TIME SENSITIVE UPDATE: Through December 31, 2023, Israeli citizens without valid Israeli passports can travel using their valid foreign passports. The Population and Immigration Authority (Reshut HaOchlusin V’Hahagira) has waived the requirement for an Ishur Yetzia (exit permit). If you possess an expired Israeli passport, it is recommended to travel with it. Otherwise, please ensure you have your Teudat Zehut (Israeli identification card) with you.

Special updates for Summer 2023

Starting from 15/05/23 a special passport issuance center in Bnei Brak will open. Here is everything you need to know: 

  • Appointments: It is necessary to make an appointment via GoVisit before issuing a biometric passport at the center in Bnei Brak.
  • Reception Hours: The Bnei Brak Center will be open from 8:00-22:00
  • Location: The passport issuance center in Bnei Brak is located at Mivtzah Kadesh St, Bnei Brak. Search in Waze for: Rami Levi Parking Lot, Bnei Brak
  • Documents: You must bring your Israeli ID and former passport, if you have one. All applicants must present at the branch. First-time applicants are welcome. 
  • Payment: You must pay in advance here. 

    • Location: Ben Gurion Airport
    • Criteria: You must have a flight reservation within 24 hours, and have an emergency and proof of emergency. Or, your whole family is traveling together and you are the only family member with an expired license. 
    • Hours: Emergency passport center at the airport is open 24 hours Sun-Thur, until 14:00 on Fridays, and from 21:00 on Saturday night.  
    • Documents: Bring your expired passport if you have one, your Teudat Zehut, an Israeli credit card, 2 passport photos, and proof of ticketed flight. In addition, you will need to bring this form filled out.
    • Validity: The passport will be valid for 2 years.
    • Processing time: It may take a few hours to process the passport. Leave yourself ample time prior to your flight.  
    • Cost: Adult passport (over 18): 820-825 NIS, Minor passport: 415-425 NIS. It is best to pay in advance online here. 
    • Please note: Once an emergency passport is issued, a second emergency passport cannot be issued unless a biometric passport was issued in between. Today, in 2023, until further notice, this can be done more than once with no special permission.

  • Location: In 28 of the biggest local branches of Population and Immigration Authority offices. See here for a list.
  • Hours: Check the reception hours of your local branch here 
  • Appointment: There is no appointment necessary to apply for a temporary passport at your local branch.
  • Documents: Bring your expired passport if you have one, your Teudat Zehut, an Israeli credit card for payment, 2 passport photos, and your flight ticket. In addition, you will need to bring this form filled out.
  • Validity: The temporary passport will be valid for 2 years. 
  • Processing time: Your passport will be ready for pickup later in the day. You will be told to either sit and wait at the branch, or to come back after a few hours. 
  • Cost: Adult passport (over 18): 430 NIS, Minor passport: 225 NIS. It is best to pay in advance online here. 

  • Location: In 28 of the biggest local branches of Population and Immigration Authority offices. See here for a list.
  • Hours: Check the reception hours of your local branch here 
  • Appointment: There is no appointment necessary to apply for a temporary passport at your local branch.
  • Documents: Bring your expired passport if you have one, your Teudat Zehut, an Israeli credit card for payment, 2 passport photos, and your flight ticket. In addition, you will need to bring this form filled out.
  • Validity: The temporary passport will be valid for 2 years. 
  • Processing time: Your passport will be ready for pickup within 7 business days. 
  • Cost: Adult passport (over 18): 430 NIS, Minor passport: 225 NIS. It is best to pay in advance online here. 

Timeline for Israeli Travel Documents

0-120 DAYS AFTER ALIYAH

Olim can travel in and out of Israel on their foreign passport containing their Aliyah visa for the first 120 days after making Aliyah. However, in order to do so, please turn to your local Population and Immigration Authority (no appointment is required) and request an Ishur Yetziya (the requirement for an Ishur Yetziya has been temporarily waived through December 31, 2023).

New Regulations for Issuing First-Time Israeli Travel Documents for Olim

Effective July 10th, 2023, the Population and Immigration Authority has reinstated the 2017 protocol regarding travel documents for Olim. Here are the important details:

  • For the first 3 months, Olim CANNOT receive an Israeli travel document/passport. Instead, they will receive an exit letter allowing them to travel on their foreign passport during this period.
  • The following rules apply to both minor and adult Olim.
  • Olim who choose to sign the ARLI waiver will only be eligible for a 5-year Teudat Maavar

An Oleh (new immigrant) is eligible to apply for an Israeli Travel Document 90 days or 3 full months (whichever is longer) after their Aliyah (immigration to Israel) date. For instance, if you made Aliyah on January 4th, you can apply for the Travel Document on April 5th. During the first year after making Aliyah, instead of a passport, you will receive a Teudat Maavar (travel document), typically valid for up to 5 years.

