The Truth About the Free Jordanian Visa
Updated 8/2019
That free ASEZA-sponsored Jordan visa on arrival you may have heard about at the Aqaba/Eilat crossing? It was alleged by official sources that it was not currently available at the border and that NO VISAS were being issued at this border crossing as of January 1, 2016. But as usual, that never seemed to have gone into practice. Now multiple travelers claim it’s still available, only for those 1) staying more than 2 nights and less than 2 weeks in Jordan and 2) carrying a passport from a nation eligible for visa on arrival, of course. There is also a chance that this applies only to those who enter AND leave via this border. Keep that in the back of your mind if you leave from a different border or airport than the one you came into (and received this free ASEZA visa) that you may be charged the usual exit fee plus a fine of 1.5JD per day you were traveling without the proper visa.
From a traveler (12/2016): “I am Italian, with an EU passport. I didn’t have ANY Visa in advance, no Jordan Pass and I didn’t pay anything at the border. All I needed to do is stay 2 nights in Jordan and less than 2 weeks.” And ever since that date all evidence has confirmed that as official policy and actual practice. (So far!)
Get the full story in my article about crossing the Israeli-Jordanian border by land.
So, if you plan to cross into Jordan at the Aqaba/Eilat border crossing, you have options: 1) you either need to have a pre-arranged Jordan visa (at least two weeks in advance) from a consulate or embassy elsewhere, or 2) you can travel with a qualified tour company on a tour. In this case the tour company can vouch for you at the border (confirm this with your tour company!), 3) or the free ASEZA visa.
In any case, unless you hold a passport that requires a visa in advance, you can get your visa on arrival. (
Special Note: If evidence of travel in Israel concerns you, you should also avoid the Jordan entry stamp if you want to keep this crossing invisible for future visits to certain Arab countries.
Why is it free in ASEZA?
Aqaba, the port city in the south of Jordan, right on the Red Sea and bordering with Eilat in Israel, is an economic free zone. This means you can do a bit of duty-free shopping here, for one thing. The Jordanians are looking to promote travel to Aqaba and there is a huge development project in the works there – they’re even moving the port down the coast toward Saudi Arabia to make room for a marina.
In hopes of getting the ball rolling with tourists, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) allows travelers coming to Aqaba to do so with a free visa.
The free Jordan visa requires you to complete a simple form upon arrival. Once inside Jordan it is assumed you are going to Aqaba, so this is not designed for you to just go tour the rest of Jordan (though that is still also possible). After entry you have 48 hours to get this visa validated at the ASEZA office near the outskirts of Aqaba or a police station if and only if you obtained it anywhere else besides at the Aqaba border or port entry. This is easy if you are working with a tour agency as they will do it for you. If you do NOT do this, you may pay for the visa when you leave Jordan. (And truth be told, the immigration agent in Amman didn’t charge me anything at all and I did not leave from the border I entered at which is often said to be the rule!)
Not Entering Via Aqaba?
No worries. You can request this free visa in Amman or at SHEIKH Hussein (not KING Hussein, no visas granted there) when you arrive if you are heading to Aqaba in 48 hours. (confirmed by an actual traveler as recently as February 2019)
Read my article about crossing the Israeli-Jordanian border by land.
Aqaba makes a good home base for Wadi Rum and Petra, plus it is a very good scuba diving destination.
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Hello Kevin,
Both your articles about borders crossing and visas in Israel/Jordan are being really helpful. They are great.
I’m traveling in a month, and I was thinking to get mi visa to Jordan here in Paris (even if i’d have to pay for it)…thinking I might save some time the day I cross the border from Eilat to Aqaba.
What do you think about that? Do you think it would change anything..? Reading you it seems like crossing the border is quite a quick thing to do.
Hoping you could give me your advice!
Thanks 🙂
E
From my experience crossing at Aqaba/Eilat was very easy. Not a lot of people do it like at Allenby/King Hussein, so there are no lines or crowds. I’ve seen the same assessment on other posts. Unless you think you might cross the border three times during your trip, getting the visa ahead of time won’t help you much. It took me minutes to cross. They looked at my bag. I went to a window and filled in a short form. That was it! If you are avoiding the Israel evidence in your passport, just be sure to tell them before they put a Jordan one in your passport. They can sign that on a separate sheet of paper. Cheers! K
Dear Kevin: I, too, appreciate your advice on crossing to Al Aqaba. My wife and I (intrepid senior citizens) are going to Israel in October. After looking at $400-a-night hotels in Eliat, I got all excited about some cheaper-yet-better places in Al Aqaba and forked out $800 for a hotel reservation. Then I learn that you can’t take an Israeli rental car into Jordan. Can’t take a can either. Yikes! So here’s my question: Suppose we just park my rental car on some street in Eilat, get a cab to the border, schlep the bags across and hail a cab on the Jordanian side. Are there cabs, in fact, waiting on the other side? I’m hoping your answer will help me out of a jam. Thanks!
Well, I can’t comment with certainty about parking in Eliat but there must be some kind of option. But yes, you can taxi to the border in minutes, walk over, and there will be a number of taxis just waiting to cheat you a wee bit. 🙂 I had read 5JD but that info may have been old or wrong. I got 10JD (not bad really) and was told it was the government controlled rate into town. About 10-15 minutes to downtown. Good luck! Let me know how it works out.
Hi, we just crossed by walking from Eilat to Aqaba without a normal Visa. To do this you need to buy a Jordan Pass and stay a minimum of three nights. You must purchase the Jordan Pass on line (before you cross) which includes a free Visa. It’s a good idea to print it rather than keeping it on the phone as the border guards (and also the tourist operators) need to stamp it. The pass gives you free entry into most main attractions including Petra. If you stay less than three nights they may make you pay the tourist tax at your departure. We travelled on Australian passports. On The Jordan Pass site you can probably look up which nationalitets can use this option. The pass can be bought at http://www.jordanpass.jo
Hello Karin,
i am planning to go to Jordan and spend 5 days there.
I am italian citizien and i called the Ambassy and they told me i need a Visa.
If i buy the JordanPass i don’t need to reuire the Visa becouse it is included in the PAss?
So, i just need to buy the jordan pass and i can cross the allenby bridge border?
Please let me know.
Thanks and regards
Giuseppe
From the Jordan Pass website: “Can anyone have a visa upon arrival from King Hussein Bridge (Allenby bridge)?
No, They do not issue a visa upon arrival at this border even for Jordan pass holders.” Italians CAN get visa on arrival, at the airport, at SHEIKH Hussein border, but not at Allenby/KING Hussein – no one can. WITH the Jordan Pass, you can also get visa on arrival at Eilat/Wadi Araba/Aqaba border.
Hi Kevin, Very informative and great site you have. Thanks for the details. I’m an Indiain planning to cross over from Nuweiba (Egypt) to Aqaba and then planning to go to Petra and from there fly out of Amman to Bombay. So would it be possible for us to get the free Visa in Aqaba and continue towards Amman ?
Also Would be able to reccomend some good n reasonable place to stay for night in Dead Sea ?
You should be able to get the visa. However, the written rules of the visa, which I confirmed at the ASEZA office, are that you must leave the same border you came in at OR get your visa validated by the ASEZA office (a pain in the butt) before you head back to Amman – and even then you have 48 hours to get there and leave. That said, I broke all those rules and still left from Amman without a hassle or paying the visa fee as they had said I would. But what’s the price of the gamble? You have to pay the visa fee anyway. Not a big deal I think.
I don’t know that what is reasonable for you, but I stayed at the Holiday Inn on the Dead Sea courtesy of the tourism board. If I were a normally employed middle-class person (ie not a hand-to-mouth writer or a budget backpacker) I would have definitely stayed there on my own dime – I see about $127-140 per night. It’s a nice hotel for a Holiday Inn, lots of pools, and there is a bucket of mud and patches of mud right along its beach. Plus security to keep out trouble makers trying to scam beachgoers. HOWEVER, I am seeing some online reviews recently that the beach is closed indefinitely and some service complaints (which can always be taken with a grain of salt).
And remember, anything we know today can change tomorrow! (That’s my little disclaimer. 😉
Apologies if this combines several previous questions answered on your post, but I’m not sure they are completely relevant to my situation and am looking for the cheapest easiest solution. I’m in Dahab right now, and came down from Jordan a few days ago. I only had a single entry visa from Jordan. I’d like to go to Israel next for a few weeks, and eventually am flying from Amman to Dubai to visit UAE, Oman and Qatar, so quite worried about “stamp” issues.
From what I can tell, the cheapest/quickest solution is to take a bus from here to Taba, and cross the border into Eilat. But, everywhere I’ve looked says that I can’t do that b/c then I’ll have a Taba exit stamp. The next cheapest/quickest solution is to take ferry to Aqaba, and then cross over to Eilat, asking Aqaba authorities to also stamp exit on separate piece of paper. Sounds like that is possible, but if I get a single entry visa in Aqaba, won’t I need to get another one when I return to Jordan (either in Tel Aviv or at bridge crossing)? Won’t that visa show that it was from the embassy in Tel Aviv or mention the bridge crossing? Or, will the Aqaba visa suffice even though when I go back to Amman it will be my second entry into Jordan?
Last and most expensive option is to fly from Sharm el Sheik, but that’ll cost me more than double than the ferry option. My understanding from your post and others is that the single-entry visa I buy at the airport is valid for 30 more days in Jordan, and would also be valid if I go to Israel for 15 days. Correct? Then I can come back across at King Hussein and ask for Jordan and Israel entry/exit stamps on separate piece of paper.
Such a drag, but I can’t risk a stamp as the next leg of my RTW trip leaves from Dubai. That said, also don’t want to NOT go to Israel. Thanks for your help!!!
Hi Debbie,
I can’t comment on Taba but it sounds like that’s not possible due to exit stamps. So take the ferry. Do you care to see Eilat or just Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, etc.? The trouble is this: if you get the Aqaba visa, I am not sure they will let you back in at Allenby/King Hussein. They do let people in within the 15 days but so far I’ve only heard of that being done with the usual Amman airport 20JD visa and thus leaving and returning at that same crossing (note in comments a couple Brazilians got charged to re-enter, likely a scam, but at least they could still cross). And you cannot get a visa at Allenby/King Hussein. You could always end your Israel trip north at Sheikh Hussein crossing maybe. When I was sorting all this out in May, I actually took the bus from Tel Aviv down to Aqaba, crossed on the free visa, took the bus to Amman — all in one day. I think it was a 6 am bus to Eilat, 4-5 hours, crossing took nearly no time at all, went directly to the bus station in Aqaba, another 3-4 hours on the bus. Back in Amman before sundown. It’s an option if the other plan doesn’t work out.
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Thank you, this article was really useful to organize my trip..I was almost buying the single entry visa at the Embassy in Rome for the “modest” sum of 38 Euros!
I would like to ask you something more specific.
I’m flying from Rome to Amman with Alitalia and then I’m heading straight to the terminal for Aqaba. If I get the free visa at the Aqaba airport instead of Amman, do you think I’ll have to go to the ASEZA office anyway?
I’m arriving on Friday morning and then I’ll go to Wadi Rum. If I have to pay the taxi back to the ASEZA office on Sunday morning, it’s not worth to ask for a free visa!
Interesting, so you’re saying you do NOT go through immigration when you land in Amman?? You are now entering into murky territory for me. 🙂 IF you get that free visa at Aqaba airport, it SAYS on the visa that you need to visit ASEZA and validate that you are in Aqaba. But I failed to do that after entering from Eilat, Israel and spending 10 days in Jordan. (Though I did WALK out to ASEZA – insane choice, by the way – and chatted with the visa people to confirm that I was too late.) Nevertheless, when I flew out of AMMAN later that week, no one charged me anything at all. After Wadi Rum you are flying out of where? Aqaba? Truth is you likely are one of the nationalities that can buy a visa on arrival as I did when I entered Amman the very first time. 20JD. If you can skip that and go directly to Aqaba and get the free visa, then you are no worse off. If it fails and you still have to pay for the visa, you aren’t spending any more money or time than you would if you got that 38 Euro visa in Rome, right?
I crossed from Israel to Jordan through Aqaba at the end of 2011. Nobody mentioned any visa validation. The visa was free. I flew out from Amman a few days later and it all went smoothly.
Yes, same for me. However, the fine print on the paper says it is required and when I went to ASEZA after they argued with each other and called in a supervisor they said yes, this is true and that I was too late to be validated. So if the paper and the ASEZA folks are right, then it is POSSIBLE they could hold you to it upon departure. I’m not saying you better take the trouble to visit ASEZA but rather simply have the cash on hand upon departure just in case someone actually enforces it – which from reports thus far is unlikely. 🙂
You people are so cheap … You’ve wasted a lot of time reading this to save 10$ ..
Dear Bla,
It’s not a matter of money (by the way 20JOD are 28$, not 10). It is, instead, a question of being informed. I like to plan out my itinerary, I think it’s the best part of a trip.
Unfortunately many many Italians only rely on a travel agency while travelling to Middle East: most of them don’t even make the effort of looking on the map where the country they are visiting is!!
By the way, Kevin, just to share my experience:
Friday, 19th October 2012: I entered Jordan at Amman Airport. Asked the immigration office a free ASEZ visa (on the basis of my ticket with Royal Jordanian Amman-Aqaba on the same day). The immigration officer told me to register the visa at the ASEZA the day after or Sunday.
