Travel Challenges around middle-east/north-africa

[GeekOKent]

hi guys

I've got an opportunity to do a few months contracting for an Israel company - and digging around, it turns out that evidence of a trip into Israel is a good way to never be able to go to anywhere on north-africa or the middle-east and some far east asia places like malaysia and brunei. Now while Malaysia and Brunei are not really bucket list places, and I feel its possible to live quite a complete life without ever going there ( be a shame to miss out, but i suspect other places in the same area are just as nice ), being blacklisted out of the middle east entirely seems a shame.

I cant really get a second passport and use one V/s other ( tried that, isnt going to work out... )

Flying into Jordan and overland crossing with a paper-based stamp is one option of keeping passport Israel free, but seems dramatic and I suspect, given how many people are doing this now, only a backdoor waiting to get shut.

Any other ideas ?

 

[flint]

A read of this might help (worth noting the bit about a visa for work purposes though): https://againstthecompass.com/en/avoid-israeli-passport-stamp/

 

[GeekOKent]

thanks for that link @flint - but as you pointed out, looks like anything for work ( in my case a B2 ) will need to go into the passport. Also I think much of the info on that page only applies if you are travelling from and have a passport from a country which has a visa waiver arrangement with Israel.

 

[flint]

UK citizens are exempt from needing a tourist visa, but to work there, then the fun starts: https://www.justlanded.com/english/Israel/Israel-Guide/Visas-Permits/Working-in-Israel

It doesn't look like you could enter as a tourist and then apply for a work permit while already there.

 

[Waldamar]

No doubt a problem I've missed but go there, do the contract, come home and lose your p/port? Then get a new one..........................

 

[moggy1968]

Why is getting a second passport out of the question?

 

[nick_the_fish]

You can't go in on a paper based stamp anymore. Agree with above - go and do the contract then get a new passport when you get home.

 

[GeekOKent]

I might have other, err, work permits and visa's on the passport i need to keep.

Looks like out of options, time to just get a visa on this passport, and wait out the 8 years still left on this to expire, or something such

 

[GeekOKent]

Why is getting a second passport out of the question?

the old country was not amused when i asked...

 

[Charlie]

I went down the second passport route when I worked in Israel, to this day I still hold 2 UK passports.

 

[moggy1968]

the old country was not amused when i asked...

Which country?

 

[kingtom]

Having 2 passports is the way to go. Having to work out of Israel and the middle east as far as i am award its the only way to do it. Ive got my main passport that i try and use everywhere including Israil and the 2nd for when i have to work out the middle east. I hardly use the 2nd though its very useful to have. My main passport holds all my main visas including my 10 year US visa and all my year long west African ones. Its fairly straight forward to get. From memory all you need is a covering letter from your company explaining why u need a second

 

[GeekOKent]

The homeoffice guys in Croyden were not all that keen, I might give them another shout. I have 8 days to say yes/no here. So I might still get the process started if at all possible and see where it goes.

 

[GeekOKent]

So, I had not quite realised just how many land cruisers there are in the middle East.

Maybe it was just the area, but I think about 25,% of the entire traffic here this morning has been 120s. And an odd sprinkling of 200s and there was even one 95.

 

[stumog]

Did y0u get a passport off that chap offering fake jobies?

Been tempted to get one but would like to see if anyone else had used him