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Dear travelers,

I guess this question must have been answered (or experienced) by someone before. The Allenby/King Hussein crossing is closed on Eid al-Adha, and current Jordanian holiday calendar shows 2012 Eid falls on October 25. I have an early morning flight from Amman to catch on 25th, and plan to cross the border from Jerusalem on Oct. 24 which is Wednesday. Is there anything I need to be concerned about? I heard instances of the Israelis closing the border without notice during (of before?) Ramadan this year due to "heavy traffic". How likely are they to repeat such pattern on the eve of Eid al-Adha?

Should I prepare for the worst and head straight for the northern crossing? It is however a long detour, plus the Israel stamp on passport that I wish to avoid.

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1

I have no knowledge of the first part of your question, but I'll comment on your last sentence.

You have no more chance of avoiding an Israeli stamp at the Allenby Bridge crossing than you do at any of the other two. At any Israeli entry point you can request a stamp on a seperate piece of paper. Israeli immigration authorities normally accomodate such requests, but not always. That includes arrivals to the airport. They may stamp your passport when you first arrive.

Also, are you aware you cannot enter Jordan across the King Hussein Bridge unless you have secured your visa in advance? Jordanian entry visas are not issued at that border crossing. Additionally, if you use the northern border crossing the Jordanians will give you an entry stamp; that is the same thing as an Israeli stamp so it wouldn't make any difference whether the Israelis stamp your passport or not. Consider also that if you use the King Hussein Bridge your Jordanian entry visa (obtained in advance) would then have a date on it preceding your exit stamp from the airport in Amman. Anyone could see that you didn't enter through the Amman airport and with no Syrian visa in your passport it would obvious that you came from Israel.

Bottom line is that your plan not to get an Israeli stamp is moot. You'll have plenty of evidence in your passport of an Israeli visit.

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2

The problem of border crossing at KHB is not when you cross from Jerusalem/Israel to Jordan.that is usually easy and certainly quick.The problem delay and possible closer the other way around.
cheers

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3

Thank you for the answers. marcopolo, are you saying that it's possible the KHB be closed only on one side (Jordan) but not on the other side (Israel), and in such situation people can go out of Israel but not come in?

laketraveller,
I haven't made my travel information quite clear in the last post, but I will actually get my Jordan visa upon landing on Amman airport. I will tour Jordan for ten days first. After that I plan to cross the King Hussein bridge to Israel and return to Jordan within two weeks, by which time my Jordan visa will still be within its one-month validity period. So I guess I'll have no visa problem on the Jordanian side? And if with luck, no trace of Israel travel?

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4

Thank you for the clarification, but you still need to realize you may get an Israeli stamp.

If the Israelis do not stamp your passport then you're correct, you'll have no evidence of an Israeli visit.

I don't think marco was referring to the border being closed, only that long delays at the Bridge are normally on the side entering not Israel, not leaving it.

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