I didn’t go there at all. I left Jordan the 9th November (after 3 weeks) from Amman Airport. No fine and no visa payed!
Jordanians are the kindest people I’ve ever met! This was my 5th visit to Jordan but I’ll come back soon!!
Thanks for sharing that information, Federica!
Hi Kevin (and anyone else who can help),
We’re Brits on a cruise ship visiting Aqaba in January – the ship overnites in port. Having previously been to Petra, etc, we’re looking at crossing to Eilat for an afternoon/evening on day one, or the morning/afternoon of day two – our ship sails 5pm on the second day. Day one may not be worthwhile, our plans to spend the evening in Eilat possibly thwarted by the crossing hours? (website says it closes 20.00), If it’s to be day two how long should we allow for the crossing formalities? – its a long swim to the next port-of-call..
Last time we visited Aqaba (same cruise line) the ship provided Jordanian visa (5JD according to the stamp in my passport, so I’m guessing it’s a single entry). A number of queries arise,:
We’re not planning to take shekels or Dinars & to rely on euros/plastic. Acceptable by Israeli taxi from the border? And is there an Israeli entry/exit fee (exit fee we can check on arrival, but problematic if an ENTRY fee can only be paid in shekels & we have none?)
Likewise visa for returning to Aqaba – hear what you say about free entry, no worries if there is a fee, but problematic if there is & has to be paid in dinars (again, not planning to take any, sterling & euros were fine in Jordan last time)
Apologies for the number of questions. Don’t want to be ripped-off, more importantly don’t want to be delayed/stranded.
Regards
Chris
1. If there is a delay at the border (unlikely down here I’m told and I saw nearly no one crossing when I did it myself) it is likely to be entering Israel. Jordan should take you in without hassle and Israel won’t mind seeing you go if you pay your exit tax. Be aware that exit taxes are typically changed every January 1. Just keep an eye on that.
2. You can change money right there to get shekels. And if they don’t take plastic for the exit, you can also change money for that. Taxis are universal: they will cheat you on either side but hopefully only modestly if you haggle and are firm. 🙂
3. Visa into Aqaba should be free.
4. If all this still makes you nervous, I’d say day trip to Mujib Reserve (awesome)/Dead Sea or Wadi Rum if you were to stay in Jordan. If you are into scuba at all, the shore dives at Aqaba are awesome and I can recommend SeaStar Watersports. They were great.
Enjoy your trip! Please report back if you experience anything out of the norm!
Hi, Kevin,
Thank you so much for posting such comprehensive info on the subject. Even on the TA I could not find such detailed and to the point info. Would you be OK if I post a link to this site there? I bet it will help a lot of ppl who run around the web looking for bits and pieces of crossing info.
Thank you!
Hi Kevin! I hope you’ll be able to help me with this. It’s about not wanting my passport to get stamped.
I’m flying from Hong Kong -> Tel Aviv roundtrip, and I also plan on visiting Jordan. After I’ve read this post, I’ve decided to take this route. I’m only gonna spend enough time to see Petra & Wadi Rum before I cross the same border crossing again.
My concern is, since they’re obviously going to issue me a visa when I want to get it validated at the ASEZA office, are they going to stamp the visa in my passport? I’m concerned that they’re going to put something in the visa that will show that I entered Jordan via Israel. (or can I also get it stamped on a paper?)
I really want to know since I’m planning a trip to Iran afterwards.
I hope you’ll be able to help me with this. Your blog helps me plan my trip to both countries already, so I’d like to thank you so much for this! 🙂
hi sir,,i just want to ask my husdand is in Qatar and I want him to visit me hear in Jordan his holding phillippine passport can he enter aqaba?can he get a visa thru aiport upon arrival?
Hi Lea, Unfortunately, no. He would have to obtain a visa before his trip but should be able to do so at the Jordan embassy in Qatar. Good luck!
Kevin
Hi Kevin – We are traveling in May on a cruise with Aqaba as a day-stop. However, we are disembarking on that day vs continuing on with the cruise in order to visit Petra, Dead Sea and depart home from Amman airport. The cost of a Jordanian visa is not the issue, but in order to get an advanced visa, we must provide via mail our original passport and do that in such a way that the visa is not expired (30 days) by the time we need it and that our passport is returned by the time we need it (crusise departing much earlier). Scary. In order to avoid these catch-22 problems, we would like instructions on where and how we get a visa once we are at Aqaba port, including any unforeseen problems on our part. thank you! Terry
Where’s your passport from? Most countries are eligible for visa on arrival which you’d get at your point of entry.
USA. Where and how do we get the visa when docking on cruise ship at Aqaba? Thnks!
I have not done this myself, but I see in various places online that they now have an immigration office at the port (which makes sense otherwise people could come and go willy nilly). Years ago they took you by bus to another office. Should be a free visa.
hi! This article and the one crossing jordan-israel is helpful.. Er, mind answering some inquiries? im a filipino and working in suadi arabia and wanna visit israel,maybe last quarter this year, but im confused on how too 😀 i think my nationality requires me to abtain a visa prior to arrival, but would entering aqaba exempt me? And im avoiding the israeli stamp on my passport, reason is obvious :D, how could i assure that? Thanks!
If you need a visa (and I think you do), you cannot get it at the border, you’d need to apply at an embassy where you are. Here’s how to avoid the Israel Stamp in your passport. Good luck!
What you are saying is actually only partly true. In Aqaba you NEVER pay for visa and they are not entitled to charge you. But when you cross the rule of less than five persons and less then two days in Jordan (48 hours to be precise), you will pay the entrance visa upon your departure should that be other than Aqaba. I just wrote an article about it, the information is directly from the authorities, so there should not be a mistake http://orientoholic.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/how-to-enter-jordan-from-israel/
Hi Katka, Thanks for your comment. Be very careful with words like “never” or “always”. As recently as last month (Feb 13) some travelers reported being charged for a visa in Aqaba. It depends of course on country of origin and on whether someone is cheating you. 🙂 From which authorities did you get your information? ASEZA or a border agent? On my visa it clearly stated I had 48 hours to validate it at ASEZA and I spent some time in the ASEZA office in Aqaba to confirm that from them. Anyway, what’s official isn’t always what happens. 🙂 That’s why it’s nice to collect recent comments/experiences of travelers.
if i want to enter jordan throught eilat border going to aqaba, and buy visa at the border, can i then return to israel at different border?
thanks for your reply
Hi Peter, yes. And in fact the visa is free there. From what country is your passport? Most countries can get their visas at the border, but some must apply at a Jordanian embassy/consulate before arrival. (EU, USA, etc are ok)
I am an Argentinean citizen and I am not supposed to get my visa prior the arrival in Jordan. I was told I can get my visa issued at Queen Alia airport Amman. Kevin, are you sure it is not possible to get a visa at the airport?
