Tel Aviv

[PAXboy]

Hi folks, Friend of mine making this trip The question is about Passports. My friend has dual citizenship and asks if the British passport is viewed as 'better' than others when going through their strict immigration control. Has anyone entered TLV recently?

I don't want to talk in more detail so do 'PM' if you have extra details, Thanks.

[Johnny F@rt Pants]

Depends where the "others" are. EG, if the other is Iran, then British is definitely best.

[PAXboy]

Indeed! No, it's an African nation friendly towards Israel.

[Rwy in Sight]

Indeed! No, it's an African nation friendly towards Israel.
My very small experience with israel's border control is that the focus more on where you have been and less on your passport.

[Mr Mac]

As RWY in sight says it is where you have been. I do not go there much but last time a couple of years ago with a passport with a number of the "stans" in I was given a thorough going over even as a 50+ year old businessmen !


Regards
Mr Mac

[vctenderness]

I once stood in line at check in TLV watching the border guards combing the que. I was idly flicking through my passport when I realised I had stamps for Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain etc.

Needless to say I got a thorough going over when the stern, but attractive, Israeli border guard took a look!

[pwalhx]

I find the term 'strict immigration control' in the OP very interesting. I made my first visit to Israel a couple of weeks ago and found the immigration far from onerous, in fact much easier than some European airports I have travelled through recently. Very friendly and efficient staff.

Same coming out on my way to Istanbul, efficient and friendly. I also have stamps in from Middle Eastern destinations.

[Espada III]

As a regular visitor to Israel, the hardest part of Passport Control is the queuing up with a separate line for each booth, rather than the usual snake path for all passengers. This means you can get stuck behind a difficult case and it takes ages. In general, if you have a sound reason for your visit, can prove it (if you need to) and have no strange stamps in your passport you should be OK.

A business visit would imply arranged meetings, so have a print out of the meeting schedule, who with and location. Copies of emails arranging said meetings with names and phones numbers if the people being met would also be a good idea.

It is hit and miss. Sometimes I see people go through quickly who you might think would warrant a closer look and other times I have been asked some searching questions. Given that most of my family live there and my cousin was the ATC who guided the planes that destroyed Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor, I'm fairly risk free for them.

[Aksai Oiler]

If he has dual nationality which includes a UK passport he should enter on this passport, not his friendly African one. As I don't know the nationality but he may require a visa in advance, with a UK passport he does not. Having lived in Israel for over 10 years, security and immigration are tight for obvious reasons, however, it's a lot simpler than it used to be, providing you have nothing to hide

[PAXboy]

Many thanks to all. UK p'port has been selected and trip booked.