TIME SENSITIVE UPDATE: Through June 30, 2023, Misrad Hapnim (Ministry of Interior) is allowing Israeli citizens without valid Israeli passports, to travel using their valid foreign passports. No Ishurei Yetzia are required. (If you have an expired Israeli passport, please travel with this as well. If not, please keep your Teudat Zehut with you.)
Timeline for Israeli Travel Document Use
STEP 1:
Book an appointment at The Population and Immigration Authority (Misrad Hapnim) for EACH person who needs a passport – including small children. Children must be present with their parents when applying for their first passports.
CLICK HERE to schedule an appointment at Misrad Hapnim. You must have an Israeli cell phone number to book the appointment, as they will SMS you with confirmation of your appointment time.
Note: Online payment prior to your appointment will save you time and money. Payment both online and in-person requires an Israeli credit card – not cash or check. Click here to pay online.
CLICK HERE for the most up-to-date list of prices and fees. Pricing from November 1-February 28th is less expensive than from March 1-October 31. You can benefit from the winter rate as long as you apply for your passport in Misrad Hapnim within 3 months of your payment date or prior to April 30th of the same year (whichever is earlier). NOTE: MISRAD HAPNIM HAS EXTENDED THIS TO JUNE 30, 2023.
Note:
1. Soldiers (in uniform) can be processed without an appointment.
2. Someone who has a Teudat Zehut number (Ezrach Oleh, Katin Chozer, Toshav Chozer or an A-1 Visa holder) can schedule an online appointment from abroad pre-Aliyah.
3. Appointments can be scheduled throughout the country, not only a local branch.
STEP 2:
Go to Misrad Hapnim on the assigned day with your Teudat Zehut and your credit card and follow the instructions given to you there. Everyone who needs a passport must be physically present. Please bring your old passport or Teudat Maavar with you (if applicable).
You can pay for your passport at your meeting, but the prices for paying online are generally cheaper.
CLICK HERE for the most up-to-date list of prices and fees. Note: Payment online during the winter months (November 1st through the last day of February) is cheaper than during the summer. You can pay online until February 29th, and benefit from the winter rate, as long as you apply for your passport in Misrad Hapnim within 3 months of your payment date or prior to April 30th of the same year (whichever is earlier).
STEP 3:
Your Israeli passport will be delivered to the home address listed on your Teudat Zehut 7-10 business days after you applied for it. You must have an Israeli cell phone number as the Misrad Hapnim will confirm your contact information via SMS.
Following your visit to Misrad Hapnim, you should receive an SMS with a application number and a tracking number. You can track the delivery of your passport by following THIS LINK using your tracking number (not your Teudat Zehut number). Be sure to ask the clerk for a printout with your tracking number.
After your Passport is received by the Postal Service for delivery, you will be sent another SMS with a tracking number (usually starts with RR) which you can copy+paste into the post office website, found here. The post office site will indicate where your passport is in the delivery process.
STEP 4:
Diligently check your SMSes for the message from Misrad Hapnim asking if you received your biometric passport. Following their directions, confirm receipt of your new passport.
Not enough time to get your Israeli passport?
If you do not have time to go through the proper channels to apply for and receive your Israeli passport (either a first-time passport or renewal), it is possible to get permission to travel on your valid foreign passport. Go to Misrad Hapnim during regular reception hours (you do not need an appointment) with your Teudat Zehut, proof of travel (printed ticket), and valid foreign passport and request a one-time approval (אישור יציאה חד פעמי על דרכון זר) to travel on your foreign document.
Emergency Travel
In an emergency, the Border Control Police at Ben Gurion Airport may allow you to leave the country with your foreign passport only, or they may refer you to Ben Gurion’s branch of Misrad Hapnim to issue an approval to leave (אישור יציאה) or often an urgent passport which can take time and is quite expensive. Use this option only as a last resort!
What is a Teudat Maavar?
A Teudat Maavar is a temporary travel document valid for up to 5 years. If you are not planning on fulfilling the requirement of spending 75% of your first year in Israel you may want to consider applying for a Teudat Maavar after 90 days and not a passport. Please note that a Teudat Maavar is not the same as a passport and may not be accepted in all countries worldwide as a travel document. Save time and money when paying online. Payment both online and in-person requires an Israeli credit card – not cash or check. Click Here to pay online.
Lost or Stolen Biometric ID Cards
Given the significance of the smart ID card and according to the Population Registration Law, residents must ensure the retention of their ID in their possession and under their control at all times, carrying it with them at all times and must not allow anyone else to use it for identity authentication or signature unless by written consent.
In case of loss, theft or misuse of the card by another, the 24-hour call center must be notified immediately at telephone *3450 or the Population and Immigration Authority bureaus during reception hours.
In the event of not retaining an ID card, another person could impersonate the identity of the card holder and may be identified by his name to perform various actions, as well as for verification or a signature using the ID card. Residents will not be liable for any damage caused due to an act committed by another person without their written consent.