Israel Student Visa for Indians - Definitive Guide

There are a number of opportunities in the area of education abroad. In order to study away from your native country, a student permit is mandatory. Hence, if you are looking forward to acquiring any kind course or training in Israel, you will have to be issued with a student visa for Israel. There are two kinds of Israel student visa for Indian students, short term and long term. They can be further explained as follows:

• Short-term

This type of permit is issued at the time when you are travelling to Israel for a shorter period of time which could be for an internship, training, acquiring a short term course, or for other similar reasons. It falls under the B2 category. This can be acquired for a period of fewer than 3 months. The validity of the visa is for 3 months as well and the duration of the stay will be decided by the Border Police. The duration and the kind of course that you are obtaining will affect the permitted stay. It is generally a single entry visa.

• Long-term

A long term student visa for Israel is issued for the long-term courses like graduate and post-graduate courses as well as for the elementary and secondary school education. It belongs to the category A2. The enrollment span might affect your visa validity as well. Generally, it is valid for a year when first granted, and can be extended if required. It is issued as a multiple-entry permit.

The procedure for the application is mainly offline. But before that, you will have to check if you are eligible for the permit. You can do that by going through the eligibility criteria. The process to get a student visa for Israel is as follows:

1. You can start by downloading the application form from the website of Israel VAC.
2. Fill out the application form thoroughly. The application form must be typed as handwritten forms are not accepted.
3. You can then collect the documents specified by the VAC.
4. Submit the documents to the Israel VAC as per the jurisdiction.
5. Your documents will then be verified.
6. After the verification, you will be informed if there are other requirements as well.
7. You can then pay the fee and the processing will begin.

It is also important to note that at the time of filling out the form, you have to make sure that correct information and details as per the documentary proof must be provided. If any information is found to be false and is untraceable, there are chances that your student visa application may get rejected. Such a visa rejection can affect your future applications for permits to not just Israel but other countries as well. Also, the embassy may ask you to attend an interview if required for personal appearance.

The eligibility criteria are the parameters that are to be met in order to apply for the visa. The important ones are listed as follows:

• You must have confirmed admission in Israel
1. You must be admitted to an institute in the country and a letter from the same confirming your admission must be available to be able to apply for the permit.
2. The educational documents must be verifiable.
3. You should have proof of your previous highest education degree.

• You must be of good character. You may not be granted the visa if -
1. You have a history of a criminal conviction.
2. You have been deported or banned from another country.
3. You are found to be a threat or risk to the country.

• You must have truthful intentions, which means -
1. Your documents and the application must be complete.
2. Any personal conditions affecting the process must be known to the authorities.
3. If applications were made previously, they must be provided at the time of a new application.

• You must meet the character requirements
1. You must be of good character and have genuine intentions behind studying in Israel.
2. You need to provide a relevant documentary proof for the same as well in the form of a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC).

• You must meet the health requirements
1. You must be healthy enough to travel to Israel.
2. You must perform a medical test before travelling to the country and provide a relevant documentary proof.
3. You must be within the age limit to be able to apply for a student permit.

• You must have sufficient funds
1. You must possess or have access to sufficient funds to be able to cover your stay and other expenses in Israel.
2. Bank statement or any equivalent document is to be submitted as well as proof of the same.
3. You must have a sponsor if you are applying for the dependent type.
4. You must have sufficient funds if you are opting for the nominee type.

The requirements for the issuance of a student visa for Israel will vary as per the type of the visa. The kinds of documents may vary as per the institution and the course as well. The common list is given as follows:

• An original passport valid for at least 6 months ahead of the date of travel.
• Coloured photographs as per the photo specifications
• A cover letter with the type and duration of the study
• Travel Itinerary
• One way flight tickets (not confirmed)
• Income Tax Returns proof
• Medical Insurance
• Travel Insurance
• Adhaar Card photocopy
• Acceptance Letter from the Israeli Institution
• All other educational documents and resume
• Proof of accommodation - invitation letter, hostel receipt, etc.
• Proof of sufficient funds - bank statement or any other equivalent document.

• Two copies must be provided
• Photo size: 55mm x 55 mm.
• Coloured copy must be provided.
• The face must cover about 70-80% of the frame.
• Head should well-centred.
• The picture must not be older than 6 months.
• The background must be white or any other light colour.
• Neutral expressions
• Glasses are not permitted.
• Headgears are not allowed except for religious reasons.
• Clothing shouldn’t match the background.

The fee for Israel student visa is estimated based on several parameters and it will vary as per the type of visa too. It is to be paid to the Israel VACs along with the service charges if required. Also, you can pay the fee in cash, else if you do not have access to a visa application centre branch, you can send in the fee with a demand draft. It may be paid using your credit or debit cards as well. The fee for enrollment of the course is paid separately to the institution in Israel. It is to be paid to confirm your admission in the institution.

The processing time for a student visa for Israel in India may vary as per the jurisdiction. Generally, the processing time required is 2 weeks. There may not be a facility to fast track the applications for a student permit. There still are other factors that might affect the processing time, which includes - the workload at the embassy office, the staff availability, whether the documents are complete or the rest of the documents are yet to be submitted and others.

After the submission of the application form and other documents are submitted to the Israel VAC -

• The processing of the application shall begin. 
• Your documents will be verified by the Israel VAC officials. 
• If there are any missing documents, you will be informed accordingly. 
• You can submit the documents and the application form and the documents personally, through a representative or through a visa agency. 
• There may be other documents that are to be submitted in case if you are not submitting the form yourself.
• You can wait for the procedure to complete and check the status of your visa in the meantime as well.

In order to check the status of your student visa for Israel, you will have to visit the official website of the Israel Visa Application Centre. You can check the status for your visa by entering the required details. There is an alternative offline method as well. You can contact the VAC for the visa status through email, SMS or calling on the contact number provided.

• Before you travel
  1. Make a note of the visa expiry date, as well as the number of entries permitted. You must not stay in the country beyond this period.
  2. Ensure that you set a reminder for the expiry date of your visa as you won’t legally be permitted to stay in the country for any purpose.
  3. Make sure to carry a copy of your passport and other travel documents while you are in the country.
  4. Issue health insurance and travel Insurance from a certified company.
• At the Border
  1. Get your documents checked and your passport verified by the Border Police.
  2. Consult the airport authorities for any kind of assistance required.
  3. Check your visa copy for other guidelines and rules to be followed.

• When you enter Israel
  1. Ensure not to get involved in any kind of employment. You can, however, do volunteer work.
  2. If you need to extend your student permit, you can apply to the Ministry of Interior.
  3. This permit allows you to study in the country. You are still permitted tourism.
  4. The tourist prohibited areas must be stayed out of.
  5. Make sure you don’t overstay and apply for a visa extension in time.
  6. If you have a change of plans and you need to stay longer, you can apply for an extension or a different kind of visa at least one month prior to the expiry.