Please note: It is important to be aware that you can only apply for a first-time passport one year after your Aliyah date. A passport with a validity of up to five years will only be issued if you have spent at least 75% of the first year in Israel (this calculation is done once the first year of Aliyah is complete). If you have spent less than that time in Israel, a Teudat Maavar will be issued for up to five years upon renewal. It is mandatory for all Israeli citizens, regardless of dual citizenship with another country, to use Israeli travel documentation when entering or leaving Israel.

Between 5-10 years after making Aliyah, a passport with a validity of up to 10 years will be issued only after having spent 36 out of the last 60 months in Israel. If you spent less time in Israel, a Teudat Maavar will be issued for up to 5 years upon renewal.

Please note: If an Oleh doesn’t meet the passport eligibility criteria mentioned above but has spent a full consecutive year in Israel prior to their passport application date, they will be eligible for a 1-year passport. Their eligibility for a long-term passport will be reevaluated within 1 year using the same criteria.

Important: Due to the unusually long lines currently in the Population and Immigration Authority for biometric documentation, we recommend all Olim schedule an appointment HERE immediately following their Aliyah. Please make sure to set an appointment for no earlier than 90 days from your Aliyah date.

The name listed on your Israeli passport will reflect the name on your Teudat Zehut (Israeli ID card). If upon making Aliyah you made an official name change, if you are a US citizen this name change is viewed as a worldwide name change.  Please see here for more information.

Extending and/or Renewing Your Passport:
One who already holds an Israeli passport and asks to extend it or renew it:

  1. If 5 years have not yet passed from their Aliyah date, or 5 years have passed but the Oleh has not proven having settled (51% of the time or 36 months out of 60 months), they will not be eligible to reissue a passport, rather will be issued a 5-year Teudat Maavar instead.
  2. If 5 years have passed and settling has been proven, the Oleh is eligible for a regular 10-year passport.

After 5 years you must visit Misrad Hapnim to extend or apply for a new passport/Teudat Maavar.

Please note: Due to Biometric regulations, a passport extension is no longer done on the existing passport and requires issuing a new passport at the Population and Immigration Authority.

There are three options for obtaining a temporary passport, as follows:

1) As part of the measures promoted by the Population and Immigration Authority in order to overcome the burden arising from the high demand for passports, beginning Sunday, November 27, 2022, the public will be able to apply for a temporary passport at the Bureaus of the Population Administration.

🔅28 Bureaus of the Population Administration throughout the country will issue a temporary passport: Eilat, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Beer Sheva, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, Herzliya, Hadera, Holon, Haifa, Tiberias, Jerusalem, South Jerusalem, East Jerusalem, Jaffa, Kfar Saba, Nof HaGalil, Netanya, Acre, Afula, Petah Tikva, Safed, Kiryat, Rishon Lezion, Rehovot, Ramla, Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv.

🔅An application can be submitted ONLY at your local office (i.e., as per the address in your Teudat Zehut).

🔅 An application can be submitted without the need for an appointment.

🔅The following must be attached to the application: a completed and signed application form, 2 passport photos, confirmation of online payment, and your previous Israeli passport.

🔅 The request will be submitted at the Information desk in each bureau.

🔅 The temporary passport will be sent by registered mail within a week from the date of submitting the application.

To pay the fee:  https://go.gov.il/passpay

The form to be printed and filled out: https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/generalpage/services_forms/he/DR11.pdf

2) One may pay online for a temporary passport at Ben Gurion Airport and even receive a discount.

 Did you find out at the last minute that your Israeli passport is not valid and you want to renew your passport at the Population and Immigration Authority (Reshut HaOchlusin V’Hahagira) office at Ben Gurion Airport?

Before leaving to the airport, go to the website of the Population and Immigration Authority and pay online for issuance of a temporary passport. How much will it cost you? Temporary passport for an adult – NIS 825 instead of NIS 845. Temporary passport for a minor – NIS 415 instead of NIS 435. And if you are planning a summer vacation, we encourage you to check the validity of your passport in advance to avoid a problem! Online payment

 

STEP 1:

Book an appointment at The Population and Immigration Authority 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 the Population and Immigration Authority. 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.  Generally, you can benefit from the winter rate as long as you apply for your passport at the Population and Immigration Authority within 3 months of your payment date or prior to April 30th of the same year (whichever is earlier).

