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Immigration & Aliyah

Do new immigrants in Israel have to give biometric data for an ID card or passport?

Yes. Every Israeli identity card and passport issued today is a biometric smart document under the Inclusion of Biometric Identification Means Law 5770-2009, and a new immigrant collecting a first teudat zehut (identity card) goes through the same enrollment as any other citizen. Enrollment happens in person at a Population and Immigration Authority branch and captures a digital facial image. Providing fingerprints is voluntary under the current arrangement, and declining does not delay the document. Foreign nationals holding a visa or a residency permit rather than citizenship are not enrolled in the national biometric database.

The 2009 statute created two things: a chip embedded in the document that carries the holder’s biometric identifiers, and a separate national database managed by a dedicated authority within the Ministry of the Interior. The law defines who may query the database, for what purposes, and how long records are retained, and it makes unauthorized access a criminal offense. Amendments passed since the database became permanent narrowed the scope of what must be given, so that the facial image is compulsory while fingerprint enrollment is offered as a choice. The smart document itself is what allows an Israeli citizen to use automated border control and most government e-services.

In practice an oleh lands with a teudat oleh (immigrant certificate) and a temporary paper identity document, and the biometric card follows after an appointment at a Population Authority branch. Book that appointment in the first weeks, because banks, health funds and the Land Registry all work from the identity number and many will not open a file on the temporary document alone. Bring the immigrant certificate, the foreign passport and proof of address. A first identity card is issued without charge; passports and replacement cards carry fees. Our guide to getting your Israeli ID card as a new immigrant walks through the appointment itself.

⚖ In Practice
  • Governing law: Inclusion of Biometric Identification Means and Biometric Identification Data in Identity Documents and in an Information Database Law 5770-2009, as amended
  • Competent authority: Population and Immigration Authority (Rashut HaOchlusin VeHaHagira); the database is administered by the Biometric Database Management Authority
  • Fees: a first identity card is issued free of charge; a replacement card costs approximately NIS 130 and an adult biometric passport approximately NIS 175 on the standard track (2026)
  • Timeline: the smart card is normally produced and mailed within about 10 business days of enrollment
  • Scope: the facial image is compulsory and is stored both on the chip and in the national database; fingerprint enrollment is voluntary

From the full guide: Teudat Zehut: Getting Your Israeli ID Card as a New Immigrant

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Get a Free Consultation with Adv. Eli ShimonyPrepared under the direction of Adv. Eli Shimony, Eli Shimony Law Office · Editorial policy

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