Travelers entering Jordan from Israel face a well-structured entry framework that is, for most nationalities, straightforward to navigate. Jordan visa requirements from Israel vary primarily by which of the three official border crossings you use, not by your passport nationality. Understanding these distinctions before you arrive eliminates the most common and avoidable problems at the border.
For travelers visiting the Jordan side of the Dead Sea, Petra, or Wadi Rum, this guide covers every entry checkpoint, the legal restrictions that apply to Israeli passport holders, the 2025 ETA-IL requirement for returning to Israel, and the practical steps that make crossing efficient.
The Three Border Crossings: Which One to Use
Three official land crossings connect Israel to Jordan. Each serves a different geographic purpose and carries different visa-issuance rules. Choosing the correct crossing for your itinerary is the single most important pre-trip decision.
| Crossing | Location | Distance from Amman | Visa on Arrival | Israeli Passports Permitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King Hussein / Allenby Bridge | Southern Jordan Valley (Central) | 57 km | No - pre-arranged visa required | No - prohibited by Israeli law |
| Sheikh Hussein / Jordan River (Northern) | Near Lake Tiberias | 90 km | Yes - for most nationalities | Yes |
| Yitzhak Rabin / Wadi Araba (Southern) | Eilat-Aqaba corridor | 324 km | Yes - for most nationalities | Yes |
King Hussein Bridge / Allenby Bridge (Central)
Located approximately 57 kilometers from Amman, the Allenby Bridge lies in the southern Jordan Valley and connects the area near Jerusalem to the West Bank and Amman. It operates Sunday through Thursday from 08:00 to 21:00, and Friday to Saturday from 08:00 to 12:00 (Visit Jordan).
This crossing does not issue tourist visas on arrival. Travelers must hold a pre-arranged visa from a Jordanian embassy or consulate in their country of origin before approaching this border. Attempting to cross without a confirmed visa results in denial of entry.
Critically, Israeli passport holders are legally prohibited from using this crossing under Israeli law (U.S. Department of State, 2025). Holders of Israeli passports must use either the northern or southern crossings.
Sheikh Hussein Bridge / Jordan River Crossing (Northern)
Situated approximately 90 kilometers from Amman and close to Lake Tiberias (the Sea of Galilee), the Sheikh Hussein Bridge is the preferred northern corridor for travelers heading to Amman, Jerash, or the northern Jordan Dead Sea resorts. Most nationalities may obtain a tourist visa on arrival at this crossing. The standard single-entry fee applies.
Yitzhak Rabin / Wadi Araba Crossing (Southern)
Located in the south and connecting the Red Sea resort cities of Eilat and Aqaba, the Wadi Araba crossing is the most practical entry point for travelers intending to visit Petra, Wadi Rum, or the southern Dead Sea. Visas are available on arrival for most nationalities, and the crossing is generally regarded as having faster processing times for travelers coming from Israel.
For travelers on organized tours from Israel, all crossings managed by licensed operators use the Wadi Araba crossing. Tour operators provide a dedicated representative on both the Israeli and Jordanian sides of the border to assist with documentation.
Jordan maintains three official land border crossings with Israel. The Yitzhak Rabin/Wadi Araba crossing in the south and the Sheikh Hussein crossing in the north both issue tourist visas on arrival to most nationalities for approximately 40 JOD ($56 USD). The King Hussein/Allenby Bridge, located 57 kilometers from Amman, does not issue visas at the border. Israeli passport holders are prohibited from using it entirely.
Jordan Visa Requirements: Costs, Types, and Validity
A single-entry Jordan tourist visa costs 40 JOD (approximately $56 USD) and permits a stay of up to 30 days from the date of entry. This fee is paid on the Jordanian side of the border, in local currency. If you arrive without Jordanian dinars, many crossing points have exchange facilities, though availability is not guaranteed.
A six-month, multiple-entry visa is available for 120 JOD (approximately $170 USD) and is non-extendable.
All passports must be valid for a minimum of six months from the date of entry into Jordan. Passports must also contain at least one blank page for stamps. These requirements are enforced consistently and a passport that fails either standard will result in denial of entry.
The Jordan Pass
The Jordan Pass is the most cost-effective option for travelers spending three or more nights in the country. Purchased online in advance at jordanpass.jo, it bundles the visa fee waiver with admission to Petra and over 40 historical sites. Travelers who purchase the Jordan Pass before arrival and stay a minimum of three consecutive nights in Jordan are exempt from the standard 40 JOD visa fee. The pass must be purchased before you reach the border; it cannot be acquired at the crossing.
