Update to the rules regarding visa at the Aqaba-Eilat border

Question

Hello everybody,

Visa upon arrival are already available again since September 2016. Upon arrival independent travels have to fill out the 'Independent travelers' Entry Manifest through South Wadi Araba Crossing Border'.

The required information for the manifest is: name, nationality, passport number, date of issue, date of expiry (needs to be 6 months after departure), date of birth, date of entry and date of departure.

Your manifest will be stamped with your entry date. No payment needed!

The applicable rules are mentioned on the manifest and are as following:

1 - When visiting Petra, please keep your entry ticket with you and make sure your manifest is stamped by the Petra Ticket Office.

2 - the manifest verification and service fees will not be charged upon departure from South Wadi Araba Crossing Border in case of spending two consecutive nights in Jordan.

3 - In case of visiting Petra and not spending 2 consecutive nights in Jordan 40 JD for manifest verification will be paid cash upon departure from South Wadi Araba Crossing Border.

4 - In case of not spending two consecutive nights in Jordan and not visiting Petra 60 JD for manifest verification will be paid cash upon departure from South Wadi Araba Crossing Border.

5 - In case of departing from any Jordanian border crossing other than South Wadi Araba border crossing the procedures of the departing border will be applied.

6 - In case of not spending 3 nights 10 JD for departure tax will be paid.

Wishing you a wonderful time in Jordan!

Bianca Abma

Wadi Rum Nomads

MommaBMiss · Accepted Answer

So if I enter Jordan at either Aqaba or Amman airport and get a Jordan Pass, spend a week or so in country and see Petra,

then cross at the Aqaba border into Eilat and stay a week or so and cross back into Aqaba for one more day before my flight leaves, how will that work?

Bianca A · Answer

Hello MommaBCabot_AR,

If you enter Jordan via Aqaba airport you get a visa for free, if you meet the requirements mentioned in my post. Unless you visit a lot of sites it will not be interesting to buy the Jordan Pass. If you enter Jordan via Amman you need to pay for the visa (40 JD) which makes the Jordan Pass interesting. If you plan to visit Petra and a couple of other places you can save quite some money. Have a look at http://www.jordanpass.jo for more information.

If you leave Jordan to spend 1 week in Israel, you will enter the country for a second time and therefor will need a new visa. If you wish to do that you can consider to get a multiple entry visa via the Jordan Embassy prior to your arrival. It might be easier and cheaper to just fly from Israel via Jordan home. Or maybe even the other way around. Fly to Israel, visit the country, cross into Jordan via the Aqaba border, explore Jordan and fly from Amman via Israel home.

Wishing you a wonderful time in Jordan,

Bianca Abma

Wadi Rum Nomads

michael r · Answer

Hello Bianca,

Thank you for your information. I can't find any official notice of this online and the Jordanian Embassy in Australia has stated we MUST have a visa before we arrive?

Are you aware of any office notice for the above?

Bianca A · Answer

Hello Michael,

The Dutch Embassy says exactly the same as the Australia Embassy. It seems that the Jordanian Embassies did not receive the update from September last. Since then visa on arrival are available again at the Wadi Araba border crossing for those who are entitled to a visa on arrival (Australians are).

About a month ago I enter Jordan via the exact same border. That is why I know the exact rules and could share them here on tripadvisor. So if you wish to visit Jordan for a couple of days to see for example Petra and Wadi Rum, wish to use the Wadi Araba border crossing to enter and leave the country you don't need to buy a visa upfront nor a Jordan Pass (in this case the pass only becomes interesting you visit a lot more places...).

Wishing you a wonderful time in Jordan,

Bianca Abma

Wadi Rum Nomads

P.S. It would be a good idea if everybody who notices that his/her embassy doesn't have the up-to-date visa information, updates the embassy about the changed rules. If more people do so and refer to posts like this one maybe the embassies will understand that they probably missed the last update and take the proper action to retrieve the last information after all.

michael r · Answer

Thanks Bianca!! I will be sure to let the Jordanian Embassy in Australia know. Cheers

andrepm6 · Answer

What about the manifest (as taxes) if i already has a visa? If i got this right, to avoid getting charged departure tax, i have to sleep 3 nights em Jordan?

Bianca A · Answer

Hello Andre,

If you already have a visa prior to your arrival at the border you will enter and leave with this visa. It is one or the other, not both.

Wishing you a wonderful time in Jordan,

Bianca Abma

Wadi Rum Nomads

SteveRainville99 · Answer

Hi Bianca,

Thank you so much for all the last minute VERY important information about visas and such. For myself, we are arriving at Eilat airport, and then crossing into Aqaba. We will spend 3 nights in Jordan and leave out of Amman International airport. We will be visiting Wadi Rum, Petra, Wadi Mujib, Mount Nebo, and Madaba. I'm guessing the Jordan Pass will be good for us? Looking forward to your response! :)

Bianca A · Answer

Hello Steve,

In your case rule number 5 is applicable. So the procedures of the departing border will be applied. This means the rules for Amman airport apply. The thing is that it is not clear to me if this means you would need to pay 40 JD for the visa - as other need to do when they arrive via Amman airport - or not. Maybe other travelers did this route too and can share their experience?

If you want to be sure not to be charged with 40 JD in Amman it would be best to buy the Jordan Pass.

Hopefully you will share your experience here on tripadvisor. And maybe you can check at Amman airport whether people who enter via the Wadi Araba border and leave via Amman airport need to pay 40 JD if they the took the visa on arrival instead of the Jordan Pass.

Wishing you a wonderful time in Jordan,

Bianca Abma

Wadi Rum Nomads

Raymond_GG1 · Answer

Steve Buy Jordan Pass you get normal tourist visa when you enter at Eilat/Aqaba. and you can leave via Amman airport. that is a classical route for most tourists no problems at all. cheers Raymond

Update to the rules regarding visa at the Aqaba-Eilat border - Jordan Forum

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