Dual Citizens and the Israeli Passport Rule: Entering and Leaving Israel

In short: under the Passports Law, an Israeli citizen presents an Israeli passport or Israeli travel document when entering and leaving Israel, and under the Nationality Law, an Israeli citizen who is also a foreign national is regarded as an Israeli citizen for the purposes of Israeli law. As an exceptional measure, until 31 December 2026, the Population and Immigration Authority allows Israeli citizens to enter and leave on a valid foreign passport. According to the Consulate of Israel in Chicago, in these cases there is no need to submit an ETA application, but you must carry your Israeli passport, even if it is not valid.

The Rule: Citizens Travel on an Israeli Passport

Section 2A of the Passports Law of 1952 provides: "an Israeli citizen shall present, when entering and when leaving Israel, before a border control officer, an Israeli passport or an Israeli travel document". Under the same section, the Minister may, in special circumstances, approve entry and exit on another passport or travel document.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses, on the page of the Embassy of Israel in Washington, that it is the duty of every Israeli citizen under the law to always enter and leave Israel with an Israeli travel document. On the same page: every Israeli citizen staying abroad, minor or adult, must always carry a valid Israeli travel document, and the travel documents the State issues to its citizens are the property of the State.

Who Is an Israeli Citizen

The Nationality Law lists seven ways Israeli citizenship is acquired: return (immigration under the Law of Return), residence in Israel, birth, birth and residence in Israel, adoption, naturalisation and grant.

Under section 4 of the law, a citizen by birth is anyone born in Israel to a father or mother who is an Israeli citizen, and also anyone born outside Israel to a father or mother who is an Israeli citizen by return, by residence in Israel, by naturalisation, by adoption, or by birth in Israel. A parent who was also born abroad and holds citizenship only by birth is not on that list, so does not pass citizenship by birth to a child born abroad.

A child born abroad is registered in the Population Registry. According to the Population Authority, parents living abroad can apply at the Israeli mission nearest their home, and the service is free of charge. The birth certificate must be original, translated and authenticated: with an apostille if it was issued in a country that is party to the Apostille Convention, and by consular authentication if not.

The Foreign-Passport Allowance, Until 31.12.2026

As an exceptional measure, until 31 December 2026, the Population and Immigration Authority allows Israeli citizens who hold a valid foreign passport to leave and enter Israel on that foreign passport. The allowance has been extended several times, and the latest extension was announced in August 2026.

The page of the Embassy of Israel in Washington says that airlines may choose not to allow boarding with an expired travel document, and that this should be checked with the airline.

Biometric Passport vs. a Mission Passport

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a biometric passport is issued only in Israel, for up to 10 years. Israeli missions abroad issue an ordinary, non-biometric passport for up to 5 years or according to eligibility, and do not renew biometric passports. ID cards are issued only in Israel and cannot be issued or renewed at a mission.

According to the Consulate in Atlanta, an Israeli passport can also be renewed during a stay in Israel, at the Population and Immigration Authority, with an appointment made in advance.

Getting an Israeli Passport Abroad

The service is provided by Israeli missions abroad, and the rules vary from mission to mission. According to the page of the Embassy of Israel in Washington:

• An adult (from age 18) can generally renew a passport by mail, without coming to the mission.
• A citizen who has not visited Israel in the past 10 years must come in person.
• Anyone who has never held an Israeli passport or travel document does not send an application by mail, but first contacts the consular department by email.
• To renew a passport for a minor (up to age 18), the minor comes with the parents. If both parents are registered in the Population Registry as married to each other, one parent is enough.
• In person, the passport is issued on the spot as far as possible. By mail, the embassy recommends allowing 3-4 weeks for the whole process.

At the Consulate in Toronto, by contrast, anyone applying for an Israeli passport or travel document for the first time, at any age, must come in person, and to extend a minor's travel document the minor comes with one of the parents.

This article is general information only, and dates and procedures change. Where it conflicts with the law, the law prevails.

Sources: the Passports Law, the Nationality Law, the Population and Immigration Authority, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Embassy of Israel in Washington and the Consulates in Chicago, Atlanta and Toronto).