NOTE: Special 2023 extension for winter rates! Those who already paid the winter rate for their passport before Feb 28, 2023 but have not yet found an appointment and therefore did not yet apply for their passport, can benefit from this rate until Dec 31, 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 the Population and Immigration Authority 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 at the Population and Immigration Authority within 3 months of your payment date or prior to April 30th of the same year (whichever is earlier).

NOTE: Special 2023 extension for winter rates! Those who already paid the winter rate for their passport before Feb 28, 2023 but have not yet found an appointment and therefore did not yet apply for their passport, can benefit from this rate until Dec 31, 2023.

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 Population and Immigration Authority will confirm your contact information via SMS.

Following your visit to the Population and Immigration Authority, 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 the Population and Immigration Authority 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 the Population and Immigration Authority 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 the Population and Immigration Authority 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. An Oleh (new immigrant) is eligible to apply for a Teudat Maavar 90 days or 3 full months (whichever is longer) after their Aliyah (immigration to Israel) date. For instance, if you made Aliyah on January 4th, you can apply for the Travel Document on April 5th. During the first year after making Aliyah, instead of a passport, you will receive a Teudat Maavar (travel document), typically valid for up to 5 years.  

It is important to be aware that you can only apply for a first-time passport one year after your Aliyah date. A passport with a validity of up to five years will only be issued if you have spent at least 75% of the first year in Israel (this calculation is done once the first year of Aliyah is complete). If you have spent less than that time in Israel, a Teudat Maavar will be issued for up to five years upon renewal. It is mandatory for all Israeli citizens, regardless of dual citizenship with another country, to use Israeli travel documentation when entering or leaving Israel.

Between 5-10 years after making Aliyah, a passport with a validity of up to 10 years will be issued only after having spent 36 out of the last 60 months in Israel. If you spent less time in Israel, a Teudat Maavar will be issued for up to 5 years upon renewal.

Please note: 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.

Information about Israeli biometric documentation:

In 2009, the Israeli Knesset enacted the ” Inclusion of Biometric Means of Identification in Identity Documents and in an Information Database Law”, 5770-2009 (the Biometric Database Law).

The law establishes arrangements to enable identification and authentication of Israeli residents by means of including biometric data in identification documents, in a manner that will prevent forgery and the use of a different identity.

The law regulates the establishment of a biometric database, which will be managed by a dedicated and separate authority: the Biometric Database Management Authority, and in which the biometric information will be kept in a secure and encrypted manner, separate from any other communication network, and in particular from the Population Registry. The database will not include any identifying information of the residents of Israel.

According to the law, smart documentation – ID cards and travel documents – will include the following biometric means and data: an image of the facial features and images of the fingerprints of both forefingers, which are means of identification intended of preventing fraud and identity theft.

The smart documentation, which includes many overt and covert security measures that cannot be forged, will provide its holder with personal security and peace of mind against document forging and against identity theft and impersonation. Other benefits include:

The smart ID card will allow its holders, should they wish to do so, to safely identify themselves online from home and save significant time and hassle when obtaining government services from government websites using a personal password (for electronic identity authentication).

The smart ID card will allow the use of certified electronic signature for those who choose it.

The new passport is at the global forefront of using sophisticated anti-counterfeit measures and is designed according to the standard of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) under the auspices of the UN. More than one hundred countries are already issuing passports and smart electronic travel documents under this standard. The technology embedded in the new passport will enable faster travel at airports and at border crossings in Israel and in the world and will facilitate the process of border control.

The Biometric Database Law states that initially there will be a trial period (pilot) of two years, during which, smart biometric identification documents will be issued for those who choose to obtain them, before the law is applied to all residents. In addition, the law states that during this period no data from the biometric database will be passed on, except to the Population and Immigration Authority for issuance of smart identification documents for those requesting them. At the end of the pilot, when the law will apply to all residents, under certain circumstances and under strict conditions set by the law, data from the Biometric Database will be transferred to the security authorities and the police only.

The trial period will end on March 1, 2017, at which point all Israeli documentation issued will be biometric.

Every resident or citizen who is entitled to receive an ID card or travel document (passport or Laissez-passer) may request smart biometric documentation at the bureaus of the Population and Immigration Authority around Israel. In the past, a person wishing to obtain an ID card or passport would have come to the bureau of the Population and Immigration Authority with passport photos taken in advance, however the photo for the smart electronic documentation is handled by the service provider at the bureau. The photographic procedure is quick and does not require any preparation in advance. The image will be transferred for issuing at the central database, and after authentication of the identity of the applicant and verification that this is not a case of double identity or impersonation, the smart biometric documentation with integrated photo will be issued.