The Jordan Pass waives the standard 40 JOD tourist visa fee for travelers who purchase it online before arrival and remain in Jordan for a minimum of three consecutive nights. The pass includes entry to Petra and more than 40 additional historical sites. It must be secured before reaching the border, as it is not available for purchase at land crossing points.
Israeli Passport Holders: Specific Entry Rules
Israel and Jordan share a formal peace treaty, established in 1994, and bilateral diplomatic relations remain active. Jordan accepts Israeli passport holders at both the Sheikh Hussein and Wadi Araba crossings. Israeli citizens are, however, legally prohibited under Israeli law from using the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge.
At the permitted crossings, Israeli passport holders go through the same visa-on-arrival process as other nationalities. The single-entry visa fee is 40 JOD. Tour groups with Israeli participants entering through Wadi Araba for Petra may benefit from a specific exemption to the standard 24-hour minimum stay requirement, provided the group has purchased the 90 JOD Petra entrance ticket and submitted a travel manifest to the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority at least 24 hours before arrival (Visit Jordan).
Travelers entering Jordan with any Israeli-origin documentation should be aware that Jordanian border stamps, or stamps from Israeli-Jordanian crossing points, may create entry difficulties when visiting certain other Arab-state destinations in the future. This is a practical consideration for multi-country itinerary planning, not a restriction on Jordan-Israel travel itself.
Passport Stamp Policy: What Travelers Need to Know
Israel discontinued the practice of stamping foreign passports at Ben Gurion Airport and at its land border crossings with Jordan on January 15, 2013 (Wikipedia: Visa policy of Israel). Since that date, entry and departure records for foreign nationals are printed on a small paper card, sometimes called a blue entry slip or electronic gate pass. This card contains the traveler’s passport data, entry date, and visa category. Travelers should retain this slip throughout their stay in Israel, as hotels, rental agencies, and departure checkpoints may request it.
Jordanian border authorities may still apply their own entry stamps to your passport at land crossings. Travelers concerned about future travel to countries that restrict entry based on evidence of Israel travel should consider their crossing strategy carefully and clarify the current stamp practice directly with the relevant Jordanian border authority before travel.
Israel stopped stamping foreign passports at Ben Gurion Airport and all Jordan land border crossings on January 15, 2013. Travelers entering Israel now receive a paper entry card instead. Certain Arab states restrict entry for travelers showing evidence of Israel visits, including Jordanian border stamps. Travelers planning multi-country Middle East itineraries should factor this into their route and passport strategy before departure.
Returning to Israel: The ETA-IL Requirement (2025)
A significant change took effect on January 1, 2025: all travelers from visa-exempt countries entering or re-entering Israel, including those returning across the Jordan border, must hold a valid ETA-IL (Electronic Travel Authorization) before their arrival at the Israeli crossing point.
The ETA-IL is obtained online at the official Israel Population and Immigration Authority website (israel-entry.piba.gov.il). The cost is NIS 25 (approximately $7 USD). The authorization is valid for two years or until passport expiration, whichever occurs first, and covers multiple entries for stays of up to 90 days per visit. Processing takes up to 72 hours, and applications should be submitted at least 72 hours before the intended crossing.
Israeli citizens and dual nationals are required under Israeli law to enter and exit Israel using their Israeli passport. They do not need an ETA-IL, as this authorization applies to visa-exempt foreign nationals only.
Travelers who arrive at the Israeli border crossing without a valid ETA-IL will be denied entry. This is a mandatory requirement with no on-site workaround. Securing the ETA-IL before your trip to Jordan, rather than on return, is strongly recommended.
As of January 1, 2025, all visitors from visa-exempt countries must hold an ETA-IL approval before arriving at any Israeli border crossing, including those returning from Jordan. The ETA-IL costs NIS 25 (approximately $7), is valid for two years, and must be obtained through the official Israel Population and Immigration Authority website. Processing takes up to 72 hours and cannot be completed at the border.
Departure Tax and Currency Requirements
Travelers departing Jordan through a land border crossing into Israel are required to pay a departure tax of 10 JOD (approximately $14 USD). This fee is collected at the crossing and is payable in Jordanian dinars. Departure through Queen Alia International Airport or Aqaba Airport does not include this land-crossing departure tax. Travelers should carry sufficient local currency to cover this cost, as card payment is not universally available at all land exit points.
