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Booking a U.S. Visa Appointment in Israel
Applicants in Israel book through USTravelDocs, not AIS, and interview at one of two locations — the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem or the Embassy Branch Office in Tel Aviv.
Nothing can be booked until the DS-160 is submitted and the visa fee has activated. The general sequence is on how to book a U.S. visa appointment; this page covers what Israel publishes.
We read the Israel USTravelDocs pages on 17 September 2026.
Israel publishes what you MAY bring, which few posts do
Most of the posts we have read publish only a ban list, leaving you to infer the rest. Israel names both, and the permitted side is the useful half:
Permitted:
- A document pouch for your papers
- Your wallet
- Newspapers and books in printed form only — no electronic books
- Writing materials
- Car and house keys
- Diaper bags (but "no purses")
- Handheld car seats and baby carriers
- Baby food and bottles
Not permitted: electronic equipment including cell phones and USB flash drives; briefcases; backpacks or large purses; strollers; luggage; liquids, sprays, powders, or lip balms; matches, lighters and other fire-lighting equipment; weapons of any kind.
Three of those invert rules that hold elsewhere, and each is the kind of thing you would get wrong by generalising:
- Car keys are permitted here. In China, electronic keys are explicitly prohibited because a fob is a remote transmitter. Israel lists keys as allowed.
- Strollers are prohibited here. Japan, Korea and Hong Kong all admit a stroller as far as a designated point outside the waiting room. Israel does not.
- Printed books are fine; e-readers are not. Bring a paperback for the wait, not a Kindle.
Lip balm is named alongside liquids, sprays and powders — a small thing that lives in a pocket unnoticed.
Security staff reserve the right to prohibit other items, and the post states it cannot be held responsible for lost or missing items checked with security.
Do not arrive more than 15 minutes early
Please do not arrive at the Embassy more than 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time.
All visitors, including American citizens, go through a security inspection. Turning up an hour early does not move you up the queue; it puts you outside the building for an hour.
The Tel Aviv branch office
Tel Aviv follows the same security regulations as the Embassy in Jerusalem, with one addition worth knowing: the Branch Office does not have storage facilities for your items. Plan on the basis that anything prohibited has to be left elsewhere entirely.
Why no slots appear
- The fee has not activated. Check the method you used on the Israel fee guide.
- That location has no availability. There are two — check both.
- You created a profile on AIS instead of USTravelDocs. It will never show Israeli appointments — see which appointment site is yours.
- The DS-160 was saved but never submitted, so no confirmation number exists.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring my car keys to the interview in Israel?
Yes. Car and house keys are on the permitted list. That is worth checking country by country — China, for one, prohibits electronic keys because a fob is a remote transmitter.
Can I bring a stroller?
No. Strollers are on the prohibited list in Israel, although several other posts admit them as far as a designated spot.
Can I bring something to read while I wait?
A printed newspaper or book, yes. An e-reader or tablet, no.
Is lip balm really prohibited?
It is named explicitly, alongside liquids, sprays and powders.
How early should I arrive?
No more than 15 minutes before your scheduled time.
Does the Tel Aviv branch office have lockers?
No. It follows Jerusalem's rules and has no storage facilities.
Official sources
- USTravelDocs Israel — interview and security pages, read 17 September 2026
- U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem