Entry Requirements & Customs

Entry Requirements

All visitors require a passport valid for at least six months after date of arrival in Jordan. All nationalities require a visa, which can be obtained prior to arrival, or they can be issued at the airport if arriving by air and are valid for one month; extensions are possible for up to 3 months at any police station. All documents and tickets for onward travel are also required.

Jordan issues visas for a fee at most international ports of entry upon arrival, and at most international border crossings, except at the crossing known in Jordan as the King Hussein Bridge (this same crossing is known in Israel as the Allenby Bridge). To cross into Jordan at the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge, travelers must already have either a visa for Jordan in their passports or have an entry permit from the Ministry of Interior.

Note: The U.S. State Department urges all U.S. travelers to check for any existing travel warnings or public announcements at travel.state.gov before traveling to Jordan. Border crossing requirements may change or borders may be closed during periods of heightened security. For additional information, contact the embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (3504 International Dr., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008; tel. 202/966-2664; www.jordanembassyus.org).

Passports & Visas

Allow plenty of time before your trip to apply for a passport; processing normally takes 3 weeks but can take longer during busy periods (especially spring). And keep in mind that if you need a passport in a hurry, you'll pay a higher processing fee. If a visa is required, obtain it from the appropriate foreign consular representative of the country you are planning to visit before proceeding abroad. Allow sufficient time for processing your visa application, especially if you're applying by mail. Processing and visa fees vary, and most fees may not be refundable.

For an up-to-date, country-by-country listing of passport and visa requirements around the world, go to the "Foreign Entry Requirement" Web page of the U.S. State Department at http://travel.state.gov.

Passport Application Information

For Residents of Australia: You can pick up an application from your local post office or any branch of Passports Australia, but you must schedule an interview at the passport office to present your application materials. Call the Australian Passport Information Service at tel. 131-232, or visit the government website at www.passports.gov.au.

For Residents of Canada: Passport applications are available at travel agencies throughout Canada or from the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca).

For Residents of Ireland: You can apply for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; www.irlgov.ie/iveagh). Those under age 18 and over 65 must apply for a 3-year passport. You can also apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (tel. 021/272-525) or at most main post offices

For Residents of New Zealand: You can pick up a passport application at any New Zealand Passports Office or download it from their website. Contact the Passports Office at tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand or 04/474-8100, or log on to www.passports.govt.nz

For Residents of the United Kingdom: To pick up an application for a standard 10-year passport (5-yr. passport for children under 16), visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency or contact the United Kingdom Passport Service at tel. 0870/521-0410 or search its website at www.ukpa.gov.uk.

For Residents of the United States: Whether you're applying in person or by mail, you can download passport applications from the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov. To find your regional passport office, either check the U.S. State Department website or call the National Passport Information Center toll-free number (tel. 877/487-2778) for automated information.

Medical Requirements

Facilities and Health Information: Basic modern medical care and medicines are available in the principal cities of Jordan, but not necessarily in outlying areas. Most hospitals in Jordan, especially in Amman, are privately owned, and doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for services. Serious medical problems requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to the United States can cost thousands of dollars. The U.S. State Department strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and if it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. If not, it's a good idea to consider buying medical insurance for your trip. Keep in mind that most U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the country.

For information, contact one of the following popular insurers:

• Access America (tel. 866/807-3982; www.accessamerica.com)
• Travel Guard International (tel. 800/826-4919; www.travelguard.com)
• Travel Insured International (tel. 800/243-3174; www.travelinsured.com)
• Travelex Insurance Services (tel. 888/457-4602; www.travelex-insurance.com)

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, can be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's hotline for international travelers at tel. 877/FYI-TRIP (877/394-8747) or on the CDC website (www.cdc.gov/travel).

Avian Influenza: The Jordanian Ministry of Health confirmed four cases of H5N1 Avian Influenza in poultry on March 24, 2006, on a small farm near Ajloun and has announced that an Egyptian male, who entered Jordan via ferry at Aqaba on March 27, 2006, was confirmed to have H5N1. Travelers to Jordan are cautioned to avoid poultry farms, contact with animals in live food markets, and any surfaces that appear to be contaminated with feces from poultry or other animals. In addition, the CDC and WHO recommend eating only fully cooked poultry and eggs.

Customs

What You Can Bring into and Take Out of Jordan

You are allowed to bring in 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 200 grams of tobacco; 1 bottle of wine or 1 bottle of spirits (a charge of jd2.91 for each additional liter, up to a maximum of 4 liters; a reasonable amount of perfume and film for personal use; gifts up to a value of jd50 or the equivalent of US$150; and up to 100 Jordanian dinars. There are no restrictions on cameras.

For specifics on what you can bring back into your country of origin, go to the following:

U.S. Citizens: For details on what you can bring back and the corresponding fees, download the invaluable free pamphlet Know Before You Go online at www.cbp.gov. (Click on "Travel" and then click on "Know Before You Go! Online Brochure.") Or contact the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP), 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20229 (tel. 877/287-8667) and request the pamphlet.

Canadian Citizens: For a clear summary of Canadian rules, write for the booklet I Declare, issued by the Canada Border Services Agency (tel. 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca).

U.K. Citizens: For information, contact HM Customs & Excise at tel. 0845/010-9000 (from outside the U.K., 020/8929-0152), or consult their website at www.hmce.gov.uk.

Australian Citizens: A helpful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices is Know Before You Go. For more information, call the Australian Customs Service at tel. 1300/363-263, or log on to www.customs.gov.au.

New Zealand Citizens: Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand consulates and Customs offices: New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no. 4. For more information, contact New Zealand Customs, The Customhouse, 17-21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington (tel. 04/473-6099 or 0800/428-786; www.customs.govt.nz).