Visa requirements

Visa rules change. Always verify with the relevant embassy or the official government portal before booking flights. This guide covers the most common pilgrim nationalities — US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — and was checked against official government sources on 4 October 2026. Individual country exceptions are noted where relevant.

The good news: for US, UK and most EU travellers, four of our seven pilgrimage countries need no visa at all (Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, and the Schengen pair of Greece and Italy, which share one set of rules). Israel requires a low-cost online ETA-IL before you fly, and Egypt a 30 USD visa bought online or on arrival. No country on this list requires visiting a physical embassy for most Western nationals.

Turkey — No Visa for Most Western Travellers

US, UK, Canadian, Australian and most EU passport holders can visit Turkey without a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, according to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That covers Ephesus, Demre, Cappadocia, Istanbul, Iznik, Tarsus and Antakya. UK travellers' passports must be valid for at least 150 days after arrival.

Some nationalities still need a visa, including Republic of Cyprus passport holders, who must apply online at evisa.gov.tr. Rules are set per nationality and change periodically, so check your passport on the Ministry's visa information page (mfa.gov.tr) before travelling.

MuseumPass Türkiye is separate from any entry rule and can be bought at major museum entrances or on muze.gov.tr (€165 for 15 days in 2026). It covers more than 350 Ministry of Culture museums and archaeological sites, including the Church of Saint Nicholas at Demre, the Ephesus archaeological site and the Göreme Open-Air Museum. The Hagia Sophia upper gallery is ticketed separately by the Directorate of Foundations.

Greece — Schengen, No Visa (ETIAS Not Yet Live)

Greece is a Schengen Area member state. Citizens of countries exempt from a Schengen visa (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many others) can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across all Schengen states combined.

Since 10 April 2026 the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully operational: at your first Schengen border your fingerprints and photo are registered, at no cost. ETIAS, the online pre-travel authorisation that has been announced for years, is not yet in operation: the EU is not collecting applications and says it will publish the start date several months before launch. Ignore websites selling "ETIAS applications" today.

Pilgrims travelling to Mount Athos need, in addition, the Diamonitirion (Mount Athos pilgrim permit) from the Pilgrims' Bureau in Thessaloniki. It is limited to 100 Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox visitors per day — apply up to six months ahead at athosreservation@gmail.com or by phone (+30 2310 252578 for foreign visitors).

For the island of Patmos — accessible by ferry from Piraeus or from Kos, Samos or Mykonos — the standard Schengen rules apply. No additional permit is required to visit the Monastery of Saint John or the Cave of the Apocalypse.

Israel — ETA-IL Required

Since 1 January 2025, travellers from visa-exempt countries — including the US, UK, EU member states, Canada and Australia — must hold an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA-IL) before starting their journey. Without one you may be refused boarding at your home airport.

Apply only at the Israeli Population and Immigration Authority site, israel-entry.piba.gov.il. The fee is 25 ILS. An ETA-IL is generally valid for multiple trips over up to two years, with stays of up to 90 days per visit. Apply well before you fly; applicants with complex travel histories may wait longer. At Ben Gurion airport you receive an entry card rather than a passport stamp — keep it with your passport.

Once in Israel, entering the Palestinian Authority (Bethlehem, Jericho) requires no additional permit for foreign nationals — you cross at Checkpoint 300 on your Israeli entry. Israeli-licensed guides and vehicles cannot enter Area A; the standard practice is to cross on foot or by local Palestinian taxi. The crossing is generally orderly but can take 15-60 minutes depending on time of day. Avoid early morning peak times (07:30-09:00) when workers are crossing.

The US currently rates Israel and the West Bank Level 3 (reconsider travel) and Gaza Level 4 (do not travel). The UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to most of the West Bank, but excludes East Jerusalem and Bethlehem Governorate. Check the current FCDO (UK), US State Department and Australian DFAT advisories before booking; conditions can change rapidly. Comprehensive travel insurance covering cancellation and medical evacuation is strongly recommended.

Italy — Schengen, No Visa

Italy is a Schengen Area member state, so the same rules apply as Greece. No visa is required for stays up to 90 days per 180 days for most Western travellers, and your EES registration at the first Schengen border covers both countries. ETIAS is not yet in operation.

For pilgrims visiting the Vatican, note that entry to Saint Peter's Basilica is free but the Vatican Museums (including the Sistine Chapel) require advance booking at tickets.museivaticani.va. The Scavi (necropolis below Saint Peter's, ages 10 and over) requires a separate booking months in advance through the Fabbrica di San Pietro at visite.basilicasanpietro.va. The Papal Audiences on Wednesdays in Saint Peter's Square are free but require free tickets from the Prefettura della Casa Pontificia (prefecture.va).

