blog.cat.immigration7 min read10/20/2026

Refusal of Entry to Israel: How to Try to Stop Removal from the Airport

Following a refusal at Ben Gurion Airport, time may be measured not in days but by the departure of the next return flight. A Border Control decision may be appealed, but it is important not to confuse an urgent appeal with an ordinary internal objection and to request a stay of removal in time.

Numbers and facts

•774 shekels — appeal filing fee as of January 1, 2026
•21 days — the deadline for filing an internal objection, when permitted
•08:30–15:30 — registry operating hours from Sunday through Thursday
•073-3927766 — urgent appeals after operating hours
•073-3921900 — Tel Aviv and Central District registry

What Happens Immediately After the Refusal

The foreign national must be given a written decision regarding the refusal and its significance must be explained; the document states whether the refusal relates to immigration, criminal, or security matters. Until the person is removed from the country, they may be kept at the airport, and entry is sometimes permitted subject to a guarantee or by virtue of a judicial order. An authorized Border Control manager may still change the decision, but only as long as the passenger has not been returned to another country. Therefore, arguing verbally without obtaining a copy of the decision and without giving relatives the flight details is a dangerous waste of time.

Where to File an Urgent Appeal

Decisions of the Population and Immigration Authority concerning entry are appealed to the Population and Immigration Appeals Tribunal in accordance with the Entry into Israel Law. The official service allows filing both through an attorney and independently. In the event of a refusal at the airport, the application must be filed without delay: if the person has already been sent to another country, it will be much more difficult to restore the situation to the point in time of the Border Control examination. The appeal must challenge a specific decision, rather than merely ask for sympathy.

Why an Appeal Alone May Not Be Enough

The main practical task is not only to file an appeal, but also to obtain in time an order preventing the removal from being carried out until the matter is reviewed. It should not be assumed that a request for a copy of the questioning report will automatically delay the flight: the Border Control procedure expressly states that removal is not postponed because of such a request. Therefore, the estimated flight time, the passenger’s location, and the contents of the written refusal must be provided to the attorney immediately. The urgency must be based on the actual proximity of the removal, and the request to stay it must be stated explicitly.

What to Send the Attorney from the Airport

Clear photographs of the written refusal, the passport, and the documents concerning the stated purpose of the trip are required, as is information about the return ticket and the flight on which the removal is planned. It is advisable to immediately record which questions were asked and which answers were given: contradictions between the passenger’s explanations and the documents may become the central issue. Filing through a representative may require a power of attorney and a written affidavit. It is preferable for a relative or the inviting party in Israel to consolidate the materials into one message rather than send them in parts and without explanations.

What the Tribunal Will Examine

The discussion centers on the ground recorded in the decision: for example, suspicion concerning immigration matters, a criminal ground, or a security matter. The materials should address that specific ground and show why Border Control’s conclusion is inconsistent with the facts or was reached without giving sufficient weight to the information presented. A valid passport in itself does not guarantee entry: the arriving person must answer the questions of Population and Immigration Authority representatives and hold a travel document whose validity covers the planned stay and departure. The fewer contradictions there are among the purpose of the visit, the answers, and the documents, the clearer the subject of the urgent application will be.

Do Not Confuse This with the 21-Day Period

The 21-day period concerns an internal objection to those decisions of the Population and Immigration Authority for which the relevant procedure permits one. It frequently appears in matters involving visas, status, citizenship, or extension of a residence permit. A refusal directly at the border is a different situation: there is no point in waiting 21 days if removal has been scheduled for the next flight. The appeal route specified in the decision must be checked, and action must be taken without delay.

FAQ

Can a person be removed while the attorney is preparing the appeal?

One should not rely on an automatic stay of removal. The estimated flight time must be provided to the attorney immediately, and the need for an urgent application to stay the removal should be examined.

Can the refusal be appealed without an attorney?

Yes. The official Appeals Tribunal page allows filing both by a representative and by the litigant personally, but a situation at the airport requires rapid preparation of the documents and contact with the adjudicative body.

Will a request to receive the questioning report stop the removal?

No. The procedure for handling passengers at international border crossings expressly provides that the removal of a person whose entry was refused will not be delayed because of their request to receive the questioning report.

Where should one call at night or after the registry closes?

The official information center number listed for urgent filing after operating hours is 073-3927766. For urgent inquiries between 08:00 and 08:30, the listed number is 073-3921900.

Can the refusal be changed directly at the airport?

Authorized Border Control managers may change the decision as long as the person has not yet been sent to another country. This option does not replace an urgent appeal if the authorities continue preparing for removal.

What to do next

First, obtain and photograph the written refusal, determine the return flight, and send these details to a representative or a person close to the passenger in Israel. Then, check the correct appeal route and separately submit the request to stay the removal before the person is taken out of the country. The information is general and does not replace an examination of the specific passenger’s documents.