Lesse Passe (laissez passer) or Teudat Maavar is an Israeli passport that confirms Israeli citizenship abroad and provides visa-free entry to 61 countries. What rights Lesse Passe gives its owner, what is required to obtain it, and how it differs from the Israeli passport Darkon — about this and much more information below.

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Since Israel is interested in the return of all Jews to their historical homeland, Darkon for a period of 10 years is issued only to citizens living in Israel on a permanent basis. And if a citizen spends most of the time abroad, then repatriate will get Lesse Passe.

A foreign passport has many options for names. The official name of the document that is embossed on its cover is Teudat Maavar, which in Hebrew means a travel document. Other names came from English – travel document and provisional passport. The people use its French version – Lesse Passe.

The difference between Lesse Passe and Darkon

 

The standard passport in Israel is Darkon. Lesse Passe serves as an alternative to it in a number of cases, namely:

  • If an Israeli citizen lives in the country for less than 183 days a year and ceases to be a resident.
  • If Darkon is lost while the person is abroad.

Lesse Passe differs from Darkon in the color of the cover: it is red, not blue. Also, Lesse Passe is not biometric, but it is issued for 5 years with the possibility of extension.

Red Israeli passport visa-free countries

Country Visa-Free
Austria v
Albania v
Andorra v
Aruba v
Bahamas v
Belarus v
Belgium v
Bermuda v
Bulgaria v
Hungary v
Germany v
Honduras v
Hong Kong v
Grenada v
Greece v
Georgia v
Denmark v
Egypt v
Iceland v
Ireland v
Cape Verde v
Comoros v
Costa Rica v
Laos v
Lesotho v
Liechtenstein v
Luxembourg v
Mauritius v
Mozambique v
Monaco v
Mongolia v
Nepal v
Nicaragua v
New Caledonia v
Isle of Man v
Peru v
Portugal v
Russia v
Romania v
El Salvador v
Swaziland v
Saint Kitts v
Saint Lucia v
Serbia v
Singapore v
Slovakia v
Slovenia v
Uruguay v
Fiji v
Finland v
Falkland Islands v
France v
Croatia v
Czech Republic v
Switzerland v
Sweden v
Estonia v
Japan v

Benefits of Lesse Passe

The travel document has a large list of advantages. The main ones include:

  • Validity. Unlike Darkon, which can be issued for 1 year, 5 and 10 years, Lesse Passe is issued for 1 to 5 years and there is no need for permanent residence only in Israel.
  • Although the list of visa-free countries is smaller than with Darkon, if you have a foreign passport, this disadvantage is compensated.
  • Teudat Maavar opens the hottest destinations for its owner – this is the Schengen zone.

Lesse Passe Receipts

For some people, obtaining a laissez Passer is much more profitable than a Darkon. For example, the main document requires a person to live in Israel for more than 75% of the time per year, but this condition is not mandatory for holders of Teudat Maawar.

The holder of a temporary pass can buy real estate and other assets around the world without restrictions, register companies, while doing business as an Israeli.

Any Israeli citizen can apply for Lesse Passe. This will require an internal passport (identity card) – Teudat Zehut. A driver’s license is not suitable – keep that in mind. Children under the age of 18 come with a parent. If the parents are not legally married, both of them must give their consent in person by visiting the office together or separately. It is also possible to have a notarized permission, which one parent will transfer to the other.

You can obtain a document in Israel by contacting the Ministry of Internal Affairs or apply to the Israeli consulate in another country.

To obtain a Lesse Passe, you must personally submit an application with a request for this particular type of travel document. It is important that all items of the application are filled out correctly with real information. If some columns remain empty or the data is entered incorrectly, the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs have the right to refuse to consider the package of papers for receiving Teudat Maavar. All information provided by the applicant is checked for false information. Registration of a temporary foreign passport takes from 6 to 10 weeks after submission of all documents to work.

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Lesse Passe renewal

You can prolong Teudat Maavar at the Israeli Ministry of Internal Affairs or by contacting the Israeli representation in the country of current residence. You must personally send to the Embassy:

  • Application for an extension. To be completed in Hebrew or English.
  • Identity document.

  • Lesse Passe, in need of extension.
  • Appointments must be booked in advance.

When renewing a travel document through the Israeli Ministry of Internal Affairs, the algorithm of actions will be the same as when submitting a request for the extension of Darkon. Lesse Passe will be issued for a period of 5 years. When it is issued, the period of the applicant’s total stay in Israel is not taken into account.

The Israeli consulate can issue Teudat Maavar with a shorter period of validity if a person has been absent from the country for a long time. This is done to provoke an arrival in order to extend the document inside the Israeli state. The government carefully monitors financial debts and the legality of staying in the country.

WRAI Assistance

Applying for a Lesse Passe can be a complex process, especially if you are living abroad or facing time-sensitive travel needs. At WRAI, our experienced team is ready to guide you through every step — from verifying your eligibility and compiling documents to coordinating with Israeli authorities and ensuring a smooth and timely application process.

Whether you’re applying for the first time or need urgent assistance, we’re here to help make the process clear and stress-free.

Need assistance? Leave your contact details, and one of our WRAI specialists will contact you shortly.

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