The Coronavirus news in Israel
As of the midnight between Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 21, it will no longer be required to present a negative result on a COVID test before boarding a flight to Israel or a cruise to Israel or before arriving at an Israeli land border crossing.
You can find the full guidance from the Israeli Ministry of Health website. Rules and regulations might change at short notice. (https://corona.health.gov.il/en/directives/air-travel-covid19-green/?tab=by-air)
Entering Israel
As of the midnight between Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 21, it will no longer be required to present a negative result on a COVID test before boarding a flight to Israel or a cruise to Israel or before arriving at an Israeli land border crossing.
It will also not be required to present a negative result on a COVID test before boarding a cruise departing Israel. This guidance is set forth according to the requirements of the Israel Ministry of Health. You are required to inquire the requirements of the company operating the cruise.
The PCR testing mandate for those entering Israel at airports and maritime and land border crossings will be lifted. You will no longer be required to isolate for 24 hours after entering Israel. The mask mandate for travelers entering Israel in airports and maritime and land border crossings will also be lifted. Anyhow, it is still mandatory to wear a facemask during international flights. The requirement to fill out an entry statement form on the Israel Ministry of Health website before arriving in Israel via air or sea will remain in effect.
Further information:
- Ministry of Health COVID-19 Restrictions: https://corona.health.gov.il/en
- Ministry of Health on inbound and outbound guidance: https://www.gov.il/en/departments/air-travel-covid19-israel/govil-landing-page
- Ministry of Health
- Embassy of Israel in Helsinki
Restrictions
There are currently no restrictions on movement. Public transport is in operation.
Air travel to Israel is subject to entry clearances.
Local restrictions on movement are possible on short notice. Please follow advice from local authorities and stay informed of the situation through the local media.
Further information:
- Ministry of Health COVID-19 Restrictions: https://corona.health.gov.il/en
- Ministry of Health on inbound and outbound guidance: https://www.gov.il/en/departments/air-travel-covid19-israel/govil-landing-page
- Ministry of Health
- Government coronavirus guidance
- Ben Gurion International Airport
- Times of Israel
- Jerusalem Post
- Haaretz
Health
It is not mandatory to wear a facemask in public spaces, excluding hospitals, nursing homes and flights.
The HaMagen app is endorsed by the Ministry of Health. The app cross checks the GPS history of your mobile phone with historical geographic data of patients from the Ministry of Health.
HaMagen is available in five languages: Hebrew, Arabic, English, Russian and Amharic.
Persons with any flu symptoms are instructed to stay at home. Those with severe symptoms are to contact the MDA Emergency Services Hotline 101. A person with a temperature over 38 Celsius and with respiratory symptoms (breathing difficulties or cough) should remain at home for two days after the body temperature has normalized, regardless of whether COVID-19 testing is required.
Information on the coronavirus from the Ministry of Health hotline: *5400 (Hebrew) or 08 624 1010 (service also in English).
Further information:
Services
Shops, malls, markets, museums, libraries and restaurants are open. Public transport is in operation.
Further information:
- Ministry of Health Green Pass information
- Ministry of Health COVID-19 information
- Israeli Government Corona information
Penalties in violating the restrictions
Violating the restrictions is punishable by a fine. Travelling to or trying to travel to a country classified as red is also punishable by a fine.
Further information:
The Embassy Customer Service
Embassy customer service is open. We admit passport applications as well as population registry- and notary notifications, by appointment only.
Schengen Visa and residence permit applications can also be submitted. Kindly contact the Embassy by phone or email prior to appointment booking.
Upon arrival, we ask you to observe the guidelines and restrictions of movement, currently effective in Israel.
We serve you by phone Mondays to Fridays from 9 to 12 am.
Telephone: +972 3 745 6600
Consular emergencies outside office hours: +358 9 160 55555 (no visa inquiries).
E-mail (inquiries): sanomat.tel@formin.fi
Facebook: Finnish Embassy Tel Aviv
Twitter: @FinIsrael
Customer service appointment booking
Further information:
- Applying for a passport
- Population Registration in Finland
- Notarial Services
- Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland FAQ Coronavirus
- Finnish Government information and advice on Corona virus
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare Coronavirus latest updates
- Finnish Border Guard – Guidelines for border crossing during COVID-19
- Residence permits
Travel notification / Finns abroad
If you are a Finn living abroad, or you are residing in Finland, we recommend you to fill out the travel notification form online: Finns abroad / Travel notification.
If you already have submitted the travel notification and your stay abroad gets extended, it is advisable to update your travel notification. This will ensure that we will know if you are still in the country and can send you advisories and questionnaires during the crisis. If you are registered in the Travel Notification system, you can update your information yourself. If you have not registered yet, you can make a new notification online.
If your travel notification does not have an end date, or you have returned to Finland earlier than planned, it is advisable to remove the notification. If you have registered in the Travel Notification system, you can remove the notification yourself. If you have not registered, you can send an email to konsulipalvelut.um@formin.fi requesting the removal of the notification. Kindly note that processing might take longer at times.