Assisi's basilicas need no tickets. In Ravenna, the diocesan mosaic monuments are sold as 2-, 4- or 5-monument itinerary tickets at ravennamosaici.it, and Galla Placidia, the Neonian Baptistery and the Archiepiscopal Museum require a booked entry time. In Jubilee years (not 2026, but 2025 was a Jubilee year), Rome sees significantly elevated pilgrim numbers.

Armenia — Visa-Free

Armenia is one of the most welcoming destinations for Western pilgrims in terms of entry requirements. Citizens of the US, UK, EU member states and many other countries can enter visa-free and stay for up to 180 days per year. No advance authorisation is required — simply present your valid passport at Zvartnots International Airport (EVN) in Yerevan or at any land border.

The site of Etchmiadzin (the world's oldest cathedral complex, reopened after seven-year restoration in September 2024), Khor Virap (the pit of Saint Gregory the Illuminator below Mount Ararat) and Geghard monastery (home of the Holy Lance relic until 1760) are all freely accessible with no entry restrictions for foreign pilgrims beyond the visa-free stamp.

Currency: Armenian Dram (AMD). USD and EUR are widely accepted at hotels and tour agencies. ATMs are available in Yerevan and major towns. Credit cards accepted in Yerevan restaurants and hotels but carry cash for monastery donation boxes and rural sites.

Georgia — Visa-Free (up to one year)

Georgia offers one of the world's most generous visa regimes: citizens of the US, UK, EU member states and many other countries may stay for up to one year without a visa. No pre-authorisation is required, but travel health insurance is mandatory: it must cover your whole stay with at least 30,000 GEL, and your airline or the border officers may ask for proof.

The Tbilisi-Yerevan connection (overnight train or 5-6 hour drive) makes Georgia and Armenia a natural combined pilgrimage of 8-14 days — visa-free at both ends. Mtskheta (Svetitskhoveli Cathedral with the Robe of Christ), Vardzia (cave monastery of Queen Tamar) and Gelati (royal pantheon of David the Builder) are all accessible with no additional permits.

Currency: Georgian Lari (GEL). USD and EUR widely accepted. Kutaisi is a major budget airline hub (Wizz Air, Ryanair) from many European cities, making Georgia one of the most affordable long-haul pilgrim destinations from Europe.

Egypt — e-Visa Required

Egypt requires a visa for most Western travellers: the e-Visa, applied for online at visa2egypt.gov.eg (30 USD single entry, 65 USD multiple entry), or a visa on arrival at approved airports (30 USD, cash only; a 36 USD digital visa on arrival is also sold at Cairo airport). Apply for the e-Visa at least a week before departure.

Critical: the Sinai entry stamp. Travellers flying into Sharm El-Sheikh for under 15 days in the Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba resorts get a free entry permission stamp instead of a visa. It does NOT cover travel to Saint Catherine's Monastery in the interior — you need the full visa. Pilgrims crossing from Israel at Taba now also pay a border tax of 20 USD (staying in Taba) or 120 USD (travelling further within Sinai), and charges have risen at short notice since March 2026; carry cash.

For the Holy Family Route and the Coptic Quarter of Cairo, the full visa is required. Most Holy Family Route stops (Matariya, Maadi, Wadi El Natrun, Al-Muharraq) are freely accessible to foreign pilgrims. For the stops in Middle Egypt (Minya and Asyut governorates), travel with a licensed operator, as local security arrangements can change at short notice.

Security note: the US rates Egypt Level 2 (exercise increased caution) and advises against all travel to Northern and Middle Sinai. The UK FCDO advises against all travel to North Sinai Governorate and all but essential travel to inland South Sinai north of the St Catherine-Nuweiba road; the Red Sea coast resorts are outside those zones. Check both advisories before travelling to Saint Catherine's.

Palestine (Bethlehem, Jericho, Ramallah)

The Palestinian Authority does not issue separate tourist visas for foreign nationals. You enter on your Israeli entry via Checkpoint 300 (for Bethlehem) or the Allenby Bridge / King Hussein Bridge (from Jordan). The Allenby Bridge crossing requires pre-coordination with a local operator or guide as it involves a Palestinian bus shuttle and multiple document checks. For pilgrims visiting only Bethlehem from Jerusalem, Checkpoint 300 is straightforward — a 15-minute walk or taxi from Bethlehem city centre to the crossing point.