Thanks, your page is wonderful.
The thing is my family and I are planning trip from tel aviv to Jerusalem and then to Eilat. From Eilat we want to enter Jordan and spend some time near Aqaba by Red Sea. It would be pointless for us to go all the way to north Jordan (we want to see the country) and then come back South to enter Israel. That’s why I’m asking if the alright if I return to Israel via different border crossing somewhere north of Jordan. And m passport is EU so ill be alright.
I see. Not a problem at all. 🙂
what kind of visa i have to get at the border, to enter aqaba from eilat and returning from other north border? and how much would it be?
thanks for reply
The free tourist visa. It’s free.
I will be arriving in Aqaba and will be going to petra and wadi rum and will be staying for 3 months.If I donot register within 48 hours will I have problems when I go to extend visa for 3 months or will I be charged the $1o0 fee when I leave.I will leave from amman.
Oh, I see. You mean registering the free visa with the ASEZA authority. Sorry. I did not register mine and it cost me nothing when I departed Amman. That said, the fine print indicates I’d just have to pay for that visa when I leave. This is not what happened to me, however. To my knowledge there is not a fine or penalty; the possibility is that someone determines you didn’t use the visa as intended (to draw tourists to Aqaba) and you’d have to pay for a standard visa fee that everyone pays to get into the country in the first place.
Hi! All information were very helpful. I am a Filipina (holding Philippine passport). I am traveling from Singapore to Amman, Jordan. Can I acquire this Asez visa in Amman?
I have read that you can request it at the airport in Amman but that you may have to argue a bit for it. 🙂 it doesn’t hurt to ask. Let us know if you do this. No one here has tried it yet. You may have to register within 48 hours with Aseza in Aqaba, but in cases like that before, no one semmed to be checking.
Hi Ness,
Did you get, ASEZ Visa in Amman Airport?
thanks gain Im planning this trip from israel to enter here next year june 2014! I hope its still free by that time. thanks
Hello
I am staying in Israel on work visa. I am planning to travel to India. Is it possible I go to Jordan by land and then take a flight to Mumbai? and return via same route ?
Thanks in advance and appreicate if you can also reply on my mail id anilbahetiin@gmail.com
Hi Anil, Sorry for the slow response! I typed this before but I don’t see that it posted. Strange… Anyway, where is your passport from? Be sure you do not need a visa before arrival for Jordan. Otherwise, it is easy to cross the border at Eilat/Aqaba or Sheikh Hussein in the north. You MUST have a visa ahead of time to cross at Allenby/King Hussein. And of course you can return that way as well.
We will land at the airport in Aqaba on Friday 28 of april 2014 at 4 a.m. and we will stay in Aqaba 9 days (one day we will go to Petra and one day we will go to the Wadi Rum ).I have spoken to the embassy of Jordan in Sofia(Bulgaria)and they told me i didnot need a visa in advance and that I can take visa on arrival and pay less than in the embassy.Do you think we can get a free visa and if not is there a working change office to change money to pay the visas in jordanian dinnars – that time in the night 4 a.m.By the way we are bulgarian, with bulgarian passports – 6 adults and 1 child.Thanks in advance for your answer
Hi! I don’t know the visa rules for Bulgarians, so if the embassy says you can get it on arrival, like so many people from other countries entering Jordan, then I’d trust that. And yes, that should be a free visa in Aqaba. 🙂
Thank you very much for your answer. We will try to get free visas because you inform us for that.Thanks again
Hey! I’m from Uruguay, visiting Israel and planning on going to India, flights from Amman are much cheaper but I would need to add a double visa. So here are my questions:
1) Could I get a free transit visa on any of the 2 borders (Aqaba or Sheik Hussein) if my flight leaves from AMM airport in less than 24 hours? Some countries have transit visas which are issued usually at the airport and to a person transiting thru that airport in most cases for people with layovers of more than 8 hours yet less than 24.
2) The Jordan visa has recently (April 2014) been raised to 40JD single entry or 60JD for double entry (if that info I got was correct). The problem is that I called the embassy in Tel Aviv and they said that at the Sheik Hussein I can only get a single entry visa and that there’s no such a thing as a Aqaba Free visa, not there and not at the Wadi Arava Crossing so my question is if one can still get this free visa or if they suddenly stopped it any time lately.
Hopefully I would like to visit Jordan either on the way to India or on the way back, yet, I would rather same some money on visas since paying 40JD twice plus taxis and exit taxes might not make the cheaper flight worth, maybe it’s better to fly dirrectly and just visit Jordan separetly without the hussle.
Thanks!
A budget traveler 🙂
PS: great article, there isn’t much info on this!
Thanks for the update! I will investigate the free ASEZA visa issue for Aqaba visitors. That’d be a pity if they discontinued that. I tried for a transit visa myself once, arriving at the airport and leaving via Allenby. Wasn’t allowed. I paid no exit tax though because it was within 24 hours of leaving.
Awesome! Looking forward to your update about the ASEZA visa, I’ll try to talk to the embassy again.
It’s good to know that you try the transit visa. It ask for it at Amman’s airport and if I can’t get it I hope they can at least give me a ASEZA one (hopefully it still exists…)
Also, once on the border I’ll ask about the transit visa just to know if it’s possible. I’ll post the info for others as well.
Yes, but IF they grant the ASEZA visa you would have to go to Aqaba and register within 48 hours. So you wouldn’t be saving anything really. And as I said, there was no transit visa allowed if I left the airport and crossed by land (or vice versa).
If I get the ASEZA Visa on my way back from India I could save the 40JD of a single entry visa once I land on AMM, go to register in Aqaba and get back to Israel.
Did you manage to confirm if 40JD is the new price and if the ASEZA visa still exist?
Thanks! 🙂
BTW, I’ve been checking other post since I discover this website looking for info about the border crossing and I really liked them so I wanted to give you a thumbs up 😉
The 40 JD price is confirmed, even the consulate visa applications reflect it. I see no other news either way about ASEZA, so I expect it continues but would never say so with certainty until a traveler can confirm it. You will still be spending money (though maybe not 40JD!) to go through the bother of Aqaba if the ASEZA visa is still working. And I have heard travelers told they couldn’t get one in Amman (though the “official” policy was they could). I guess maybe I’d plan to try but be prepared to pay 40 and cross at Allenby if it doesn’t work out.
Glad you like the site. Share with friends! 🙂
Hey! Thanks for your post, it is very useful.
I have one question though: is it possible to cross the border from Eilat to Aqaba (getting the free visa), stay in Jordan for 3-4 days, and then cross the border from Jordan to Israel but from another crossing point, i.e. at the King Hussein Bridge?
