A. Registration of Israeli Citizens abroad
Israeli citizens staying abroad for a period of over 45 days must register with the Israeli mission in whose area of responsibility they are staying.
Israeli citizens staying abroad for more than a year must register with the Israeli mission once a year (see the instructions regarding the obligation to register on the inside back cover of the passport).
B. Notarization
1. General
The authority of a diplomatic and consular representative to utilize notarial powers abroad derives from Section 50 (A) of the Notaries Law, 5736 - 1976. Under this law, such an action performed by the representative by virtue of these powers is equivalent to the act of a notary.
Notarization must be performed in the physical presence of the diplomatic / consular representative.
Israeli missions abroad are not authorized to prepare or edit legal documents.
2. Notarization provided by mission
The notarizations provided by the mission under the law and its provisions:
- Verification of signatures
- Verification of the signatures and stamps of the official institutions and officials in the country in which the mission is serving, in countries that are not signatories to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents - 1961 (apostille).
- Life certificates
- Certification of the accuracy of a document copy
- Taking and certifying affidavits
- Certifying expert opinions and medical certificates
- Certification of wills
The diplomatic / consular representative will not notarize documents in the following circumstances:
- The act is not performed freely and willingly.
- The act contravenes the laws of the country in which the mission is serving.
- The document is fraudulent and/or violates the law.
- The document is incomplete or defective.
- If the representative or the signatory does not know the language of the document, the translation will be implemented under special conditions that are specified in the relevant legislation.
Comment: The diplomatic / consular representative may exercise discretion regarding each notarization and he may refuse to notarize a document if he is not convinced that all the legal requirements have been met.
3. Original documents and coppies
The mission is authorized to confirm that a particular document is a certified copy of another document, subject to internal guidelines. If it is necessary to verify the copies of original documents, the mission's Consular Department will photocopy the original document in order to ascertain that the copy is identical to the original and will then issue the certification. Photocopies of documents that were not made by the mission's Consular Department will not be accepted.
There is a charge for photocopying documents. For the cost per photocopied page, see the table of fees in section 1-56, subsection 2 (find the table of fees below).
4. Identification of the person requesting the service
The representative will identify the citizen by means of his passport, identity card or other public document bearing a picture of the citizen, which is satisfactory to the diplomatic / consular representative.
Identification for the purpose of signing a document to be used in a real estate transaction will be performed solely by means of an identity card or a passport.
Comment: The diplomatic representative has no authority to carry out notarizations regarding minors without prior authorization from the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem.
C. Travel Documents
1. General Information
All Israeli citizens staying abroad, both minors and adults, must carry a valid Israeli travel document with them at all times. The travel documents issued by the State of Israel to its citizens (passports and laissez passer) are the property of the State and should be carefully safeguarded.
Note that Israeli citizens are required by law always to enter and exit Israel with an Israeli travel document.
An Israeli passport issued to an adult is valid for 10 years, and for 5 years for a minor. For adults - if 10 years have passed since the passport was issued, please contact the mission to obtain a new passport. If less than 10 years have elapsed since the passport was issued, it can be extended up to the full 10 years.
2. Extending a passport
Adults
To extend the validity of a passport, please fill out the relevant form, attach it to the passport and send it to the Consular Department at the mission. No fee is required for this renewal.
Minors
A minor’s passport can be extended for five years, up to the age of 17. After his military status is determined, the minor's passport can be extended pursuant to approval of the IDF authorities (for additional details, see below in the sections on renewal and the IDF authorities).
With regard to the manner of extending a minor's passport, please call the Consular Department at the mission.
3. Renewing an expired passport
Adults To renew a passport, you must bring to the mission (or send by mail - see the section on General Information) the following:
- Application for a New Passport, filled out and signed.
- Two passport pictures
- The old passport
- The required fee - as stated below
Minors
Please call the Consular Department at the mission to obtain information on the conditions for issuing travel documents to a minor.
4. Renewing the travel documents in the events of loss, theft, destruction
In the event of the loss / theft / destruction of a travel document, you must visit the mission in order to obtain a replacement. Please be sure to bring the following: Two passport pictures
A picture ID (identity card or Israeli driver's license)
A completed declaration form about the loss / theft / destruction of a passport or laissez passer The form must be signed before the diplomatic / consular representative.
An application for a new passport, filled out and signed
The Israeli passport is the property of the State. The loss / theft / destruction of the passport requires the payment of a higher fee (find the table of fees below).
D. Population registry
Section 11 of the Registration of Population Law states that "A resident to whom a child is born abroad must notify the registration clerk of his child's registration details, within 30 days."
