test results – and walla – Sun morn go a all clear. But how do I get my antibody test results moved from Kupat Cholim to Briut? Any ideas? Thanks and be well.
Hey Maier. Not really sure what you mean. Did you get the all clear from your Kupa or from Briut?
If you’re looking to do the Briut thang, I suppose just fill out this form, https://govforms.gov.il/mw/forms/QuarantineExceptionExit%40health.gov.il
If you meant something else, I’m not sure 🙁 I’d like to find out how to get a Green passport. Then I’d like to see what the deal is with getting vaccinated after recovery or not. I mean the antibodies dont last forever, right?
Well , it went like this: Sun sent in the above form. Mon got an answer that they don’t except antibody test from Chutz L, which I immediately RESENT the results from Meuchedet. Tues I called and after checking here and there she tells me that they need results from Chutz L. I told her what they answered the day before – like make up you minds. Fri I got an answer that the Meuchedet form didn’t have my TZ number on it. Motshai Sh I resent the Meuchedet form this time circling my name and TZ number. Sun morn got the all clear. Then Wed I again got an all clear (that’s when the 2 weeks were up).
So in conclusion not only do they have to hire more people – but have to hire people that can read and write.
So what I need to do now is figure out how to get my antibody results into the Briut database so I don’t go through all this again.
yeah the system is only as good as the people using it… 🙁
Two questions: Will the “Green Passport” also be in English or just in Hebrew? Will the “Green Passport” have an entry for the person’s “real” passport number? I plan a trip to New York [from Isreael] in about a month’s time when I will have my “Green Passport”. It would be handy to have proof that I have been vaccinated and a not of my Passport number.
BH, received the permit today. We can go back to Yeshiva.
Israel changed the law to read “holders of a student visa (married singles and their families) who were in Israel for the school year of תשפ”א- and went abroad for a short period of up to one month, will be allowed to enter Israel.