  • A person wishing to obtain a smart biometric document must arrive at the Population and Immigration Authority bureau and identify himself using an existing ID card. In its absence, the applicant will present a passport or Laissez-passer. The applicant will sign a request form to receive smart biometric documentation and a letter of approval and consent, according to which he approves the taking of his biometric identification: an image of facial features, digital fingerprints of both forefingers, and their inclusion in the biometric database.
  • In addition, a process of authentication of the applicant’s identity will be carried out by means of several computer generated questions that will be asked by the service provider.
  • The service provider will then perform the procedure for photography facial feature photograph and electronic scanning of both forefingers of the applicant. The process of fingerprint scanning is quick and simple. The procedure is performed using an electronic scanner, on which the two forefingers are pressed for a few seconds. The scanning process of the fingerprints does not use ink, and the use of the instrument is not messy. In exceptional cases where scanning the fingerprints of the forefingers is not possible, for health reasons of the resident or for technical reasons, the applicant will be guided by the service provider how to carry out the scanning of the fingerprints.
  • Finally, the applicant shall sign a form detailing the manner in which the document may be used and the obligations imposed upon the holder as a smart documentation holder, such as preventing misuse of the document.
  • The biometric data will be encrypted and transferred to the biometric database to verify the identity of the applicant. The information will be stored at the biometric database in a secure and encrypted manner and will be deleted from the computers of the Population and Immigration Authority.
  • A smart ID card is produced at a central production site, and will be delivered to the applicant within ten business days of submitting the application, at a bureau of the Population and Immigration Authority of the applicant’s choosing. Upon the receipt of the card, the applicant will receive a personal password to operate it and an appendix containing their personal details. Notice of the arrival of the new card to the bureau will be sent to the applicant via text message (SMS).
  • Smart passports and any other travel documents will be sent to the applicant by registered mail within ten business days, and there will be no need to arrive at a Population and Immigration Authority bureau to receive it (as required in the delivery of smart ID card).

  • A resident or citizen age 16 years and over will be able to obtain a smart biometric ID card by personally appearing at a Population and Immigration Authority bureau, accompanied by a parent if they are married, or accompanied by both parents if they are not married.
  • A citizen under the age of 18 who wishes to obtain a biometric travel document (passport or Laissez-passer), must personally appear at a Population and Immigration Authority bureau at the time of the application, accompanied by one parent if they are married, or accompanied by both parents if they are not married to each other. The presence of both parents is required, as is currently done when issuing a passport, to identify the applicant for the purpose of submitting the application, and for signing the letter of agreement.
  • For applicants under the age of 12, only the process of photographing the facial features will be carried out, and fingerprints will not be scanned.
  • In any case, biometric measures will not be taken from an applicant under the age of 18 who does not wish to do so.
  • The decision whether to replace the existing identification documentation with smart biometric documentation is based on the voluntary consent of the applicant. Those who do not choose smart biometric documentation during the trial period (the first two years from the beginning of the project) can continue to receive the currently accepted identification documents and their rights will not be denied.
  • Until March 1, 2017 you can choose between a regular ID card and an advanced and safe smart ID card that cannot be forged. From that date, smart ID cards, which includes biometric measures and data that are unique to each person, such as facial feature image and images of fingerprints from both forefingers, as a means of identification intended to prevent fraud and identity theft, will be required. The new ID card, one of the world’s most advanced, guarantees that no one except yourselves will be able to use your identity.
  • The smart ID card is made of material called “polycarbonate” that gives it flexibility and durability under extreme conditions. Its size is similar to that of a credit card and it contains many overt and covert security measures that cannot be forged. When you receive the smart ID card you will also receive a personal password, and using a card reader you can quickly and easily perform online various activities on the websites of various government institutions, directly from home or from your PC. The smart ID card will give you personal safety and peace of mind from forging of the ID card and from identity theft and impersonating the ID card’s owner. In 2011 alone, more than 130,000 ID cards and more than 22,000 passports were lost or stolen in Israel. In many cases, the stolen cards are forged and are used to impersonate the card owner, to open fictitious bank accounts, to withdraw the discharge payment from bank accounts of discharged soldiers, to commit financial scams, and are even used by terrorist organizations for the infiltration of terrorists and for terrorist attacks.

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.

* Last updated on August 17, 2023 *

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

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