I read the other comments, and from what I understand, there is a possibility that I may be charged the cost of the visa at the KHB. Is that right? I don’t mind if it is the case, but as no visa is granted at the KHB, I just don’t want to have to go back to Aqaba or drive north to get another visa.
Thanks!
Raph, from Canada, leaving this Friday!
Leading elsewhere won’t affect coming in at Aqaba, so that should be fine. I doubt you’ll have to pay but let us know what happens and we can share it with others if it is out of the norm or confirms what we know.Thanks! Safe travels!
Hi Kevin ,
Interested in the visa situation at Aqaba
We are an Australian couple who will be in Israel in October of this year . We plan to fly from Tel Aviv to Eilat and cross the border at Aqaba . We want to go to Petra stay a few days and then hire a taxi up the King’s Highway to Madaba , then flying out of Amman onto Dubai . So about five days in Jordan .
Our concern is getting the visa at the border ( not going with any tour group ) so we will be rocking up not being the required five tourists either . Would we be able to get this ASEZ visa walk out and head towards Petra (bypassing the ASEZA office in Aqaba ) . We are not that worried about the visa being free and if we had to pay for it at the Amman airport before leaving that would not concern us , but it would seem to be flouting the law by turning up at the airport some days later having not exited via the Aqaba crossing as was the purpose of the visa (tourism in Aqaba ) .
Australian passports no problem at the Aqaba crossing I take it ? I guess it would be better to have some Jordanian Dollars before crossing into Jordan for taxis etc .
Gary
Getting the visa shouldn’t be any problem at all, and I myself took it and left bus Amman later with no issues at all. You can change money at the border too
Fantastic site with mysterious info! Hope to get to Jordan soon so many thanks for the info…Paul [Liverpool]
Maybe I’m silly, but I kind of find it disturbing that everyone wants to visit Israel and surrounding countries but one of the biggest questions/concerns is avoiding an Israeli passport stamp (which apparently is now resolved), but no one seems concerned, disgusted, angry, etc that Israel is the only country is the entire world that is forced to do this. Why not boycott the countries, like Saudi Arabia etc) who feel its ok to discriminate against a country and its people and spend your time and money is the only democracy in the middle east?
Why boycott any country for that matter? Leave politics to the politicians. I go to meet the people. By the way, it’s neither the only country whose stamp can make trouble for a traveler (Cuba, for one) nor the only country in the Middle East with a democracy (depending on where you place Turkey) 🙂 But yeah, it’s an irritation. We rise above it.
Hello ou there,
We are a group of 12, 10 canadians and 2 british preparing for a 28 day tour of Israel ,Jordan and Egypt. We will be using a tour company but not sure yet which one. From what i have read so far from different sites, it states that having your passport stamped on a separate peice of paper when entering Israel is advisable for traveling to Jordan and Egypt afterwards. The tour company we choose will receive our info ahead of time for the proper documents to be filled out.
Are we being too cautious about this?
Also is there any tourist sites that are permanenlty closed as told by a travel agent here in Canada?
And last has anybody used a tour company called Nohah situated in Israel?
I would appreciate any feedback on these concerns.
Take care and have a great day,
Yvon, amyvonpilon@gmail.com
Thanks for the info – very well researched, updated and organized. Just wondering for how long is the ASEZA valid? Looking to stay in Jordan longer than a month. Thanks!
It is valid for 30 days. It is my understanding that you cannot use the ASEZA visa to extend your stay. If you have a regular visa, you can go to the local police station before 30 days is up and register so that the visa is valid another month.
We will be travelling from the Philippines (with Philippine passport) to Israel and we’ll just have a stop over at the Amman Airport for around 15 hours before our flight to Tel Aviv. Is there a need to get a transit visa at the Amman airport? Please advise. Thank you.
Since you are staying less than 24 hours and you are connecting to a third country you can get a free transit visa on arrival or may not even need that as you never leave the transit area. But because a Philippines passport requires you to get a visa ahead of time for a visit, I would recommend doublechecking with the Jordan embassy or consulate in your country. But if you are staying in a transit area in the airport and not leaving or passing through immigration, I don’t think it will be necessary.
Jul 14, 2014 update: we just came back from Jordan – when crossing at Arava, next to Eilat, you get a free Jordanian visa with no need to say anything or validate anywhere.
Hi Kevin, thanks for keeping us up to date on how to get to Jordan. I am looking at the possibility of traveling to Jordan with a group of students (14 people). We’ve done it in the past with Easyjet with no problems, but since Easyjet is not flying anymore to Amman, we need to find other ways to do it which are not as expensive as travelling with Jordanian Airlines. What would you recommend? I am thinking about flying to Tel Aviv, cheap flights from Gatwick, and then catch a JETT bus to Amman. It seems that Aqaba entry is longer but cheaper (no entry visa), although the bus to Aqaba and the taxi to Amman will obviously increase the costs. Any other suggestions?
Thanks again,
Nidal
I took an early morning bus from Tel Aviv, crossed at Aqaba, and took another bus to Amman, getting me there by late afternoon. The Egged bus in Eilat does not go all the way to the border, so you have taxis (pricey) to go the short distance to the border and FROM the border on the Jordanian side into Aqaba. Maybe you can contact a tour company and see what price they’d offer you to take so many people in a van to the border at Allenby. Leaving from Israel there shouldn’t be a big deal, but coming back in at Allenby is always a wild card in terms of the time it takes or a random security issue. Also, don’t forget that at Allenby/King Hussein, Jordan does NOT grant visa on arrival to enter. So there is also the border at Sheikh Hussein. Same issues as Aqaba and you have to pay for the Jordanian entry (but at least they offer it there). What about MEA or Turkish Air out of Heathrow?
good evening in October and I latri 3 friends from egypt to spend eliat to get to Aqaba in Jordan for 3 days. I can not pay 40 jd ASEZA doing? After 3 days in egypt always head back to Eilat. And ‘everything ok?
thanks
Ma certo! 🙂 If you do not require a pre-arranged visa (most countries do not) then the free visa should still be available. Do you mean 3 days in Jordan? Yes, this is OK.
Hi,
Thank you for the very useful information. I just went to Jordan from Eilat and back (Sep. 2014, German passport). On the way from Eilat to Aqaba no Problems at all and the free visa. But after the border you HAVE TO pay the taxi mafi 11 JD to bring you into town. No walking alowed…. So meet up with other travelers to share the ride BEFORE you leave the border itself since they will be very pushy to take a cab immediately. Border police plays the same game.
I went to petra directly (there is a minibus station near the 2 big bus stations. Busses run frequently to petra & wadi rum. Best to ask in small hotels/hostels for the way to the minibus station. Everyone else will tell you, you have to take a taxi…) I can recomend valentines inn, 20 min. from the bus station – they have a pick up. 5.5 JD Dorms and daily free service to petra.
