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CONSULAR FOCUS: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
Special thanks to Liam Schwartz, Esq. of Yemin, Kan-Torr & Schwartz in Tel-Aviv, Israel for much of the information provided. 
Address: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv, Israel 
Telephone: 972-3-517-0017; 972-3-516-0315 (fax); inquiries should be made between 2:00 and 4:00 pm on Monday through Thursday and between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm on Friday. 
Jurisdiction: Israel (within the pre-1967 borders) and the Gaza Strip. Jerusalem and the West Bank are covered by the US Consulate in Jerusalem. The Tel Aviv consulate regularly accepts residents of southern Lebanon. 
Nonimmigrant Visas: 
Hours - 8:00 am to 10:00 am Monday through Thursday. Visas issued on the afternoon of the same day. 
Peak months: June/July, April (before Jewish holiday of Passover), September (before Jewish high holidays) 
Travel Agents: Applications from travel agents received Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Applications may take up to three weeks. 
Visa Fees: NIS 62 which may be prepaid at one of 60 designated post offices. The payment receipt must be offered at the time of applying for the visa. 
E visas: The consulate recommends submitting the applications on Friday mornings. Friday submissions should be approved in advance by the consulate. Form OF-156(E) is used for E visa applications. 
K visas: one to two month processing time; I-130 accepted if both petitioner and beneficiary are physically present in Israel. 
High Risk Cases: F-1 applicants from Gaza or Lebanon seeking to study English in the US; tourist applicants with less than a year of work experience; nonimmigrant visa applications by recent immigrants from the former Soviet Union; tourist visa applications from residents of Gaza and Lebanon. 
Immigrant Visas: 
Hours: Public hours betwen 8:00 am and 10:00 pm. 
Processing Times: two to three months between submission of Packet 3 and receiving Packet 4. Interviews are scheduled shortly after receipt of the Packet 4. 
Medical Examinations: For persons with last names beginning with A-L, Dr. J. Orlin has responsibility. Telephone: 972-3-6956549 or 972-3-260650. For persons with last names beginning with M-Z, Professor S. Bar Meir is responsible. Telephone: 972-9-544410. Be sure to schedule an appointment as far in advance as possible. Exam fee is at least 3. 
Police Clearance: Allow three to four weeks for Israelis. Clearance is good for one year. To order from the US, contact the closest Israeli consulate. Gazan residents will need to seek clearance from both the Israeli Police Department and the Palestinian Police (for the post-autonomy period). 
Special Notes: Veterans of the IDF must present their military discharge card.