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​​​​​Iron Swords War Visa Renewal

Updated as of January 8th, 2024

Dear International Students, Research Fell​ows, and Staff,

If you are currently outside of Israel and need to extend your visa, add multiple entries or obtain a new visa. You must contact the Israeli embassy abroad as you did when you first applied for an Israeli visa. Please note that if the automated extension is applied in your case, this does not include the multiple entry visa and you will need to follow the renewal procedure stated above.

For those who are currently in Israel with a student (A2) or spouse (A4) visa, which expired or is about to expire until January 2024. Your visa was extended automatically until February 8th, 2024. This extension does not include the multiple entry visa.

Currently, the visa section of the Ministry of Interior branch in Beer Sheva is closed.

The list of open Ministry of the Interior branches is updated from time to time on the website of the Population and Immigration Authority:

https://www.gov.il/en/Departments/news/news221023_3

Update concerning B1 visa Holders – the automatic extension the Ministry of Interior had issued previously, expired on 09.11.2023.

To extend your employment permit and your B1 work visa, please follow the regular procedure.​

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Visa Assistance

Here at BGU International, we are happy to provide you with the necessary assistance to help you obtain the relevant visa for your stay in Israel. Please understand that it is your sole responsibility to make sure the visa is valid throughout your stay at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

The law in Israel requires that your visa reflects the purpose of your stay in Israel. Upon entering Israel, your passport needs to be valid for at least another six months past your issued visa expiration date.

Please note: foreigners who enter Israel with a tourist visa will not be allowed to change the type of their visa, and will be forced to leave Israel, return to their home country, and re-enter with the proper visa.

Click here for important updates from the Israeli ​Ministry of Health concerning Covid-19 Regulations​:

​Ministry of Health Updates​



As a first-time applicant for a visa:

In order to enter and stay in Israel, you must obtain an appropriate and up-to-date visa that is in correlation with the purpose of your stay. Please make sure to follow the following steps:

1. Please contact the visa coordinator at BGU in order to get assistance with your visa application.

The Welcome Center at the Beer-Sheva campus: Here4u@bgu.ac.il

Visa Coordinator for the Sde-Boker campus: noanevo@bgu.ac.il​

2. Obtain a local health insurance policy (also possible through the Welcome Center). This is mandatory.
3. Obtain an acceptance/explanation letter from BGU.
4. Visit the closest Israeli representative in your country with the acceptance letter and other documents requested by the representative, in order to stamp your passport with the relevant visa. You will need to bring with you: 

  • - Download and complete the visa application from their website.
  • - Your valid passport
  • - A passport photo

After having obtained the visa:​​

Send a scanned copy of your health insurance policy, acceptance letter, and visa to your Visa Coordinator.

When you arrive at BGU, please bring a copy of your entrance permit, received at passport control, to the Welcome Center. Please note that all foreign citizens must carry a valid copy of their visa and passport at all times.

Visa Extension:

In order to extend your visa in Israel, you must submit all the relevant documents to the Welcome Center visa coordinator. For more information about the required documents, please find the relevant visa categories for you from the list elaborated below.

Please take into account that the visa application process takes time. Be sure to apply for your visa extension one month before it expires.

International student/researcher: In order to ensure that you receive all your rights, if you have a permanent residence permit​ please submit this permit to Ms. Zohar Keren, Student Accounts Division, email: heshbons@bgu.ac.il

Visa​ Types:

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