Procedure for submitting notification of the birth of an Israeli citizen abroad
In order to register a child who was born abroad to Israeli citizens, one of the Israeli parents must appear in person before the diplomatic / consular representative at the mission and implement the registration process, during which the following will be required:
Filling out and signing the form Notification of the Birth of an Israeli Citizen Abroad
- The original birth certificate, verified with an apostille stamp in countries that are signatories to the 1961 Hague Convention, or presentation of a certificate verified by the relevant authority in that country
- Photocopies of the parents' passports
- If the parents are married and there is no record to that effect in the Population Registry of the State of Israel, their verified marriage certificate must be presented
Issuing a passport for a minor who was just registered
In order to issue a passport for a minor, one of the Israeli parents must appear in person with the child before the diplomatic / consular representative at the mission. The process of issuing a passport for a minor is as follows:
Fill out an application for a passport
Provide two passport pictures
Pay the fee (find the table of fees below)
Comment: In the event that the mother is not an Israeli citizen, and the parents of the child are not married or the child was born less than 10 months after their marriage, the Israeli father must contact the mission for further instruction before appearing to register the child.
E. Israel Defence Forces (IDF)
The Defense Service Law
The
Defense Service Law (Consolidated Version), 5747 - 1986 and the authority to implement it abroad applies to all citizens of the State of Israel both in Israel and abroad, even if they have another citizenship, and even if they live permanently abroad. It also applies to permanent residents of Israel, even if they are not Israeli citizens. The obligation of compulsory service applies to every man who is fit to serve, between the ages of 18 and 29, inclusive. However, a person who is past the age of the obligation of compulsory service and did not fulfill his obligation at the time specified in the law, is deemed to be in violation of the law and will be required to serve in the IDF as decided by the IDF authorities.
Registering and establishing military status with the diplomatic / consular representative
Every citizen / permanent resident of the State of Israel, upon reaching the age of 16, even if he is living or staying abroad for any reason, is obligated by the Defense Service Law to establish his status with the Israel Defense Forces authorities. A person who is designated for defense service, who is called to report under a general call up order, must report in Israel at the place and at the time specified in the order. However, if he is located abroad, he can report to the diplomatic / consular representative at the mission for the purpose of registration. At the time of his registration, he may submit a request to defer the time of reporting to the defense service.
Registration is implemented by filling out the form Registration and Personal Application of a Person Designated for Defense Service Who is Staying Abroad
If the person designated for defense service wishes to defer his service, he must fill out the form Application to Defer Defense Service - Israeli Citizens Staying Abroad
The following must be attached to these forms:
- An official letter from the school in which the person designated for defense service is studying, noting the number of years he has been a student there and the number of years remaining until completion of his studies
- Photocopies of his parents' passports
- Certification stating that the center of the child's life with his parents is in that country.
Additional details (in Hebrew) can be obtained on the Israel Defense Forces website.
Deferring service and restrictions on visit to Israel
If a decision is made to defer the service of a person designated for defense service, while he is staying abroad with his parents, the diplomatic / consular representative will explain to him the conditions and restrictions applying to him in everything pertaining to the time frames of his visit to Israel.
F. Citizens register
Application to receive a registration extract / birth certificate / death certificate /record of enties and exits
To receive one of the above certificates, an application must be filled out to obtain documentation from the Population Registry The service is free of charge unless an apostille is required (find the table of fees below).
If it is necessary to obtain a birth certificate translated into English, an application must be submitted in advance.
Inquiries should be made with the Consular Department at the mission after four to six weeks as to whether the certificate has arrived.
Certificate Attesting to Israeli Citizenship or Non-Citizenship
Under Section 15 of the Citizenship Law, 5712 -1952 (Consolidated Version), an Israeli citizen is entitled to receive a certificate from the Minister of the Interior attesting to his Israeli citizenship. The certificate can be obtained in Hebrew and English, as well as the date on which citizenship was conferred. Those interested in the latter must note that separately.
Sometimes local authorities require certification of Israel citizenship by those who apply to them and do not suffice with a valid Israeli passport. For the purpose of obtaining a Certificate Attesting to Israeli Citizenship or Non-Citizenship directly from the Israeli Ministry of the Interior, an application must be filled out and sent by mail to the mission, along with a photocopy of the identity card and of the passport of the applicant. The fee must be submitted with the application (click below the find the fee).
Important: All fields must be filled out on the form. A line must be drawn through fields that are not relevant in order to show that they are not relevant and that is why they were not filled in.
