Please note that you may need to book a second appointment for a formal interview later in the process.

• Go online to book an appointment with the Visa Department. You can change the language of the page to English if needed.
  
• Upon entering the site, in "Application type" (“סוג הבקשה”) select from the drop-down list "Application for status" (“בקשה למעמד”)
• Then, move on to “Application” (“הבקשה”)
• Then, select from the drop-down "Application for Immigration / status for people entitled to return" (“בקשה לעלייה/מעמד לזכאי שבות”)

Upon your first visit to the Visa department at the Misrad HaPnim you will receive instructions indicating which documents need to be translated and notarized.

• Passport: Make sure your passport is valid for at least one more year
• Photo: Two printed high-resolution color passport photos, 3.5 x 4.5 cm, that only include your face on a white background.
• Entry Visa: You need your entry visa to Israel and a renewal (if relevant)
• Background Check with Apostille:
  
  You need an official criminal background check or a Certificate of Good Conduct issued by the government:
  1. of the country where you were born
  2. of every country where you resided for more than one year above the age of 14
  3. of any country whose citizenship you currently hold even if you never lived there.

  Each country has its own procedure regarding the issue of a background check

• Proof of Judaism - An original letter (digital versions or signatures are not accepted) stating your eligibility status is required. The letter must be written in Hebrew and meet strict conditions. If you have converted, different documents may be requested.
• Birth Certificate with Apostille - The document must be original and cannot be replaced by a marriage certificate or other proof of identity.
• Name-Change Certificate with Apostille: If you have legally changed your name (either first name or last name) abroad, you will also need an official name-change certificate with an Apostille.
• Civil Status Certificate with Apostille:

  In general, Israel recognizes four civil statuses: single, married, divorced, or widowed. You need to present whichever document is relevant to you from the following documents:

  1. Marriage Certificate with Apostille:
     You need to present your original Marriage Certificate issued by the government of the country where you got married, with an apostille
     

     Note: This document is not replaceable by a Ketubah – כתובה – Jewish marriage certificate.

     If, in your country of origin, the marriage certificate indicates what your civil status was before “married” (i.e. single, divorced, etc.) - this should be sufficient.

     If the marriage certificate does not indicate your prior civil status, you will need to present a sworn declaration before an Israeli notary as to your civil status prior to your marriage. The Jewish agency should provide you with the document. You will need to check the following box: “I am married; before my current marriage my personal status was single (never married) / divorced / widowed (please circle the relevant status).”

     This document needs to be notarized.

  2. Single Status Certificate with Apostille:
     If you are single and have never been married, you must present a government-issued “Single Certificate”, issued in your country of origin.

     If your country does not issue this type of declaration, you must make a sworn statement before an Israeli notary and have the document Apostilled. The Jewish agency should provide you with the document. You will need to check the following box: “I am currently single, having never been married”

  3. Divorced:
     If you are divorced, you need to present the divorce certificate with an Apostille. Additionally, you may also be requested to present a marriage certificate, which may not need to be apostilled.
     
     
  4. Widowed:
     If you are widowed, you must present your spouse’s death certificate with an Apostille in addition to your marriage certificate.
     
     

  If you were married more than once, you have to submit all relevant certificates (i.e. marriage/divorce or death certificates of your spouse).

  Please note:

  1. Civil documents cannot be replaced by religious ones
  2. The Misrad HaPnim clerk is authorized to request or waive translations and additional documents
  3. If the above documents are not in Hebrew they may need to be translated to Hebrew by an Israeli notary, in addition to the apostille, where relevant.

In addition to the above documents, you will be asked to complete and submit all application forms that you will receive from the clerk for each family member.

1. The forms must be completed in Hebrew, unless specified in Hebrew and English
   
2. All of them must remain unsigned until the interview

Please contact us if you need help filling them out.

All documents must be originals. In case of civil documents that have been digitally issued and digitally apostilled, printed copies are sufficient.

• Passport: Make sure your passport is valid for at least one more year.
  Note: All passports need to be declared to the Jewish Agency at this time, including expired ones.
• Photo: Two printed photos (3.5 x 4.5 cm) that only include your face on a white background.
• Entry Visa: You need your entry visa to Israel and the renewal (if relevant)
• Background Check with Apostille:
  
  You need an official criminal background check or a certificate of good conduct certified by apostille issued by the government:
  1. of the country where you were born
  2. of any country where you resided after reaching the age of majority. This age varies from country to country
  3. The countries whose citizenship you currently hold

  Each country has its own procedure regarding the issue of such a certificate. You can find more information here.

  For the Shinui Ma’amad process, the criminal records are usually valid for 12 months from their date of issuance.

• Proof of Judaism - An original letter stating your eligibility status is required. The letter must be written in Hebrew and meet strict conditions. If you have converted, different documents will be requested.
  
  
  Note:

  1. Digital or archived versions or signatures are not accepted
  2. A Proof of Judaism letter from a community in Israel is not accepted
• Birth Certificate with Apostille: The document must be the original birth certificate from the country of birth and cannot be replaced by other certificates or identity cards or birth registration from other countries.
• Civil Status Certificate with Apostille:

  Shinui Ma’amad candidates are required to submit a document indicating their current civil status from their country of origin, which is valid for six months.

  In general, Israel recognizes four civil statuses: single, married, divorced, or widowed. You need to present whichever document is relevant to you from the following documents:

  1. Marriage Certificate with Apostille:
     You need to present your original Marriage Certificate issued by the government of the country where you got married, with an apostille
     

     Note: This document is not replaceable by a Ketubah – כתובה – Jewish marriage certificate.

     If in your country of origin the marriage certificate indicates what your civil status was before “married” (i.e. single, divorced etc.) - this should suffice.

     If the marriage certificate does not indicate your prior civil status, you will need to present a sworn declaration before an Israeli notary as to your civil status before your marriage. The Jewish agency should provide you with the document). You will need to check the following box: “I am married, before my current marriage my personal status was single (never married) /divorced/widowed (please circle the relevant status)”

     This document needs to be notarized.

  2. Single Status Certificate with Apostille:
     If you are single and have never been married, you must present a government-issued “Single Certificate”, issued in your country of origin.

     If your country does not issue this type of declaration, you must either present a sworn statement from your country of origin signed by a notary and apostilled, or a sworn statement before an Israeli notary without an apostille but with the red ribbon intact. The Jewish agency should provide you with the document. You will need to check the following box: “I am currently single, having never been married”

     The validity of this document is for 6 months.

  3. Divorced:
     If you are divorced, you need to present the non-Israeli divorce certificate with an Apostille. Additionally, you may also be requested to present a marriage certificate, which may not need to be apostilled.
     

     Note: This document is not replaceable by a Get - גט - Jewish divorce certificate.
  4. Widowed:
     If you are widowed, you must present your spouse’s death certificate from abroad with an Apostille in addition to your marriage certificate.

  If you were married more than once, you have to submit all relevant certificates (i.e. marriage/divorce or death certificates of your spouse).

  Please note:

  1. Civil documents cannot be replaced by religious ones.
  2. Each Oleh must submit their own forms filled out in Hebrew (unless specified in Hebrew and English). All of them should remain unsigned until the interview.