On Fri, Jul 29, 2011 at 3:10 PM, Deryck Chan <[email protected]> wrote: > A bit more to add about passport stamping (mainly for those holding European > / north American passports): an English girl (a close friend of mine in > Cambridge) who was in Israel last year told me that although the Israeli > border control advertises the facility to have a separate piece of paper > rather than your passport stamped, in practice they [almost?] always refuse > that and insist to stamp onto your passport, especially if you're a white > person from a Western country [apparently especially if you're a young woman > as well]. No worries though, I'm sure it's easy enough for someone from a > Western country to apply for a new passport prematurely! > > She's in Israel again this summer, and other than sternly denying the > possibility to not have my passport stamped, is optimistic: "Basically I > don't actually think, having thought about it, that there's anything to say! > Just be prepared for a long wait, and for intensive searches (they took > everything out of my bag, both ways), and obviously be very careful about > carrying anything metal/liquid in your hand luggage. Make sure you know what > you'd say to 'why are you going to Israel?'."
Anything I should know specifically as a U.S. citizen? (For what it's worth, it doesn't bother me if they stamp my passport because my passport expires in June 2012 anyway.) Anything that I should be wary about bringing into Israel that I'd normally take for granted as fine in the U.S.? > > Deryck > > On 30 July 2011 02:54, Deryck Chan <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Thanks Harel :) >> >> Background about the Chelsea incident: >> http://www.cnn.com/2011/SPORT/football/07/28/football.chelsea.malaysia.benayoun.abuse/ >> >> On 30 July 2011 02:51, Harel Cain <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> Deryck, you should be fine. There are many Israelis (some colleagues of >>> mine, for example) who're flying to Malaysia on business with foreign >>> passports. I don't even know what the Chelsea incident is, it didn't make >>> any headlines over here. >>> >>> The security questioning is meant to guarantee the safety of air travel >>> with El Al, which as you may know has been the target of terror back in the >>> 1970s (and since, to a decreased degree), in other words - it's done so you >>> can fly safely. El Al is considered the world's most secure airline exactly >>> because of its unique methods which are based on interviewing the passengers >>> to detect suspicious passengers, instead of forcing 85 year old grannies to >>> remove their shoes (TSA method...), which have been in place long before the >>> 9/11 attacks, for example. >>> >>> Because you clearly have no terrorist intentions, there's nothing to >>> worry about. Just be very patient, answer the questions frankly and openly, >>> and they'll let you in. They won't fly out without you :) >>> >>> >>> Harel Cain >>> Wikimania 2011 local team >>> >>> On Fri, Jul 29, 2011 at 21:43, Deryck Chan <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>> I'm flying from Hong Kong to Tel Aviv on an El Al flight, holding a >>>> British passport with a Malaysian stamp from this January (along with a few >>>> other stamps from USA, Taiwan and Japan from previous years). >>>> >>>> I never thought Malaysia would be an issue other than some questioning >>>> by the El Al and Israeli border control, until the Chelsea incident this >>>> week made Israel-Malaysia relations somewhat tenser than usual, as I've >>>> heard. >>>> >>>> I doubt that in my case the "formal" letter would make any difference: >>>> the automated email has our name and personal itinerary printed on it, so >>>> if >>>> that doesn't get me through, I doubt any other paperwork from WMIL will... >>>> >>>> On 30 July 2011 02:29, Harel Cain <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Unless you come from a potentially problematic country (for example one >>>>> which doesn't have diplomatic relations with Israel, or just one which is >>>>> rather exotic for incoming tourism), the printout of the automated mail >>>>> you >>>>> got from us should be fine, and even that shouldn't be necessary. It's >>>>> just >>>>> something you can show during the security questioning, which normally >>>>> occurs only on El Al flights. >>>>> >>>>> We prepared personalized "formal" letters of invitation upon request >>>>> for quite a few people. However I'm rather disinclined to prepare more and >>>>> more of them. If you are from the USA or the EU or other Western >>>>> countries I >>>>> really think they're not necessary. >>>>> >>>>> These things are really a matter of chance - I heard the one attendee >>>>> from Czech Republic had a few problems (everything is fine, nothing >>>>> serious), while the South Americans went through everything without any >>>>> problem at all. >>>>> >>>>> Please seriously consider if you really need them before asking for >>>>> such personalized letters (requests please send to one of the OTRS >>>>> queues). >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Harel Cain >>>>> Wikimania 2011 local team >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Fri, Jul 29, 2011 at 20:08, Deryck Chan <[email protected]> >>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> ...and how many copies of each! >>>>>> >>>>>> On Jul 30, 2011 1:07 AM, "Laura James" <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> > Hi, thanks for the great advice - yes, please do let us know which >>>>>> > document >>>>>> > would be the most helpful to print. And any other tips! :-) >>>>>> > Thank you, >>>>>> > Laura >>>>>> > >>>>>> > On Fri, Jul 29, 2011 at 8:17 AM, Kim Bruning <[email protected]> >>>>>> > wrote: >>>>>> > >>>>>> >> On Fri, Jul 29, 2011 at 07:49:31PM +0900, KIZU Naoko wrote: >>>>>> >> > Hi from Tel Aviv suburb. >>>>>> >> > >>>>>> >> > I strongly recommend to follow Manuel. Also the letter from the >>>>>> >> > organizing team may help. >>>>>> >> > >>>>>> >> > At security check in AMS I met difficulty , since then I left all >>>>>> >> > the >>>>>> >> > copy of registration team and also had no copy. >>>>>> >> >>>>>> >> > document on my registration to the confenrence or a document from >>>>>> >> > WMF. >>>>>> >> >>>>>> >> Hmm, good point, what document would be handiest to print out? >>>>>> >> (I'll check >>>>>> >> my mail) >>>>>> >> >>>>>> >> -- >>>>>> >> [Non-pgp mail clients may show pgp-signature as attachment] >>>>>> >> gpg (www.gnupg.org) Fingerprint for key FEF9DD72 >>>>>> >> 5ED6 E215 73EE AD84 E03A 01C5 94AC 7B0E FEF9 DD72 >>>>>> >> >>>>>> >> _______________________________________________ >>>>>> >> Wikimania-l mailing list >>>>>> >> [email protected] >>>>>> >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>>>>> >> >>>>>> >>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>> Wikimania-l mailing list >>>>>> [email protected] >>>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur. >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Wikimania-l mailing list >>>>> [email protected] >>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Wikimania-l mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur. >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Wikimania-l mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>> >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimania-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l > > -- James Hare _______________________________________________ Wikimania-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
