Renewal of Israeli passport

An Israeli national document is handy to open many doors to holders without them needing to get a visa, which undoubtedly makes travels easier. In order to avoid problems when crossing borders between different countries, and ensure compliance with all the relevant migration rules, it is extremely important your passport remains valid when you need it. Here we explain the procedures you need to take in case you need to renew your passport from both within Israel, and various countries abroad.

Renewing an Israeli passport abroad

For Israeli citizens residing, or staying abroad temporarily, a few options enable holders to extend the validity of their passports, or to reissue them. You must remember that, due to a number of particular features of the Israeli biometric data legislation, only regular passports may be issued abroad, as opposed to the biometric ones, which may only be issued in Israel. There are two options a person can use to renew an Israeli passport abroad.

Using the Israeli embassy for passport renewal

The most usual way to extend or reissue an Israeli national document involves contacting an Israeli diplomatic mission, such as an embassy. This service is very popular within a great majority of countries, which keeps embassy staff busy, therefore making an appointment first is the general rule of thumb. Sometimes, such an appointment needs to be scheduled months ahead, so it is vital to plan your efforts in advance. The right to renew the national document arises six months before it expires.

Two different paths are available to minors and adult citizens:

• Minors (individuals under 18) are required to appear in person, accompanied by one of the parents. If parents are in divorce, a notarized consent, or presence of the other parent may be required.
• Adults (individuals 18 y.o. or older) have a choice between a personal visit to the embassy, or send the necessary papers by mail. However, those individuals who have just reached 18, need to appear in person to have their first adult passport issued to them.

Since biometric passports, which have recently become common for reasons of security, can only be issued within Israel, the individual is issued a regular, non-biometric Israeli national document.

Mailing your renewal application

Embassies are located in major cities. In order to simplify your renewal process, there is an option you can use to mail your documents and receive a readily-made passport by mail. Only Israeli citizens who are compliant with these criteria are eligible for a mail-in application:

• You must be 18 or above: only adult Israeli citizens are eligible.
• Citizens must have an arranged military status, normally this requirement is relevant for applicants aged 17 to 25 years old.
• Such applicants must submit their current national document, which must be neither lost nor damaged.
• The current document must not have any serious damages, a slightly worn item is acceptable, however the damage can’t be too serious.
• Such a person must have visited Israel at least once over the past 10 years. This is necessary to confirm you are still connected with the country.

The renewal of your passport by mail requires that you provide the following set of papers:

• A renewal application form available both in Hebrew and English, completed and signed.
• Two 2×2’’ (5×5 cm) passport photos made in line with document standards.
• Payment card information to pay for the services. This is required to have the document delivered to the applicant. The renewal procedure itself is free.
• A prepaid envelope stating your name and address for your documents to be returned to you.
• Your current non-expired passport.

If, during application processing, it becomes necessary that you either provide additional documents, or visit in person, you will receive the relevant notification with detailed instructions.

Renewing an Israeli passport in the USA

Israeli citizens first need to find the nearest Israeli embassies. Israeli embassies are located in a few US major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Houston and San Francisco. All addresses and contacts are available at the official website of Israeli embassy in Washington D.C.: https://embassies.gov.il/washington/Pages/default.asp

Or call: +12023645500

Most os authorities require that you schedule an appointment ahead of your visit. You can do this by contacting them directly using the telephone numbers provided or by accessing their official online portal. When it’s time for your appointment, visit the embassie to submit your renewal application along with all the required documents. Processing times can vary, so it’s wise to consult with  staff during your visit to get an estimate on how long the renewal may take. If you are located in a state without an Israeli embassie, mailing your documents is an option.

Check the specific website to ensure you include all necessary items. Typically, you will need to provide a certain number of prepaid envelopes with your return address, which will be used to safely return your documents and a new passport. Many authorities also offer online tracking services where you can monitor the progress of your renewal application step by step. This feature can provide peace of mind by allowing you to see the status of your application throughout its processing stages.

Renewing an Israeli passport in the UK

The renewal procedure in the UK is hardly any different from that one in the US. The UK has a single Israeli embassy in London. Address: 15 Old Ct Pl, London W8, UK Phone: +442079579500.

Working Hours:

Monday through Thursday: 9:30 AM to 12:45 PM, Friday: 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Saturday, Sunday, Jewish and UK holidays: closed.

Official email: info@london.mfa.gov.il

Website: http://embassies.gov.il/london/

Renewing an Israeli passport in Israel

This procedure within Israel is subject to the authority of the Ministry of Interior. To initiate the process, you need to submit the following papers:

Your fee is paid via official channels, including paying for such services via the Embassie General of Israel. It is important to note that AMEX, personal checks or money transfers are not acceptable payment methods for this purpose.

Normally you need to schedule an appointment at the Ministry of Interior in advance. You will need to submit all the relevant documents during your visit. After you submit the application, the whole process takes 4 to 6 weeks.Once the national document is ready, it will be mailed to you at the address you have indicated in the application form, or you may receive it in person. You will get the package within a month. The procedure to renew the passport is relatively the same for children and teenagers, however there are a few things peculiar to this specific situation:

• The child must attend the appointment accompanied by a parent or guardian.
• If the child’s parents are divorced or not married, the presence of both parents is required. A notarized consent to renew from a parent unable to attend is required, if it is not possible for the other parent to appear in person.

Renewing an expired Israeli passport

If an Israeli national document has expired, it can no longer be extended. The only option is having a new one reissued. If you are not in Israel, you can only receive a common, i. e. a non-biometric passport, which is valid for 5 years only. To receive a biometric passport, you need to apply using the Ministry of Interior office within Israel. Schedule an appointment by phone or use the official internet portal of the Ministry.

The package you need to prepare in advance before you visit, includes:

Pay the issuance fee. The amount of the fee and payment methods must be clarified in advance, because these may change. Your issuance time frame may vary, so you may need to clarify whether you are eligible to obtain a laissez passer as you submit your documents. Remember that the procedures for extending your passport or getting a new one abroad are handled differently. These require contacting an Israeli  embassy in your country of stay.

Fees for renewing an expired passport

If your national document has expired, renewing it may entail an additional fee. Fees and fines may be different depending on the outstanding term and the country you apply from, therefore you need to clarify these in the embassie you plan to use to handle the situation.

Online renewal options

Unfortunately this service is not available as of date. Use online services to schedule an appointment with the Israeli Ministry of Interior office or a diplomatic mission abroad and track your queue. In some cases, it is possible to track your application status. You can extend your passport by going to the relevant office in person or use registered mail to file your application and associated documents in.