Israel Embassy Washington

Before your visit

• Location: The embassy is in the Van Ness area of Washington, D.C., about 5.7 km in a straight line from the White House; the nearest large airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), about 10 km away. The nearest Metro station is Van Ness–UDC (less than 1 km). (distances: OpenStreetMap, airports: FAA passenger boarding data CY 2025)

About the Embassy of Israel in the United States

The ambassador is Yechiel Leiter, who presented the credentials on 4 February 2025, according to the State Department’s Order of Precedence. The Congressional Directory also lists 9 consular offices of Israel in the United States – career or honorary – in Los Angeles (California), San Francisco (California), Miami (Florida), Atlanta (Georgia), Chicago (Illinois), Boston (Massachusetts), New York (New York), Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) and Houston (Texas); these will get their own pages in this directory. In Israel, the United States is represented by the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem (il.usembassy.gov), according to the Congressional Directory.

Do Israeli citizens need a visa for the United States?

Israel takes part in the US Visa Waiver Program: its citizens can visit the United States for business or tourism for up to 90 days without a visa, but they need an approved ESTA travel authorisation before travelling (Department of Homeland Security; 8 CFR 217.2).

Documents checklist

Prepare these documents before your appointment. The lists are taken from official Israeli sources:

Israeli travel document (passport) abroad

• Missions abroad issue non-biometric passports (biometric passports are issued only in Israel)
• Contact the consular department by e-mail first, quoting your 9-digit Israeli ID number and personal details
• Two recent photos, 5 × 5 cm, on a white background
• Your last Israeli travel document and the signed application form
• In person: first-time applicants, minors, lost/stolen/damaged documents and citizens who have not visited Israel for 10 years – adult renewals can often be sent by post
• Minors: copies of both parents’ passports; parents sign the form before a notary

Sources: Embassy of Israel in the USA – issuance of travel documents (passport), Government of Israel (gov.il) – issue or extend Israeli travel documents abroad (checked October 2026). Requirements and fees can change and individual posts may ask for more – confirm the current list with the embassy before your visit.

Other embassies in Washington, D.C.

175 other countries are represented in Washington, D.C., among them: Italy (embassy), Jamaica (embassy), Japan (embassy), Jordan (embassy), Kazakhstan (embassy), Kenya (embassy), Kosovo (embassy), Kuwait (embassy), Kyrgyzstan (embassy), Laos (embassy), Latvia (embassy), Lebanon (embassy), Lesotho (embassy), Liberia (embassy), Libya (embassy), Liechtenstein (embassy), Lithuania (embassy), Luxembourg (embassy), Madagascar (embassy), South Korea (embassy). The full list of all 176 missions is on the overview page for the United States.

Closing days

The eleven US federal holidays are New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January), Washington’s Birthday (third Monday in February), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Juneteenth (19 June), Independence Day (4 July), Labor Day (first Monday in September), Columbus Day (second Monday in October), Veterans Day (11 November), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November) and Christmas Day. A holiday that falls on a Saturday is observed on the Friday before, one that falls on a Sunday on the Monday after – in 2027, for example, on 18 June, 5 July and 24 December. The embassy may also close on public holidays of Israel.

Emergency assistance

In an emergency, Israeli citizens should call the embassy on +1 202-364-5500. In the United States, dial 911 for an ambulance, the fire service or the police (GOV.UK travel advice). US citizens who need consular help in Israel can contact the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.

Diplomatic missions of Israel in the United States

Israel in the United States

• Washington – Embassy of Israel in the United States (this page)
• Los Angeles (CA) – consular office (page in preparation)
• San Francisco (CA) – consular office (page in preparation)
• Miami (FL) – consular office (page in preparation)
• Atlanta (GA) – consular office (page in preparation)
• Chicago (IL) – consular office (page in preparation)
• Boston (MA) – consular office (page in preparation)
• New York (NY) – consular office (page in preparation)
• Philadelphia (PA) – consular office (page in preparation)
• Houston (TX) – consular office (page in preparation)