Update Family and Personal Status

Update Family and Personal Status

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    Who Can Apply

    • Adult Israeli citizens living abroad, that their family or personal status has changed
    • Adult Israeli citizens that got married or divorced in a religious court in Israel and didn't update the ​population registry in Israel


    Please note

    • An Israeli citizen must update the Israeli population registry with every family or personal status that has been changed. If your family or personal status has changed several times since the last time you visited the Consulate or the Ministry of Interior in Israel, you must update every change on the day of your arrival to the Consulate.

    • Every certificate (marriage, divorce, death) must be sealed with an apostille seal, issued by the US Department of State. Please find a list of links with information regarding how to obtain an apostille below.



    Required Documents to Update Marriage

    • In case of a marriage between 2 Israelis - Both citizens must arrive to the Consulate 

    • In case of marriage to a foreign citizen - The Israeli citizen must arrive to the Consulate. In this case, the foreign citizen must write a declaration stating their personal status, prior to the current marriage. The declaration must be signed in the presence of a notary public and sealed with an apostille seal. Click here to download the declaration

    • Passports - Applicants must bring their Israeli passport and their spouse's passport (in both cases)

    • Marriage certificate - Applicants must bring an original marriage certificate sealed with an apostille seal. An apostille seal is issued by the US Department of State. Please be advised, "marriage license" is not considered a "marriage certificate". 

    • "Notification of Change in Marital Status" form - Printed and filled out. Download here  

    • Choosing a new last name due to marriage - In case one of the Israeli citizens wishes to carry his or her spouse's last name, or both wish to choose a new last name, applicants are required to write the new last name in Hebrew and English in the form



    Required Documents to Update Divorce

    • In case of divorce between 2 Israelis - Both citizens must arrive to the Consulate. In case one of the citizens cannot arrive to the Consulate to sign the form, applicant must present a court verdict or divorce agreement stating that the divorce agreement was signed in the presence of both citizens and with their full consent. Any document presented must be sealed with an apostille seal before arriving to the Consulate.

    • In case of divorce from a foreign citizen  - The Israeli citizen must arrive to the Consulate

    • Passports - Applicants must bring their Israeli passport and their spouse's passport (in both cases)

    • ​Divorce certificate - Applicants must bring an original divorce certificate sealed with an apostille seal. An apostille seal is issued by the US Department of State.

    • "Notification in Change of Marital Status" form - Printed and filled out. Download here


    Required Documents to Update Death and Widowing

    • The informer/spouse must arrive to the Consulate 

    • Death certificate - the informer/spouse must show an original death certificate sealed with an apostille seal, issued by the US Department of State. In case the of death of an Israeli citizen - If the informer/spouse cannot issue an apostille seal and only has the original death certificate - please arrive to the Consulate with the death certificate for consultation

    • Passports - The informer/spouse must arrive with his/her Israeli passport and the diseased Israeli passport. In case one of the partners is/was a foreign citizen, please arrive with his/hers/your foreign passport 

    • "Notification in Change of Marital Status" form - Printed and filled out. Download here 

    • Choosing a last name due to widowing - If the Israeli citizen wishes to go back to hers/his maiden name, he/she must write the maiden name in both Hebrew and English in the form

    • If the deceased is an Israeli citizen, please fill out the following application. Download here.



    Applying for A Choosing of Last Name or A Name Change

    This service is provided to Israeli citizens wishing to choose a new last name due to an update in their marital status (marriage, divorce, widowing) and for Israeli citizens wishing to change their name, regardless of their marital status. 

    Choosing a last name with no fee is granted once with every marital status update. Citizens that haven't used their benefit to choose a last name, when updated their marital status, can apply for it. Citizens that chose a last name when last updated their marital status and wishing to change it again, must apply for a name change and will be charged with a fee.



    Applying for Choosing a Last Name

    This service is given to Israeli citizens that haven't used their benefit to choose a last name when updated their marital status. (for a name change, regardless of a change in marital status, see relevant section) 

    • The Israeli applicant must arrive to the Consulate to apply for choosing of a last name. In case both Israeli citizens wish to choose a last name, both must arrive to the Consulate.

    • Marital Status - must be updated in the Israeli population registry in order to choose a last name.

    • "Notification of Selection of Name" form - Printed and filled out. Download here.

    • Passport or teudat zehut - Citizens must arrive to the Consulate with a recent Israeli passport or a recent teudat zehut



    Applying for a Name Change

    This service is provided to Israeli citizens that wish to change their first or last name regardless of their marital status. A citizen can apply for a name change once every 7 years. This service is charged with a fee
     

    • Adult Israeli citizens - May apply for a name change by arriving to the Consulate 

    • In case of parents changing their last name - Parents must include minors in the application 

    • In case of a change of a first name for a minor: 
      • Minors who didn't turn 10 years old - Parents may apply for a name change by arriving to the Consulate with the minor 
      • Minors who turned 10 years old - Minors must arrive to the Consulate with their parents and give their consent for the name change in the presence of the Consul. This includes adding a name to a minor's first name. In case the minor refused for the name change/add, a change will only be optional with a court verdict  
      • "Notification of a Change/Addition of a First Name for a Minor" form - Printed and filled out form. Signature will take place at the Consulate. Download here (form is currently only available in Hebrew)

    • Passport or teudat zehut - Citizens must arrive to the Consulate with a recent Israeli passport or a recent teudat zehut

    • "Notification of Change of Name" form - Printed and filled out (preferably filled out digitally, printed and signed by hand). Download here



    How to Apply

    Applicants must arrive to the Consulate. Schedule an appointment here.



    Fee

    Updating a marital status and choosing a last name is free of charge.
    See Fees Table for prices for a name change for minors and adults. 
     



    Process Duration

    The service is processed and handled by the Administration of Border Crossings, Population and Immigration department in Israel. The process takes approximately 5 weeks.  


    Appointment for a notary service:
    - Service will be given only if the person who signs the document knows to read its language. 
    - Make sure your identity details is similar to the one specify in your documentation. 
    - Make sure you arrive to appointment on time, with sufficient payment, printed documents, valid ID, and that you know exactly where to sign.
    - In urgent matters you can always try to get notary service at any public notary and then send the documents to get them apostallized.

    Secretary of States (apostille) offices:

    Texas: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/authinfo.shtml



    For further information, see the following links:
     
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