Entrance fee 1 day 55 JD 2 days 60 JD 3 days 65 JD.
Back to Aqaba, picked up an Egyptian visa (1.5 h wait, 30 $, need 2 fotos + copy of passport). And by taxi to the border (5 JD). Went again smoothly, 11 JD exit tax and a stamp. No more questions. So seems that you don’t need to validate the visa in Aqaba…
Just as a sidenote, the taxidrivers and other people at the border and at the citycenter will be very pushy to take a taxi. Just be cool and go and find the Minibus station. 5 JD to Petra.
Peace!
Ah, yes, the taxi mafia. And you’re right, they work together with the border police who will back them up on the price. Very annoying, but then at least the visa is free I suppose. Great tips on Petra, too, thanks!
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for keeping a great blog!
I just bought a ticket to Tel Aviv – arriving on Oct 10 (1 week’s time) so I’m scrambling a bit to learn the necessities. I’m looking for a bit more clarifications with border crossings and such between your 2 articles about Israel and Jordan entries.
I’m arriving on Friday morning – are there bank machines at the airport so I can get the local currency without having to scramble before sundown?
I don’t mind traveling in a counter clockwise direction if it means crossing at Aqaba for a free Jordanian visa. (I’m traveling with a Canadian passport btw) This would save me a day in Tel Aviv at the Jordian embassy. Do we know if this free visa is still available? Also do you know how much the taxi ride is to the ASEZA office?
Another thing I’m curious about is I’m seeing a few comments outside of your blog about the Israeli border officials asking for personal email passwords for screening and “temporary confiscation” of personal laptops for inspections which would be shipped at a later date (tho some people never got them back). I don’t mind showing my emails – got nothing to hide. Have you heard about this practice regarding the laptop? I’m traveling for 6 months and blog and do not want to have my laptop go missing with all my photos. I would rather leave it with friends if that is the case. I’m not sure what to do – thoughts?
Also, I only have the inbound flight at the moment. Do you know if Israeli officials require proof of an outbound flight upon arrival? I have no itinerary right now. I don’t know how long I will spend in Israel or Jordan – probably less than 4 weeks in total tho.
All sharing of experience and wisdom is much appreciated!
Cheers
Karen
http://singlewomantravel.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/travel-thought-thursday-gratitude/
Hi Karen,
Don’t know about ATMs at Tel Aviv airport, but I’d expect so. (I know that doesn’t really help.)
Free ASEZA visa should still be available. Taxi to ASEZA from where? From the border crossing at Aqaba into Aqaba is 11JD and pretty strictly “taxi mafia” controlled. Also, it seems no one is going there to get visas validated. Either they ignore that or the fine print on the visa changed. Ask when you receive it for clarification. But I never got mine checked at ASEZA (even though I walked all the way out there and chatted with them about it!)
Sheesh, you are stumping me here! Hadn’t heard about laptop confiscation, though I guess I’ve heard occasional horror stories of a crazy nature, but nothing that is typical or expected. Where did you read that? I am curious.
And to complete my strike out… I don’t know about the outbound flight. You could always print out an itinerary, even one departing from Jordan if you were nervous about that matter. Sorry this wasn’t more helpful!
Hi,
I am visiting Jordan next week and have some questions on visas.
I plan on entering in Aqaba and eventually crossing over into Israel for a couple of days at Allenby before returning to Amman where I will eventually fly home from.
I can see based on the prior posts here that you cannot reenter Jordan at Allenby with the free Aseza visa.
My question is, can I pay for a normal Jordanian single entry visa at Aqaba airport?
Thanks
Simon
Damn good question. I don’t know that for certain. I’d guess yes, but this is no place for guessing. What you COULD do is go to the Jordan embassy and get one in Tel Aviv before your return, but that also sounds like a pain. Cross back again in the north at Sheikh Hussein and get the visa at the border? I’ve actually gotten up super early, taken the bus from Tel Aviv to Eilat, crossed, and taken the bus up to Amman — all in one day with plenty of daylight to spare. Not ideal, of course.
Hi, terrific amount of info, thanks for keeping up with it.
My question is regarding an exit stamp at QAIA after entering Jordan at Aqaba.
I plan to fly to TLV, visit Israel, then enter Jordan via Aqaba. Then tour Jordan for 5 days and leave by air from Amman. I understand I won’t receive a stamp in my passport at Aqaba, but will I receive an exit stamp when leaving QAIA? I am looking to avoid evidence of travel to Israel.
I am travelling on a USA passport. Thanks in advance.
Ben
Hi Ben, I expect they would stamp that exit at QAIA. Not sure if there is a way around that. But as it’s not a land border stamp, I wonder if that’s a bit easier to pass off as “They didn’t stamp me when I landed in Amman.”
Good thought.. might consider that. Thanks for the advice!
Hello! I plan on going to Jordan at the end of May 2015, arriving at Amman Queen Alia Airport.
Could you please tell me if I can still choose to get the ASEZA visa at the airport? Please note that I’ll go to Aqaba, but after 4 days.
I forgot to mention and I don’t know if it’s important, but afterwards I’ll be leaving Jordan from Amman, not Aqaba.
Hi Cristina, I’ve been told officially one can do that, but travelers have said they ask and don’t receive. It’s certainly worth a try. As I wrote, I did not get my ASEZA visa validated at the ASEZA office (and at the time those were the instructions in fine print on the back), but I was told it didn’t matter and left from Amman airport with no troubles. I also entered at Aqaba. That’s quite a while ago now, to be honest. I’d plan on paying when you arrive but definitely worth a try to ask and persist a bit. But it is expected you go to Aqaba sooner even if it is granted. But would they know and would they notice or care?
Hi, this is my update regarding ASEZA visa:
We entered via Amman airport and the passport control guy was not very pleased about giving us the free visa, but he did it in the end (it was late at night, maybe he was just tired). He asked which hotel we were staying at in Aqaba and when we were planning on arriving in Aqaba. We told him that we were going directly to Aqaba, but, in reality, we arrived there 4 days later.
We went to ASEZA office (near the new Arab Bank building) and, although we were very late and the clerk told us that we were forcing him to break the law, we smiled and he stamped our visa forms.
We left Jordan via Amman airport and the passport control guy didn’t even check the date to see if we were breaking the law or not. I think all you need is the stamped form.
It really paid off for us!
Haha! Well done! So it IS possible! Why are they so reluctant? Because people are “cheating” and not going to Aqaba? Anyway, thanks for the update. That’s good to know.
They were reluctant because it was late at night and they were not in the mood to budge (the stamp was located in another office, so they had to walk). The fact that the country doesn’t collect the visa money (by the way, 40 dinars = approx. 57 US dollars!) might also have something to do with their reluctance. 🙂
Hi! Me and my girlfriend are going to Aqaba for one week on february 5th. The trip is booked trough a Norwegian travelagency, and we both hold Norwegian passports. We plan to take an overnight trip to Jerusalem, and figured the easiest would be to cross the border over land to Eilat. I have e few questions in that matter.
