Will an Iranian or Kuwaiti visa or stamp in my passport pose a problem on a future visit to Israel?
In this question I learned that entering Kuwait with an Israeli stamp in your passport will be a problem. (Less surprising was that Iran doesn't like them either).
Later during my current trip I am hoping to visit Kuwait via Iran and I certainly intend to visit Israel at some point in the future.
Since these issues are often but not always reciprocal I would like to know if the Kuwait stamp will be a problem when visiting Israel or if they are less fussy than the reverse.
I'm expecting that the Iran stamp will definitely be a problem for an Israel visit but I'd be glad to be proven wrong.
Best Answer
Some countries (e.g. UK) will give you a second passport. This way you get all your stamps from one set of countries in one passport, and all your stamps from another set of countries in another.
Pictures about "Will an Iranian or Kuwaiti visa or stamp in my passport pose a problem on a future visit to Israel?"
Can you enter Israel with an Iranian stamp?
As long as you were in Iran only for tourism purposes, and your visit to Israel is also for tourism (or pilgrimage), you will have no problem getting in.Can I visit Israel with an Arab stamp?
Visiting Israel With an Arab passport StampYou can visit Israel with an Arab passport stamp, and we even encourage it! Seeing more of the Middle East will only add to the experience of travel.Which countries deny entry with an Israel stamp?
Lebanon is one of the strictest countries, denying entrance to anyone with an Israeli stamp in their passport. Other countries you should avoid entering if you have an Israeli stamp are Syria, Sudan, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.Which passports are not valid for Israel?
In addition, six of these countries \u2014 Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Syria and Yemen \u2014 do not allow entry to people with evidence of travel to Israel, or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa.Visa refusal stamps || Countries which put refusal Stamps on Passport || Babaaz Travels
More answers regarding will an Iranian or Kuwaiti visa or stamp in my passport pose a problem on a future visit to Israel?
Answer 2
I visited Israel in August 2012 after having been in Iran in January that year.
The first immigration person I got was not happy about the Iranian visa and stamp, and seemed incredulous that I would ever want to go there. He actually said "There is nothing worth seeing in Iran". He asked me a lot of pointed questions, and was slightly aggressive, then sent me to wait for secondary processing.
After a 30+ minute wait I was then shepherded into an office and grilled by a female IDF agent. They ask a lot of questions they don't even know the answers to, such as where you went to school and where your grandparents were born - the point is they are looking for 'tells', not that they are checking the answers themselves.
If your story checks out, and they don't think you are an activist (or terrorist!) it is highly likely that they will let you into the country. I was there for the wedding of a close friend, and they ended up calling him to verify that, and once they'd spoken that seemed to clinch it and they let me in.
The grilling was pretty full-on though - I was really freaking out, and tried to make the situation better with humor but they are too disciplined and have had their sense of humor trained out of them. At one point the girl (she was really only a girl, early 20s maybe) pointed down at my hands, which were shaking like I had Parkinsons and said, with deadpan face - "You are shaking. Why are you shaking? Are you nervous?"
To which I responded: "I guess I'm just intimidated by Israeli women". She didn't crack even a glimmer of a smile.
Answer 3
I don't think any stamps will be an issue for the Israeli authorities. They might ask about it, but don't expect trouble if its obvious you were just visiting for holidays. It is obviously safest to check with your local Israeli embassy though.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: SHVETS production, Engin Akyurt, SHVETS production, Alex Green