Israeli citizenship by repatriation

Who is eligible

• Jews - born to a Jewish mother or converted to Judaism.
• Children and grandchildren of Jews, even if not Jewish under the law themselves.
• Spouses of Jews, their children and grandchildren.

The right does not extend to a Jew who voluntarily adopted another religion. Documents are decisive: Jewish descent and the chain of kinship must be proved by certificates and archival records.

What changed in 2026

• The consular check is mandatory and takes place in your country of residence: the programme that let people arrive as tourists and change status in Israel has ended.
• Apostille is mandatory on all recently obtained duplicates, reissued certificates and statements.
• Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the consular check date.
• Tax reporting. For those who became Israeli residents from 1 January 2026, the exemption from declaring foreign income and assets was abolished, while the income itself remains tax-exempt for 10 years.

Documents for the consular check

• a valid international passport and internal passport;
• the applicant's birth certificate and documents linking them to the Jewish relative through each generation;
• proof of Jewish descent: birth certificates of parents and grandparents showing nationality, military papers, archival records;
• marriage, divorce and name change certificates;
• a police certificate for adults;
• for children, birth certificates and the other parent's consent if they are not moving.

Originals are presented at the check. Recently obtained duplicates and certificates must be apostilled.

What aliyah costs

• archive searches at civil registries and archives;
• apostilles on duplicates and certificates;
• translations if documents are in other languages;
• police certificates;
• the flight and first housing costs in Israel;
• our support, if you hand preparation to us.

The consular check and new immigrant status registration themselves are free. The cost depends most on how many archival documents must be found. A manager calculates the total in the chat.

Compare with all programs: second passport cost in 2026

First steps after arrival

• ID card and new immigrant status are issued at the airport or in the first days.
• Health fund. You choose a health fund and gain access to state healthcare.
• Bank. You open an Israeli account, into which the absorption basket is paid in instalments over the first months.
• Ministry of Aliyah and Integration. You register and get advice on benefits, Hebrew courses and employment.
• Hebrew courses for new immigrants are free and last several months.

The absorption basket: how much an immigrant receives

The size of the absorption basket depends on age and family composition. For a single adult immigrant in 2026 the guide figure is about 17,400-21,200 shekels, or $5,690-6,930 at the European Central Bank rate, rounded up. The money is paid in instalments: the first right after arrival, the rest over the first months into an Israeli bank account, so the account is opened in the first days.

Passport in the first year

Right after aliyah you receive a travel document (teudat maavar) instead of a full passport. A passport (darkon) can be obtained after a year if you spent at least 60% of the first year in Israel; otherwise another travel document is issued. Fewer countries recognise the travel document, so plan first-year trips in advance.

How to pass the consular check

The consul assesses not only whether documents exist but also whether they are reliable. Problems most often arise when:

• there is a gap in the chain of generations: no certificate links the applicant to the Jewish ancestor;
• the ancestor's nationality is not recorded in any document and indirect evidence is thin;
• documents were restored recently, with corrections or late entries on nationality, and raise doubts;
• surnames, first names and dates differ between documents without explanation;
• the applicant has a criminal record or concealed important facts at the interview.

With disputed documents the check drags on for months, and forgery closes the path to aliyah. So we build the file so that every link is backed by primary records, not only fresh certificates.

Those who, being Jewish, voluntarily converted to another religion are also refused.

Aliyah as a whole family

The Law of Return lets a whole family make aliyah: the right extends to the spouse, children and grandchildren of a Jew and their spouses, even if they have no Jewish roots themselves. Minor children travel with their parents on their file, while adult children submit their own forms but rely on the same documents about the ancestor. A spouse needs a marriage certificate; if the marriage is recent, the consul asks detailed questions about life together to make sure it is genuine.

The rights of the spouse and grandchildren arise through the family member with Jewish roots, so families go through the check together. If a child from a previous marriage leaves with one parent, the other parent's notarised consent or a court decision is required. We draw up a document list for each family member in advance so the check does not stall over a single certificate.

Taxes for new immigrants

• Foreign income - dividends, interest, rent, capital gains, foreign pensions - is exempt from Israeli tax for 10 years.
• Reporting. For those who became residents from 1 January 2026, the reporting exemption was abolished: foreign income and assets must be declared even if untaxed.
• Israeli income of 2026 immigrants is partly exempt: up to 600,000 shekels, about $195,932, in 2026 and up to 1 million shekels, about $326,552, in 2027.

See taxes in Israel.

Second citizenship and obligations

Israel allows dual citizenship. Some home countries require notice of a second citizenship within a set period: see the rules for specific nationalities below. Young immigrants are subject to call-up to the Israeli army: rules depend on age at aliyah and family status, so we check them in advance.

Rules for specific nationalities

Citizens of Russia must notify the Russian interior ministry of a second citizenship within 60 days of obtaining it.

The army after aliyah

Israel drafts citizens, including new immigrants, but the rules depend on age at arrival. Men arriving at 18-21 and women at 18-20 are drafted for a shortened term. Men over 21 and women over 20 are not drafted compulsorily, although they can volunteer. Army rules change, so for families with children of draft age we check ages and terms before filing.

Risks to know before aliyah

• The Law of Return is debated: proposals to change the grandchild clause arise periodically, and we follow the law.
• Document searches can take months, especially in archives abroad.
• Reporting of foreign income from 2026 adds obligations.
• Military service for young people.

Alternatives: other passports by descent

If you have no Jewish roots or cannot prove them, consider other programmes by descent:

Israel is the fastest of them: citizenship arises on the day of arrival, not after a multi-year queue.

• Latvian citizenship by descent - a European Union passport for descendants of Latvian citizens.
• Italian citizenship by descent - for descendants of Italians.
• Bulgarian citizenship by origin - for people of Bulgarian origin.

What changed and what we rely on

From 2026 the consular check takes place only in the country of residence, and status change inside Israel has ended. From 1 January 2026 new immigrants must declare foreign income and assets, while the 10-year tax exemption remains. Sources: the Law of Return, the consular section of the Israeli embassy, the Jewish Agency and the Israel Tax Authority; checked on 6 October 2026.

What aliyah gives

How to make aliyah: step by step

FAQ

150 countries visa-free with an Israeli passport