Free Consultation
Immigration & Aliyah

What is a Teudat Zehut (Israeli ID card) and when does a new immigrant receive one?

A Teudat Zehut is Israel's mandatory national identity card, issued by the Population and Immigration Authority under the Population Registry Law 5725-1965. A new immigrant (oleh) is assigned an identity number on the day of Aliyah, receives a temporary ID document at Ben Gurion Airport, and later collects the permanent biometric card from a Population Authority office. It carries a unique nine-digit identity number used for banking, healthcare, taxes, and almost every official transaction in Israel.

The Teudat Zehut is the backbone of civil identity in Israel. It is issued to citizens and permanent residents aged 16 and over, and the Identity Card Carriage and Display Law requires holders to carry it and present it to authorities on request. The card records a person's nine-digit identity number (mispar zehut), which is permanent for life, together with a detachable appendix (sefach) listing address, marital status, and children. Since 2017 the standard card has been a biometric smart card. When a person completes Aliyah under the Law of Return, their status is registered in the Population Registry immediately, and the identity number is generated on that same day.

For a new immigrant, the practical sequence matters. On landing, olim are processed by the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and typically leave the airport with a temporary identity document and their number already assigned. The permanent biometric card follows after an appointment at a Population and Immigration Authority bureau (lishkat rishum ha'ochlosin), usually within a few weeks. That number is what unlocks the rest of the absorption process, including registering with a health fund (Kupat Holim), opening a bank account, and receiving absorption basket payments. Guard the number carefully, because identity theft using a leaked mispar zehut is a known problem. Note that the Teudat Zehut is distinct from the Israeli passport (darkon), which is a separate travel document.

⚖ In Practice
  • Governing law: Population Registry Law 5725-1965; Inclusion of Biometric Identification Means Law 5770-2009
  • Issuing authority: Population and Immigration Authority (Rashut HaOchlosin veHaHagira), Ministry of Interior
  • When issued to olim: identity number assigned on the day of Aliyah; temporary document at the airport, permanent biometric card within a few weeks
  • Who must hold one: Israeli citizens and permanent residents aged 16+; must be produced to authorities on demand
  • Cost: first card is issued free to new immigrants; a replacement costs approximately NIS 130 (2026)
  • Unlocks: health fund (Kupat Holim) registration, bank accounts, absorption basket payments, and a tax file

From the full guide: The Legal Guide to Making Aliyah

Related Questions

Related Guides

Need legal help with this topic?
Get a Free Consultation with Adv. Eli ShimonyPrepared under the direction of Adv. Eli Shimony, Eli Shimony Law Office · Editorial policy

← Browse all Q&A