Palestinian Territories at a glance
| Visit with an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) | No: a visitor visa is needed |
| E-1 treaty trader visa | Not available |
| E-2 treaty investor visa | Not available |
| Own line in the Visa Bulletin | No: worldwide line |
| Green card lottery (last published list, DV-2026) | Eligible |
| Entry restrictions | Full: most visas suspended |
| Temporary Protected Status (TPS) | Not designated |
| Where visas are processed | Residents of the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem are served by the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, which processes both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas. |
Green card lottery: registration for DV-2027 had not opened as of mid-October 2026. A federal court ordered the State Department to open it, and that order may be appealed.
What is specific to Palestinian Territories right now
- Since January 1, 2026, Proclamation 10998 has fully suspended visa issuance to people traveling on travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority, including immediate relatives of U.S. citizens; people who hold another nationality's passport may apply on that passport. This followed an August 2025 State Department suspension of most visas for Palestinian Authority passport holders.
Common U.S. immigration paths for people from Palestinian Territories
Marriage green cardGreen card through your U.S. citizen or resident spouseFamily petitionSponsor children, adult sons and daughters, or siblingsParents green cardU.S. citizens 21 and older sponsoring their parentsAsylumProtection for people who fear persecution in their home countryHumanitarian paroleTemporary permission to enter the U.S. for urgent humanitarian reasonsImmigration waiversForgiveness for unlawful presence, past removal and other barsGreen card lottery (DV)Yearly random drawing for green cards from lower-immigration countries
How MyUSVisa helps
- Answer a guided questionnaire in your language and upload your documents once — we read, sort and assemble them into a clear case file and timeline.
- Your organized case is offered to licensed U.S. immigration attorneys who handle this type of case. Interested attorneys send you offers, and you compare and choose — or don't.
- Once you choose, you and your attorney work in one place: messages, documents, deadlines and automatic USCIS status updates, on the web and in the mobile app.
Frequently asked questions
Can people from Palestinian Territories visit the U.S. with an ESTA?
No. Palestinian Territories is not in the Visa Waiver Program, so a visitor visa (B-1/B-2) from a U.S. embassy or consulate is usually needed.
Can people from Palestinian Territories get an E-2 investor visa?
Not on Palestinian Territories nationality alone: there is no E-2 treaty between Palestinian Territories and the United States. Some people qualify through a second nationality from a treaty country, or use other paths such as EB-5.
Can people from Palestinian Territories enter the green card lottery?
Palestinian Territories was eligible in the last published program (DV-2026). Eligibility is set again every year, so check the official instructions when registration opens.
Where do people from Palestinian Territories have their visa interview?
Residents of the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem are served by the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, which processes both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas.
Can I work with a U.S. attorney while I am still in Palestinian Territories?
Yes. MyUSVisa works online: you tell your story from anywhere, licensed U.S. immigration attorneys review it and send proposals, and you choose. This works before you travel or once you are already in the United States.
More countries in the Middle East
Last checked by the MyUSVisa team and counsel in October 2026. Country rules change often, especially entry restrictions, TPS and parole programs. Always verify on travel.state.gov and uscis.gov, or ask your attorney.
MyUSVisa is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency.