New Policy Allows First-Degree Relatives to Attend Weddings with Quarantine

Israeli authorities have announced a new easement for people seeking to enter the country to attend weddings:

First-degree relatives of Israeli citizens or permanent residents who do not meet the criteria to enter Israel, may now apply for special permission to attend a family member’s wedding, on condition they comply with quarantine regulations, the Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday.

Previously, only the parents of a chassan or kallah were eligible for the exemption.

While the Hebrew website of the Population and Immigration Authority at the Interior Ministry already carries the new policy, the English version of the website does not yet reflect the change, and its links to the application process were not working as of Tuesday afternoon, the Post said.

Another problem was noted by the NGO Yad L’Olim, that the entry statement that all travelers are required to fill out and present to the airline to board the plane contains no option for passengers who received such special permission. They are therefore turned away at check-in.

The change was also not communicated to many Israeli consulates, even though a spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry said that all consulates had been notified, the NGO said.