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I would like to visit Israel, but I have heard that if you visit some Muslim countries, they won't let you in, and visa versa.

Does it depend on which Muslim countries? I imagine there would be different policies say between Egypt and Iran. Does the order of visit matter? How can 'they' tell you have been to a particular country, is it by the stamps in your passport or what?

I am on a New Zealand passport.

I have visited Malaysia and Indonesia (Bali) in the past (with a stamp in my current passport)

I would like to visit Israel.

I would like to visit the following Muslim/Middle eastern countries:

Egypt, Jordan (Petra), Turkey, Malaysia again.

hippietrail
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EdmundYeung99
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2 Answers2

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Regarding Turkey, Egypt and Jordan:

The three countries have diplomatic relations and peace treaties with Israel. From personal experience you can enter Turkey with an Israeli passport, and from people I personally know, the same goes for Egypt and Jordan. So an Israeli stamp in the passport isn't a problem.

Regarding Malaysia, which doesn't have diplomatic relations with Israel:

According to sources online, it isn't a problem either.

If you're still not sure, you should contact your local Malaysian embassy.

Israel doesn't stop anyone from visiting it, regardless of the stamps in their passport (as long as you're not perceived as a security threat).

If you want to be on the cautious side, or want to visit in the future countries that don't allow visitors with Israeli stamps in their passport, you can ask the border control officer to not stamp your passport, but stamp another piece of paper instead. This is explained here and here.

Israel no longer stamps passports at entry or departure, instead they give you a small paper which you should save until you leave the country, so you will not have Israeli stamps in your passport. But take notice that if you travel to/from Jordan or Egypt by land from/to Israel, you will have the Egyptian/Jordanian stamp that shows that you went through a border crossing with Israel.

SIMEL
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Israel's immigration allows you to stamp in a piece of paper ( outside the passport ), so if you want to travel to other Arabian countries, their immigration will not get the Israel's immigration stamp in your passport.

Check this blog about Israel's Passport Stamping Policy.

I never heard any problem entering Israel after visiting Bali / Malaysia.

Rudy Gunawan
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