No tests, no quarantine, no masks: Israel eases restrictions for foreign tourists


Israel has eased its Covid-19 protocols on foreign tourists even further as it lifted its mask mandate on international flights on Monday, May 23.

Photo from Israel in the Philippines Facebook page

The Israeli Embassy in the Philippines made the announcement on its Facebook page, reminding Filipinos that they can enter the middle eastern country without a visa.

"No need of mask, no need of testing, no need of quarantine. Walang visa (no visa needed) for Filipino tourists!" the Embassy's post read.

The latest guidelines for incoming foreign tourists from Israel's Health Ministry do not require foreign tourists to present a negative Covid-19 test before boarding a flight to Israel, a cruise to Israel, or before arriving at an Israeli border.

It has also lifted the testing and isolation mandate for those entering Israel at airports and maritime and land borders.

Overseas travel has become easier for Filipinos as more countries open their borders and ease coronavirus restrictions amid the pandemic. Last week, the South Korean Embassy in the Philippines announced the resumption of visa applications and issuances starting June 1, 2022.

In a statement, the Embassy expressed hope that the resumption of visa issuance and application would boost tourism between the two Asian countries.

Aside from resuming the application and issuance of visas, the South Korean Embassy said that unexpired multiple-entry visas issued before April 5, 2020, could be used without re-application.

It added that the submission of the Consent for Isolation would no longer be required.

However, the Embassy reminded Filipinos planning to travel to South Korea that health protocols for testing and quarantine for the unvaccinated are still effective. Fully vaccinated individuals entering South Korea are exempt from quarantine but must submit a negative pre-departure RT-PCR or lab-based Antigen test. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)