The rule that surprises people is not about documents but about how long your passport will be valid. Israel ties the validity of the darkon to how long you have held citizenship and how much of that time you have actually spent in the country. A ten-year passport generally requires at least five years of citizenship and around 65% of that time physically in Israel.
Quick facts
New citizens have in recent years received short-validity passports first, with longer ones following as the conditions are met. If you made aliyah recently and expect a ten-year book, check before planning around it.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Biometric passport | Consular tariff | Varies by validity granted |
| Travel document for non-qualifying citizens | Consular tariff | A different document |
| Emergency travel document | Consular tariff | One journey to Israel |
| Identity card matters | Consular tariff | Handled at the post |
| Payment | Money order or card | Confirm with your consulate |
All Israeli passports have been biometric since 2012, so an in-person appointment is unavoidable: fingerprints and a photograph are captured at the counter, abroad exactly as at home.
How to renew
- Identify the consulate covering your state, since each has its own system.
- Book through the appointment portal, allowing two to eight weeks of lead time.
- Bring your original identity card, not a copy.
- Bring the current or expired passport, or a police report if it was lost.
- Bring photographs to Israeli specification, 34 by 45 mm, no glasses.
- Attend for biometric capture and pay the tariff.
Required documents
- Original Israeli identity card.
- Current or expired Israeli passport.
- Immigrant certificate where you made aliyah and hold no prior passport.
- Two photographs to specification, with a signed declaration if a head covering is worn for religious reasons.
- Proof of U.S. residence.
- For minors: both parents present, or notarised consent.
Where to apply
At the embassy in Washington or the consulates general, which cover assigned states. Israel maintains one of the larger networks in the United States.
Consulate General of Israel Atlanta
View details →BostonConsulate General of Israel to New England
View details →ChicagoConsulate General of Israel
View details →HoustonConsulate General of Israel
View details →Los AngelesConsulate General of Israel
View details →MiamiIsraeli Consulate
View details →New YorkConsulate General of Israel
View details →San FranciscoConsulate General of Israel to the Pacific Northwest
View details →WashingtonThe Embassy of Israel to the United States
View details →Additional notes
Lost abroad
Under the passports legislation, consular officers can issue a temporary travel document permitting a single journey back to Israel, usually within one to three business days. It is not a biometric passport and is not for general travel.
The identity card original
Consulates ask for the original card. Applicants who left it in Israel are turned away, and it cannot be replaced from abroad in time for the appointment.
Book early
Appointment availability, not processing, is usually the binding constraint. Book as soon as you know you need to renew.
Photographs are Israeli size
34 by 45 mm, not the American two-inch square. Ask the photographer for Israeli specification specifically.