Currency import into Jordan is permitted up to 15,000 JOD. Amounts above this threshold must be declared upon entry. Prohibited items include weapons, drones, narcotics, and pornographic content. Export of antiquities and corals is illegal under Jordanian law.
Pre-Departure Checklist
Before crossing from Israel into Jordan, confirm the following:
- Passport validity: at least 6 months from your Jordan entry date, with at least 1 blank page
- Visa on arrival or pre-arranged Jordan visa: confirmed for your chosen crossing
- Jordan Pass: purchased online at jordanpass.jo if staying 3 or more nights
- ETA-IL: active and approved before departure from Israel (visa-exempt nationalities only)
- Jordanian dinars: sufficient cash for the visa fee (40 JOD), departure tax (10 JOD), and transit costs
- Tour group manifest (if applicable): submitted to Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority at least 24 hours before arrival for groups using the Wadi Araba crossing
- Israel entry card (blue slip): retained for hotel check-in and departure verification
Traveling to the Jordan Dead Sea from Israel
For travelers specifically visiting the Jordan side of the Dead Sea, the Wadi Araba/Yitzhak Rabin crossing provides the most direct southern access point, connecting Eilat to Aqaba. From Aqaba, the Dead Sea resorts on the Jordan side are approximately 2.5 hours north by road, passing through the Wadi Rum area and connecting to the King’s Highway.
Travelers using the northern Sheikh Hussein crossing and heading directly to the Jordan Dead Sea region (including the Dead Sea Spa Hotel area, Amman Beach, and the Kempinski and Marriott properties) face a shorter journey from the border, approximately 90 kilometers south to the resort zone.
FAQs
Do I need a visa to enter Jordan from Israel?
Yes. All travelers entering Jordan, including those crossing from Israel, require a valid tourist visa. For most Western and many other nationalities, this visa can be obtained on arrival at the Sheikh Hussein (northern) or Yitzhak Rabin/Wadi Araba (southern) crossings for 40 JOD (approximately $56 USD). The Allenby/King Hussein Bridge does not issue visas at the border, and a pre-arranged visa is required for that crossing. Israeli passport holders are prohibited from using the Allenby Bridge entirely.
Can Israeli passport holders enter Jordan?
Yes, Israeli passport holders may enter Jordan through the Sheikh Hussein Bridge (northern) and the Yitzhak Rabin/Wadi Araba crossing (southern). The Allenby/King Hussein Bridge is prohibited for Israeli passport holders under Israeli law. A tourist visa is available on arrival at both permitted crossings for the standard 40 JOD fee.
What is the Jordan Pass, and is it worth it for travelers from Israel?
The Jordan Pass is an online-purchase travel bundle that waives the standard 40 JOD visa fee and includes entry to Petra and over 40 historical sites. It is available at jordanpass.jo and is cost-effective for travelers staying a minimum of three consecutive nights in Jordan. It must be purchased before reaching the border. For travelers making a short, single-day crossing, the standard visa-on-arrival process is typically more practical.
Do I need an ETA-IL to return to Israel from Jordan?
Yes, if you hold a passport from a visa-exempt country. The ETA-IL became mandatory on January 1, 2025 for all visa-exempt foreign nationals entering or re-entering Israel. It costs NIS 25 (approximately $7), must be obtained at the official PIBA website (israel-entry.piba.gov.il) before your crossing, and takes up to 72 hours to process. Israeli citizens are exempt from this requirement.
Will my passport be stamped at the Jordan-Israel border?
Israel stopped stamping foreign passports at its land border crossings with Jordan in January 2013. Entry is recorded on a paper card that you should retain throughout your stay. Jordanian authorities may apply their own border stamps. Travelers with future travel plans to Arab states that restrict entry based on evidence of Israel visits should research the current stamping practice at their specific crossing before departure.
How long can I stay in Jordan on a tourist visa obtained at the border?
A standard single-entry tourist visa issued at the Jordan border permits a stay of up to 30 days from the date of entry. Extensions are possible through the nearest Jordanian police station. A six-month, non-extendable multiple-entry visa is available for 120 JOD (approximately $170 USD), though this typically requires advance arrangement rather than border issuance.
Is there a departure tax when leaving Jordan by land back to Israel?
Yes. A departure tax of 10 JOD (approximately $14 USD) is payable at all Jordan land border crossings, in Jordanian dinars. This fee does not apply at Jordanian airports. Travelers should carry local currency to cover this cost, as card payment availability at land crossing points is not consistent.
