The following is a list of the documents that must be submitted to process your Aliyah.

Copy the main page of your passport (with your picture), as well as any additional pages that indicate date extensions or name changes – for each family member making Aliyah. Your passport must be valid for at least one year from your anticipated date of Aliyah.

  •  If you are the bearer of an Israeli passport or if one or both of your parents held Israeli citizenship at the time of your birth, you are considered by the State of Israel to be an Israeli citizen and therefore will have a different Aliyah process directly through Misrad Hapnim. Please click here to locate your local Misrad Hapnim office.

If you have at least one Israeli parent you are required to have an Israeli passport. This is true even if you were born outside of Israel and never resided in Israel as a minor. Please click here for more information.

Please submit a copy of your original birth certificate (issued by the country in which you were born) for each family member making Aliyah.

  •  The applicant’s full name and both parents’ names must be listed on the birth certificate. You will need to obtain a long-form birth certificate if your birth certificate does not include your parents’ names.
  •  For those applicants/children of applicants who are U.S. citizens born outside of the U.S., please note that a Consular Report of Birth Abroad is not sufficient.
  •  If the birth certificate is in a language other than English or Hebrew, please submit a copy of a notarized translation into English or Hebrew along with a copy of the original certificate.
    * Regarding the need for translations from other languages, please consult with your Aliyah advisor.
  •  Hospital issued birth certificates are not sufficient.
  •  If the name on your passport does not match your birth certificate, and the name change is not due to a change in marital status, please submit a copy of your official name change document.

To learn what apostille certification is and how to obtain it, please follow the link in notes at the end of this page.
Canada does not issue apostilles – alternative certification is acceptable from Canada – to learn more follow the same link below.

  •  You must obtain apostille certification on your birth certificate and your name change certificate. Please submit copies of the apostilles to NBN.
  •  You must obtain apostille certification on your adoption certificate (if applicable).

Please submit a copy of all marital status certificates that are relevant to your personal circumstances, including your civil marriage certificate, divorce certificate, and the death certificate of your late spouse.

  •  A Ketuba or a Get is not sufficient. A marriage license is also not sufficient.
  •  If the certificate is in a language other than English or Hebrew, you must submit a copy of a notarized translation into English or Hebrew with a copy of the certificate itself.
  • You must obtain apostille certification on your marital status certificate. Please submit a copy of the apostille to NBN.
  •  If the certificate was issued in Israel, apostille certification is not necessary.
  •  If you cannot obtain an apostille from the state in which your document was issued you can apply for the relevant approval from your local Beit Din (rabbinical court) in Israel. You will need to go to your local Beit Din and apply with the following documents:
    • For Ishur Nisuim (Marriage approval) please present:
      • Passport of both spouses
      • 2 passport pictures each
      • Ketubah
      • A letter from  your Mesadar Kidushin (rabbi who officiated the marriage) stating you were both single and Jewish at the time of marriage.
    • For Ishur Girushin (Divorce approval) please present:
      • Passport of both spouses
      • Copy of your “Get” or rabbinic divorce certificate signed by three rabbis
    • NOTE: Both procedures will require a 251 NIS fee to open a file and will be followed by a second meeting to receive the approval of the Beit Din.

Acceptable proof of Judaism is a letter from a recognized rabbi in North America or the UK, stating that you are Jewish and born to a Jewish mother.

  •  This is required for all adults in the family making Aliyah.
  •  The letter must have been written in the past year on official letterhead.
  •  If you are Jewish through your father/grandfather, please provide a letter from a recognized rabbi in North America or the UK, who can confirm your Jewish lineage.
  •  Israeli citizens may have additional options for the proof of Judaism requirement

Some other requirements of the letter are as follows:

  • The letter must be in English or Hebrew.
  • The letter must appear on official synagogue letterhead. It must state the name, location and telephone number of the congregation, and include your full legal name (as appears on your passport) and parents’ names (and grandparents’ names, where relevant).
  • The letter must show the date it was written
  • The letter must bear the rabbi’s signature, and the rabbi’s name and title should appear on the letterhead.
  •  If you converted to Judaism, you will be required to submit different documentation proving your completion of the conversion process. You will receive further instructions during the application process.

Please submit two official and identical passport photos for each family member (ages 16 and above) who is making Aliyah. These will be the photos used to issue your Teudat Zehut.

  •  Homemade passport photos will not be accepted.
  •  For a description of acceptable passport pictures, see Passport Photos .

Good quality, recent, color photo of all individuals making Aliyah.

  •  A digital photo is acceptable.
  •  Families – submit one picture which includes all family members together.
  •  Singles – submit a photo of the applicant only.

These documents are the official papers required by the state of Israel to apply for Aliyah. They must be filled out in advance so our Guided Aliyah team can process and pre-approve your Aliyah.

  • Applicants ages 16 and older must each fill out these documents.
  • The “application for Oleh Status” must be filled out for applicants of all ages.

To complete the Aliyah process from within Israel, all US and UK applicants over the age of 14 are required by the Ministry of Interior to present a police background check with an apostille from their countries of origin. A background check is required from all countries they lived in for more than a year, regardless of their citizenship status in that country.

  • US applicants can apply for an FBI background check through Nefesh B’Nefesh, including fingerprinting and apostille, by emailing us at [email protected]. This service is offered for a fee of 760 NIS to cover the cost.
  • UK applicants can apply for these documents online.
    ACRO background check
    Apostille UK
  • Canadian applicants are required to submit a criminal background check from Canada with an Israeli consular stamp.
  • Someone who has not lived outside of Israel over the age of 14 must bring proof of this (passports, school records, etc.) and may also sign a lawyer’s declaration.
  • Please submit a copy of the background check with apostille or the lawyer declaration for your application process, and bring the original to your Aliyah meeting.

For all inquiries in this matter, please call 02-659-5800 ext. for 1 or email [email protected]

To start the Aliyah application process, click here.

Important notes

  •  Please submit all documents together with your application. You will be informed of the required documentation and assisted with any additional questions during the Aliyah application process.
  • Please submit copies of all documents to Nefesh B’Nefesh and keep the originals for your records to present when required by Misrad Hapnim.
  •  If you do not hold some of the required documents you can order them following the instructions in the links below.
  • Apostille certification
    Birth / Marriage / Divorce / Death certificate / Name Change / Adoption / Background Checks
  •  U.S. Vital Records
  •  Canadian vital records

* You may be required to submit additional documentation at the request of the Israeli government.

* Last updated on March 20, 2024 *

How can we help your Aliyah?

Call us.

    • US & Canada: 1-866-4-ALIYAH
    • Israel: 02-659-5800
    •  Post-Aliyah Answers Helpline (Israel): *3680
    • Lone Soldier 24/7 Hotline (Israel): *6563

[email protected]

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