Visas and exit tax and other Jordan General Tips

Favorite Thing: Tourist visas are easily available at any entry point into Jordan except the King Hussein Bridge These are single entry visas and cost 10JD or approx 15USD. You don't need photos, or any document except your passport.

Single entry visas are valid for three months from the date you entered the country, but you must "register" them at a main police station within two weeks of your arrival. If you forget about this, then you have a fine of 1.5JD per day for each day you have neglected to register. What's more, you cannot pay this fine at the same police station as the one that "registers" you: you have to do it at the district police station that may not even be in the same town! And when the fine is paid, you are still not registered, you have to return to the first police station to do it. All in all, it is much simpler to check in with the police before your two weeks are up.

This "registration" gives most nationalities the right to stay for three months; if you leave the country before the three months are up, then you start again when you come back again, ie with the obligation of checking in to a police station within two weeks.

A multi entry visa must be obtained at an embassy; they are NOT delivered at a border point. These visas are usually valid for six months, and cost the equivalent of 20JD which at the moment is about 31USD.

It is also possible to obtain a free "transit visa" valid for 48 hours. Obviously with this visa you are automatically exempt from the exit tax, but if you stay longer than the 48 hours, you will not only have to pay both the visa charge and the exit tax but a fine of 1.5JD for each day you have been in Jordan. The easiest way to get them at Amman airport is to apply to the Transit Desk, the officials at the normal visa counter don't seem to have heard of them!

When you leave the country, there is an exit tax of 5JD.


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Favorite Thing: The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA for short) has introduced a special Economic Zone visa for Jordan, to be known as an "ASEZ visa".

Anybody arriving in Aqaba, whether at the port, at the airport or from the Arava crossing from Israel can get a free visa for Jordan. There is no obligation associated with this visa, providing they leave the country within 15 days and do not need to register their visa for "renewal". Passports are not checked at the ASEZ control point leaving the Economic Zone.

People arriving at any entry point other than Aqaba, who say to the authorities that they are going to Aqaba can claim a free visa, but with the obligation to register with the ASEZA visa office in Aqaba within 48 hours of their arrival in Jordan. Failure to do this brings liability to pay for the visa plus a fine of 1.5JD/day for each day non registered.

Anybody arriving in Aqaba can if they wish, ask for a normal visa (usual price=10JD) instead of the free ASEZ visa. In this case if they want to stay longer than 15 days they can register at their local police station as per current practice.

Anybody holding an ASEZ visa, and wishing to stay longer than 15 days must extend it at the ASEZA office in Aqaba and not with their local police station as holders of a normal visa can do, so remember this and be careful about claiming the ASEZ visa if you will be in Jordan for longer than 15 days.
Everybody without a specific exemption must pay the 5JD exit tax whether holding an ASEZ visa or not and wherever leaving the country.

In other words, if you are staying less than 15 days in the country and arrive in Aqaba, you can ask for a free visa without hesitation. If you arrive somewhere else, you must decide if you want the hassle of getting to Aqaba within 48 hours or if you prefer paying the 10JD (approx 16USD) for a normal visa.


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Favorite Thing: It is possible (in theory anyway) to get the free ASEZA visa on any frontier. There's a special desk for them at the airport in Amman. The condition is that you must register it in Aqaba at the ASEZA offices within 24 hours of entering the country.

This condition is very strictly applied, and you must be there during office hours to do so - so don't try it on a Thursday for instance unless you can get there by 4pm the same day. Also be careful of any national holidays.

If you are NOT there within the 24 hours, you are liable for the normal visa price (2JD) plus a fine for every day you have been in Jordan without the visa.

Lulu


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