Is it true that we dont have to pay the exittax if we leave Jordan within the day after we arrive?
If we go to Israel over the southern crossing, is it possible to go back to Jordan over the Allenby Bridge/King Hussein Bridge on the same visa?
The reason for the next question is that we may be going trough Amman and Petra on our way back to Aqaba.
Sorry! I missed this question while at a beer fest. Blame the beer. I didn’t pay an exit tax when I left Jordan because it was within 24 hours of arriving. Are you arriving in Aqaba? Then you didn’t pay for a visa either. 🙂 You cannot go back over at Allenby without a pre-arranged visa unless you are trying to re-use that single-entry visa if you arrived at Amman at the airport initially. Probably you know all this already. I apologize for having missed this!
Thanks for the answer, Kevin! I’ll just have to take my chances then and be very persistent. I can certainly do that! :))
Hi Kevin!
Thanks so much for this great articles and answers, they’re so helpful!
I am travelling to Israel with a friend in August and we plan to cross over to Jordan through Eliat-Aqaba. We plan to visit Wadi Rum, Petra, Madaba, etc. all the way to Amman.
More than the free visa, what we are concerned about is not really finding any good tours going up from Aqaba to all these places as all tours I’ve seen do the typical North to South itinerary.
Do you have any reccommendations for that or you think it’s easy to find some good tours once we get to Aqaba?
Thanks again (and sorry if you already answered this question above!)
(Btw, we have sSanish passports so I take it visa wouldn’t be an issue)
Pol-
Spanish passports*
Hi Pol,
I am sorry I don’t have any specific tour companies to recommend, but I see several do full day trips. So if you couldn’t find one that did a trip all the way to Amman, you might be able to set it up with a company that would leave you at the final or farthest stop, and from there you could take local transportation. Or go city hopping and use a local tour at each place?
Kevin
I was checking the Club Murjan you reccommend, and they do work with an operator called Above and Below which seems to provide tailored solutions to tourists. Will check that out!
We would consider renting a car on our own, problem is I am currenlt about to get my driving icense so probably won’t find any company willing to hire cars to such an inexperienced driver!
Thanks Kevin!
Hi Kevin
Thank you very much for this amazing site. I just read up on ASEZ visas and have a question regarding our particular situation.
We are planning to travel to Jordan in May 16th (arrive 2am on Saturday) and arrive at the Queen Alia International Airport. Our initial itinerary looks like this
Saturday
02:00 – Arrive in Amman airport and get the Asez visa
03:00 – Pick up rental car
03:30 – Drive to hotel in Madaba and rest
12:00 – Have lunch, drive to Um er-Rasas, then Karak, then Aqaba (overnight stay)
Sunday
09:00 – Drive to ASEZA centre to register our visa
I have a few questions regarding obtaining the ASEZ visa
1) What is the address of the ASEZA visa office in Aquaba?
2) What is ASEZA opening hours? Are they open on Sundays?
3) Given that we arrive on a Saturday, is the 48 hours commencing from Saturday? Or Monday when its a working day?
4) Does ASEZA visa office have any other requirements? Like visiting the police?
5) Can we exit Jordan via the King Hussein Bridge? We do not plan to return to Jordan, we are crossing over to Israel and flying back to London from Tel Aviv
Looking forward to hearing from you
Cheers
Tom
Hi Tom,
Sorry for the slow reply…
#1 Here’s a link to a map http://www.aqabazone.com/en/contact-2/
#2 Not sure, but I’d say typical business hours. Found this on their site: “Government offices are open from 8 AM to 4 PM every day except Fridays, Saturdays, National Holidays, and Religious holidays.”
#3 I’d guess (and this is a guess) from Saturday.
#4 No police visit involved
#5 Yes, shouldn’t be an issue. (But if something weird does happen, please report it here.)
Safe travels!
Kevin
Also is it possible to exit the King Hussein Bridge without registering the ASEZ visa?
Or would they simply turn you away, given the visa isn’t registered?
Considering my options on whether its worth the gamble 🙂
You can still exit, they may charge you for the visa entry you didn’t pay originally though. Otherwise, one could arrive in Amman, take the free visa, skip visiting Aqaba, and leave. If you ENTERED at Aqaba and got the free visa, then it should not be a problem. But either way, you can leave — just might have to pay if you didn’t do it right.
Dear Kevin,
I want to travel from Cairo to Tel Aviv and I was planning on going via Jordan to avoid the Kafkaesque Air Sinai…
A connecting flight from Cairo to Aqaba via Amman is the same price as a flight straight to Amman.
So the plan is to fly to Aqaba via Amman, get an ASEZ visa and then head straight from the airport to the Aqaba-Eilat crossing to get the bus to Tel Aviv. Does this sound like a viable plan? Are they likely to try and make me pay the 40JD visa fees when I try to leave through the land border at Eilat?
Thanks for your great site!
I forgot to add that I intend to re-enter Jordan a week or so later to catch my flight back to Europe but as I will be with someone who will not be able to pre-arrange a visa for Jordan, the King Hussien/Allenby crossing will be out of the question. What would you do in my position? Thanks again.
two options. North border or Aqaba border. Aqaba is free visa. I did this once. From Tel Aviv by early morning bus, crossed, taxi to bus station, bus to Amman. Long damn ride but I was to Amman before sundown. Faster to go to Sheikh Hussein crossing, but you’ll pay there.
I don’t think they will make you pay it. There is an exit tax but again if you are leaving within 24 hours they shouldn’t require it either. Worst case scenario of course is they make you pay.
hello i plan to go to aqaba from Eilat. i will probably have the Aseza visa, . so if i have the Aseza visa and if i spend at least one night in aqaba and i go to petra, do u think i will have to pay 90 JOD or 50 JOD for Petra entrance fee ? petra is really expensive. thx for your help…
I don’t think you will have any problems with the visa. I do not, however, know the current entry fee at Petra. Worth it, though!
thank you so much Kevin for your reply
Hello Kevin,
you’ve been to Aqaba lately right? Just want to confirm if it is VISA-free for all nationalities..
I am planning to enter Aqaba through the seaport, and probably would just tour around Petra..
Philippines passport holder..
Thanks for the very informative blog!
just asking as there might be some changes in there…I learned it is VISA-free to all from previous Philippine travellers..
Hi, I believe you need to pre-arrange your visa, so not free and not on arrival. Check the Jordan tourism board or embassy site to verify which countries are approved for visa on arrival.
Hello,
I’d like to visit Jordan in September. I will arrive and depart from Queen Alia Airport.
Do you know if the thing with ASEZA visa still works?