The certificate is usually received within eight to twelve weeks.
Application to locate the adress
A person who wishes to locate the address of another person registered in Israel, or who wishes to ascertain the precise name of a person registered in Israel, should submit two copies of the form Application to Receive Information from the Population Registry.
A fee is charged for this service (find the table of fees below)
Request on information on traveler
In order to receive information on a traveler please fill out the form "Request for Information on a Traveler" and submit it signed to the mission's consular department. The request will be forwarded to the relevant authority in Israel.
G. Notices and Updates to the Ministry of the Interior
Under the Population Registration Law, 5725 - 1965, an Israeli citizen must notify the Population Registry at the Ministry of the Interior of any change in his personal status. This is implemented between Israeli citizens abroad and the Ministry of Interior by means of special forms. These forms are dispatched to Israel through the Consular Departments of the Israeli missions throughout the world.
Below are details on how to notify the Ministry of the Interior of changes in the personal status of Israeli citizens:
Notification of marriage
An Israeli citizen who was married abroad must come in person to the mission, where he will fill out the notification form to notify the Population Registry of his new marital status on the change in status along with the verified and translated original marriage certificate
(unless it is in English). If the spouse is not Israeli, a photocopy of the first page of the spouse’s passport must be attached.
The service is provided free of charge.
Notification of divorce
An Israeli citizen who is divorced abroad must come in person to the mission, where he will fill out the notification form to notify the Population Registry of his new marital status, signed by both spouses, along with the verified and translated original divorce certificate (unless it is in English). If the spouse is not Israeli, a photocopy of the first page of the spouse's passport must be attached.
The service is provided free of charge.
Notification of death
An immediate family member of an Israeli citizen who died must come in person to the mission, where he will fill out the notification form to notify the Population Registry of the death of his relative along with the verified and translated original death certificate (unless it is in English).
The service is provided free of charge.
Notification of the death of a spouse
An Israeli citizen who is widowed must come in person to the mission, where he will fill out the notification form to notify the Population Registry of the change in his marital status along with the verified and translated original death certificate of the spouse (unless it is in English).
The service is provided free of charge.
Notification of selection of name for a person who was married, divorced or widowed
An Israeli citizen who was married, divorced or widowed and wishes to choose a new last name must come in person to the mission, where he will fill out the notification form to notify the Population Registry of the change in his marital status along with the verified and translatedoriginal marriage or divorce or death certificate (unless it is in English).
The service is provided free of charge.
Notification of change of name
An Israeli citizen who wishes to change his first or last name must come in person to the mission, where he will fill out the notification form on the change of name in two copies The mission will send the form to the Ministry of the Interior in Israel. When the change of name is approved, the passport will be updated accordingly. When a citizen who has changed his name returns to Israel, he must go to the Ministry of the Interior to have the change made in his identity card.
A fee is charged for changing a name (find the table of fees below).
H. Renouncing Israeli Citizenship
The process of renouncing Israeli citizenship is intended for an Israeli citizen living abroad who wishes to renounce his Israeli citizenship for any reason whatsoever. This is implemented by giving a declaration of the desire to renounce the citizenship, along with relevant documents and an application to the Ministry of the Interior for its authorization.
It is important to note that the decision to authorize a renunciation of citizenship is made at the sole discretion of the Minister of the Interior or anyone appointed by him, and as long as such authorization is not given, the person who made the declaration is still an Israeli citizen. It should be noted that there have been cases in which the minister saw fit, for various reasons, not to authorize a renunciation of citizenship.
A person who wishes to submit an application to renounce Israeli citizenship must report in person to the Consular Department at the mission and implement the following:
Notify the Population Registry on his personal status up to that point in time
Establish his military status
For an adult - An adult must fill out the form Declaration of Renunciation of Israeli Citizenship for an Adult
For a minor - A form must be filled out for a minor Declaration of Renunciation of Israeli Citizenship for a Minor
Present authorization of other citizenship or an official letter from the local government promising that local citizenship will be granted (the letter must be valid for at least two years and written in English or translated into Hebrew)
Pay the fee (find the table of fees below)
Please note:It is very important to fill out all sections of the form, otherwise the Ministry of the Interior will not handle the application.
The process of renouncing citizenship cannot be implemented by mail. The presence of the applicant is mandatory!
In the declaration section at the bottom of the form - Declaration of Renunciation of Israeli Citizenship - the signatory undertakes, before any use of his Israeli passport, to check with the mission whether his Israeli citizenship has been cancelled.
J. Table of fees for consular services
Agrot 2024.pdf