Entry and Visa Requirements

Visitors to Jordan need a passport which is minimum valid for 6 month. The visa fee is 40 JD = 58 USD per person. Non-restricted nationalities obtain the visa at airports and border crossings, except the Allenby Bridge/King Hussein Border, the visa is valid for 30 days.

Departure Tax

The departure tax from Jordan land borders is 10 JD = 14 USD per person. Departure tax at the airport is usually included in the ticket price.

Customs

Customs regulations exempt from duty most items carried by tourists, including cameras, radios, video equipment, etc. So far as duty allowances are concerned, you may carry up to 200 cigarettes or 200 grams of tobacco, and either one liter of spirits or two liters of wine.

Time

Jordan is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Daylight Savings Time occurs between April and October.

Public Holidays

Holidays in Jordan are either religious (Islamic or Christian) or celebrations of important events in Jordanian or Arab history. Non-Islamic holidays are fixed, while Islamic holidays vary according to the lunar Muslim calendar. The precise dates are known only shortly before they fall, as they depend on the sighting of the moon, this concerns Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha.

Business Hours

Friday is the weekly holiday when government offices, banks and most offices are closed. Government departments are open from 08:00 to 14:00 daily except Friday. Banks are open from 08:30 to 15:00. Small shops are open long hours, from around 09:00 until 20:00 or 21:00, often closing for a couple of hours in the mid-afternoon. Most Muslim shop owners close early or do not open on Friday, and Christians follow similar rules on Sunday. However, the markets and street stalls downtown remain open all week long, and Friday is their busiest day of the week. During Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting, business hours are shorter. Museums are generally open every day except Tuesday.

Road Conditions

A network of good roads links the major towns in Jordan. All road signs except on very minor roads are in English as well as Arabic, and with the same exception the road surfaces are good.

Health Recommendations

Although not required, it is to recommend to have preventative shots for polio, tetanus and typhoid. Jordan is a clean country, but it is nonetheless advisable to take some precautions, drinking only bottled water and washing fruit and vegetables.

Electricity

Jordan’s electricity supply is 220 volts/50 cycles AC. Sockets are generally of the two-pronged European variety, while a variety of other sockets and plugs—especially the 13 amp square three-pinned plug—are in use. To be safe, bring a multi-purpose adapter.

Tipping

Tips are widely expected in Jordan. Taxi drivers are generally not tipped, but it is customary to pay the nearest round figure to the price on the meter. It may be difficult to get change for a large bill, so carry plenty of small denominations and coins for taxis.

Currency and Credit Cards

The Jordanian currency is the Dinar, or JD. It is subdivided into 1000 fils, or 100 qirsh or piasters. It appears in paper notes of 20, 10, 5, 1, and 0.5 JD denominations. Coins come in denominations of 1 JD, 500 fils, 250 fils, 100 fils, 50 fils, 25 fils, 10 and 5 fils. You can change foreign cash at any bank in Jordan, at moneychangers or at hotels. Credit cards are accepted at most large hotels, restaurants, car rental companies and tourist shops. The most widely accepted cards are Visa, Mastercard and American Express. You can also use your cards to draw cash at any bank linked with your credit card network.