What types of visas exist, how and who can get them - these questions were the subject of a press conference by the head of the consular department of the Israeli embassy in Ukraine, Mr. Udi Ben Ami, held the other day at the Israeli Cultural Center in Kyiv.
Mr. Ben Ami has been heading the consular department for two years now. During this time, he has accumulated many observations that he wanted to share with our citizens.
- When your compatriots ask me: "What is your country?", I always answer: "Take Ukraine and squeeze it down to the Crimea - and you get Israel!" Israel is a country with wonderful natural conditions, rich historical and cultural monuments, and developed business and scientific infrastructure, - said Mr. Ben Ami. - Currently, the consular department issues about a hundred visas a day, and we work five days a week, so the growing interest of Ukrainians in our country is obvious. Meanwhile, many Ukrainian citizens currently do not choose Israel as a holiday destination because they believe that obtaining an Israeli visa is a very troublesome matter. This opinion sometimes leads to some of them falling for various dishonest firms that promise for a lot of money to "make" the required type of visa within the required time frame.
The consul stressed that he had become aware of the actions of such fraudsters right near the embassy building. That is why he considers it appropriate to bring information on the visa issue to all residents of Ukraine in more detail. Udi Ben Ami also stressed that since the only consulate of the State of Israel in Ukraine is in Kyiv, all information is very important for residents of other cities of the country. Air tickets from Tripway to Israel
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So, at present there are the following types of Israeli visas.
В1 visa is a work visa issued to those who go to work. As the consul noted, the process of finding a job in Israel should begin with finding legal employment firms that have the appropriate license and contracts with Israeli employers.
- After a person receives the contract, I recommend contacting a qualified lawyer and asking him to carefully check this document. There have been cases of deception in our practice. The Israeli Ministry of Internal Affairs gives special permission for all labor contracts. It is best to come to the embassy yourself and check whether such permission exists, and also get the visa yourself. Do not entrust the visa application to anyone!
В1 visa is free - all costs for its processing are paid by the employer. With this visa, a person can live and work in Israel for up to five years, renewing it annually. Currently, the consulate issues several work visas a day, so getting a legal job in Israel is quite realistic.
- If you try to enter the territory of the State of Israel illegally, - the consul continues, - great troubles await you.
As Ben Ami said, criminal structures are currently operating in Western Ukraine in small towns and villages, whose representatives recruit women and men to work in Israel. As a rule, all these people are smuggled through neighboring countries. There are even cases of illegal smuggling of children. In Israel, women are forced into prostitution, and men into working on construction sites under very difficult conditions. Even if you are not drawn into the criminal business, you will have to live 20 people in a barracks, work 15-20 hours a day, and not always receive the promised earnings.
Another type of visa - A2 visa - is issued to those who are going to study at an Israeli university. As a rule, the applicant contacts the chosen educational institution himself and finds out all the questions of interest. After that, the university sends a request to the Israeli Ministry of Internal Affairs, which, after examining the case, gives an answer. This permission is the basis for issuing a visa. The student visa is also free.
And finally, the tourist visa В2 - is intended for those who go on holiday, treatment in Israel, for pilgrimage, want to visit relatives, etc.
- Ukrainian citizens can apply for a visa at the consulate themselves or through a travel agency, - said Ben Ami. - The issue of issuing a visa is decided by the consulate within one day. A tourist visa costs 100 hryvnias - and not a kopeck more! Do not give in to the persuasion and assurances of fraudsters, do not pay them large sums of money! If you get a visa through a travel agency, they must give you the visa and a receipt for its processing in the amount of 100 hryvnias.
As the consul noted, it is on a tourist visa that most of those who want to get a job illegally try to enter Israel. The issuance of В2 visas is entirely the prerogative of the consulate, and its task is to counteract those who seek to lure people into modern slavery.
- We are always glad to see Ukrainians on Israeli soil, - Ben Ami emphasized. - But only those who come to us legally.