Also, I read that from May they changed the rules about the visa. It’s free if you have a hotel booking of minimum 3 nights, or if you have some sort of unifi ticket etc.
Any news from somebody that visited Jordan recently?
Many thanks in advance.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Here’s the May press release, although it isn’t entirely clear: http://www.eturbonews.com/58522/jordanian-government-eases-regulations-entry-visas. I’m going to dig a bit more up about how these changes have been working/interpreted.
I just found this link:
http://www.mota.gov.jo/Contents/Visa_Information.aspx
It looks like a surprise without a lot rules and prices, if it is the latest posting. (No updated date)
I am planning to visit from Egypt-Israel-Jordan all by roadway, wish it is going to be more easier and safer.
Looks promising!
Hi Kevin,
Great information. I have a question, similar to Yogesh’s, but since that was in 2012, I thought I would see if you have any updated information.
I hold an Indian passport and I am visiting Jerusalem, onward to Mumbai. Is it possible to get a Jordanian visa on arrival at the Eilat/Aqaba crossing and then go to Amman airport to make my flight? Do I have to show them hotel reservations if I am just in Jordan for a day? And, in what form can my USD 1000 be for the visa application?
If the Indian passport still requires a pre-arranged visa according to the embassy website, then you cannot get it on arrival.
Hi Kevin,
Don’t know if you know this, but I’m trying to source as much info as I can. Would you know if Indian passport holders are eligible for an ASEZ visa on arrival? Everything I’ve read online points to yes, but the official Jordanian websites are saying I need pre-approval, and I don’t think the consulate is really understanding what I’m asking.
Thanks!
Siddharth
Hi Siddharth, I’d assume you need pre-approved visa, unfortunately.
Hi kevin!Fist and foremost,thank you so much for still replying to every queries since 2012.Im planning to have my vacation to Jordan this december,Im currently UAE resident with Philippine passport…the thing is,I wanna visit Eilat(Israel) for 3 days.What kind of visa do you think should i get.Im also avoiding the Israeli stamp.My vacation in Jordan is just for a week,just planning to cross the border Eilat for 3 days.Waiting for your reply,thanks in advance 🙂
Hi Nina, They should automatically not stamp your passport, but of course, be sure to ask. They have been issuing separate cards to carry with you in country. But also be sure to let Jordan side know you don’t want them to stamp in your passport. The exit is proof you have crossed that border to Israel. In regards to visa, Filipinos don’t need one for Israel (http://mfa.gov.il/MFA_Graphics/MFA%20Gallery/Consular%20forms/VisaRequirements.pdf). I don’t think your residence in UAE will matter, but you might want to contact the Israeli embassy/consulate just to be sure! You do need a visa for Jordan, however. Safe travels! K.
Dear Mr.Kevin,
I am an Indian passport holder. I have booked a cruise trip which includes Aqaba Port as one of the stop overs for only 10 hours…..As per my trip Itienary, I will be entering Aqaba from Eliat port through cruise on 15th Dec’15 at 8.00 am and leaving the port to Oman at 6.00 pm…
On various websites, I have read that Indians are entitled a visa on arrival and do not require a prior clearance…..Also I wish to know whether I can get free ASES Visa at Aqaba port as I will be entering and exiting at the same port…..
I am confused as I am getting mixed replies and the cruise company is unsure about travel documentation required by me…..Please please help me….Thanks in advance!!
What websites tell you this? They MIGHT be correct. The Jordan official sites (tourism, embassy) say you need one. But it is also true that package/group tours in general and arrivals to the sea port get free visas on arrival. I still think you’ll need one otherwise why insist on a prearranged visa if the person can sneak around the rule so easily? But that said, government rules do not always make sense. I’d contact an embassy and ASEZA to double check.
Hello! Just few questions about ASEZ visa; just wanna confirm some informations.
If I arrive and Eilat Ova airport and then cross the border between Eljat and Aqaba, im allowed to get free visa, right? And it allow me to travel through whole Jordan if i confirm that i was in Aqaba?
As long as you are eligible for visa on arrival based on nationality/passport.
Thank you very much for quick answer! Yeah im from Poland so as far as i know im eligible for visa on arrival. Simply wanted to make informations clear.
Planning to cross the border in mid April. This “no visas” thing is unclear. I’ve already called to the embassy, they told me it’s all good there and there will be no problems for us at all. But the guy on the phone also told me that nothing new has happend on the Eilat/Aqaba border, so I kinda don’t trust him. We do have a manifest from Jordanian site, since there’re 6 of us and we stay for two nights in Wadi Musa, so I was hoping it will help somehow. But still… we’re traveling with a 1,5 year old, so it will be a disaster if they turn us away. Don’t know, what I am asking here. What to do, maybe?
I know how you feel. It’s frustrating. One solution is to simply get a visa from your home embassy/consulate before your trip.
hi kevin,,ill go vacation this week with a philippine passport.im working here,i have iqama,what should i need,,is it only passport and ticket i need in the airport,
working where and going where? what airport? please clarify.
im working here in jordan,and ill go vaction in the philippines,for 2months,is it only passport and ticket i need in the airport,in queen alia intl airport,,
Hi Jay Jay, I see. So you are leaving Jordan for two months, flying to the Philippines. Yes, you need your passport and ticket. But if you are coming back to Jordan, I am sure you need your visa in order, of course. Also, I think you will pay an exit tax, though I am not sure with the work visa. You should consult with the Jordan government about that part. Safe travels!
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Can entry at AMM still request an ASEZA visa, with a land exit at Aqaba/Eliat?
Any updates? Your report is from 2012, and can only find one old corroboration.
It’s been updated within the last year actually, but still information is always sketchy. Even official sources can disagree. No one has commented on this recently so we can’t be sure. But even in the past it appeared to be hit or miss. If that’s your plan, go ahead and try it and be prepared to simply pay the normal fee.
Ok, will just pick up a Jordan pass. Will see if I can do ASEZA to get a data point. Could save me a night stay (2 nts vs 3), but the real win would have been to skip out on the visa. I’ll live 😉
Thanks for your candor and quick response
We will greatly appreciate any intel you can share afterward! Thanks!
Hi Kevin,
I understand it’s an old post, but have you heard if this is still a possibility? Can we enter through Amman Airport, ask for the Asez visa (register it in Aqaba), and then continue our few days wherever, finally leaving again from Amman Airport? We’ve got 3 kids so if we pay the normal visa it’ll be $280 for all five of us.. more expensive than the flights!
Thanks for any advice and help, we appreciate it.
Vicky.
Hi Vicky,
I have no current reports about that. If you are going either way, it’s certainly worth asking about. If you do find something out, let us know and we will post that info for everyone else. Sorry I can’t be more help!
Kevin
This worked in February 2019
Thanks, Ed!