Israel e-Visa list grows to 63 states but portal still blocks applications

Israel may be about to widen access to its B/2 electronic tourist visa (e-Visa), but travellers cannot yet rely on the change. An announcement updated on 23 October 2026 by the Israeli Embassy in Singapore names 63 countries and territories whose citizens could apply online, while the government application portal still enforces the original, far narrower pilot rules.

Key facts

• The B/2 e-Visa launched in January 2025, first for Indian nationals only.
• Since 25 June 2025, Indian and Sri Lankan passport holders living in India and Sri Lanka respectively have been able to submit B/2 applications online.
• The embassy announcement lists 63 countries and territories: 15 in Asia, 42 in Africa and 6 in the Americas.
• No effective date for the wider eligibility has been given.
• The Israel Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA) has issued no general confirmation or rollout timeline.

What is changing?

The notice from the Israeli Embassy in Singapore invites citizens of a much broader group of states to apply for a B/2 e-Visa through the PIBA portal. The list covers 15 Asian countries (Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Maldives, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Uzbekistan and Vietnam), 42 African countries and territories, and 6 in the Americas (Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela).

If confirmed, travellers from many visa-required countries could complete the process online instead of going through traditional consular procedures. The embassy has not said when the expanded eligibility would take effect.

Can travellers from those countries apply now?

Not yet, on the evidence of the application system. As of 23 October 2026, the Israel Entry portal still describes the B/2 e-Visa as a pilot program for Indian and Sri Lankan citizens residing in their own countries. Checks of the portal using different nationalities from the embassy list produced a blocking message stating that, during the pilot phase, only Indian citizens residing in India can apply for an e-Visa.

Information from Israeli diplomatic missions in India also still reflects the original pilot requirements, and no official confirmation of the expansion has been identified from PIBA.

Why is the list being treated with caution?

Several entries sit oddly with existing rules. Canadian and Singaporean citizens are visa-exempt and fall under the ETA-IL electronic travel authorisation, which has been compulsory for visa-exempt travellers since 1 January 2025. Colombian citizens are also covered by the reciprocal visa exemption that was reinstated on 1 September 2026, so short-term visitors from Colombia would normally need an ETA-IL rather than a B/2 visa.

The two systems serve different travellers: the B/2 e-Visa is an electronic visa for people who need a visa, while the ETA-IL is a travel authorisation for citizens of visa-exempt countries.

What this means for travellers

Until Israeli authorities clarify the position, the eligibility rules enforced on the Israel Entry portal remain the ones to follow. Citizens of visa-required countries who cannot yet apply for a B/2 e-Visa should seek guidance from the relevant Israeli diplomatic or consular mission, while travellers from visa-exempt countries remain subject to the ETA-IL requirement.

Travellers named on the embassy list should check whether the portal accepts their nationality before making plans around an online application. Further clarification from the Israel Population and Immigration Authority is the next development to watch.