Who is a returning minor?

A returning minor is one who departed Israel with their parents before the age of 14, and who returned permanently to Israel at age 17 or over, provided they meet all of the following conditions cumulatively:

1. Period of residence abroad: At least four years, without interruption.
2. A stay in Israel that does not affect eligibility:

• Visits of less than four months in a year are not considered returning to Israel.
• For one who did compulsory service in the IDF or National Service – a stay in Israel of up to four months before and after the service is not considered returning to Israel.
• Study year: A stay in Israel for one study year at a recognized educational institution, or on a program of the Jewish Agency or youth movement, or at a pre-military academy. The study year will be added to the four years of the overseas stay, provided that the total duration of the overseas stay before and after this study period is at least 48 months.

3. Citizenship: The individual returned to Israel as an Israeli citizen, and on the date of return would be eligible for new immigrant status according to the Law of Return (1950), if they were not already an Israeli citizen.

4. IDF service: The returning minor must report to the IDF and produce a confirmation of reporting, or an exemption from reporting.

• Persons exempt from presenting authorization of reporting to the IDF, or exemption from reporting include:
  • Women aged 25 and over
  • Non-single women
  • Mothers of children
  • Men aged 50  and over

6. Parents' occupation abroad: The returning minor's parents were not employed overseas by one of the bodies listed below, and did not represent an Israeli body overseas during the five years prior to return. 

These bodies are:

• The State of Israel
• Any authority of the State of Israel, including government companies
• The World Zionist Organization or any of its associated bodies
• The Jewish Agency for Israel
• The Jewish National Fund
• Keren Hayesod
• The United Jewish Appeal
• The State of Israel Bonds
• A private or public Israeli employer, including a body registered outside Israel and meeting one of the following conditions:
  • The business is controlled and managed from Israel.
  • The name is the same as a corporation that was first registered in Israel.
  • The company name is the same (or substantially the same) as the name of the company in which the parent worked in Israel.

Required Documents: 

1. Confirmation of reporting at the IDF recruitment center or confirmation of exemption from IDF service or of deferral of service
2. Up-to-date identity card
3. Passport showing the date of departure from Israel before age 14
4. Passports or alternative documents showing uninterrupted residence abroad (authorization of study, annual school grade reports except for diplomas, official authorizations from the foreign income tax and social security authorities).
5. Passports showing the parents' departure dates (or alternative documents)
6. Verification of studies certifying a stay of up to one year in Israel (for persons that studied in Israel).

Customs: Information regarding Customs concessions can be obtained only at the Customs offices, and only information provided by the Customs Authority should be considered reliable.

Health insurance: Information regarding health insurance can be obtained at the National Insurance offices near your home.

Receiving Information and Assistance
 
Overseas: Information and assistance for returning to Israel can be obtained from the official aliyah emissaries (shlichim) at the Aliyah Centers of the Jewish Agency, however, final determination of status is made by the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and the Customs Authority in Israel.

In Israel: Information and guidance can be obtained at branch and district offices of the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption.  Information about Customs can be obtained from offices of the Customs Authority only.

Note!
A returning minor receives assistance as an immigrant from the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption only. For information on Customs and matters connected with other government ministries, you must consult with them directly. Information regarding assistance to returning minors for the purpose of academic studies can be found on the website of the Israel Student Authority.

Who is an immigrant citizen?

An immigrant citizen is a person who was born outside of Israel to a parent who is an Israeli citizen, and who would be eligible for new immigrant status according to the Law of Return, if they were not already an Israeli citizen.

Visits to Israel that do not affect eligibility:

1. Visits for a period of less than four months in a calendar year
2. A stay that ended at least seven years before the date of granting of immigrant citizen status
3. A stay of up to three consecutive or cumulative years during the seven years prior to the date of granting of  immigrant status
4. A stay in Israel as a diplomat of another country will not be counted if the individual was not issued an identity card.
5. A stay in Israel without one’s parents in the framework of the Jewish Agency's Institute for Youth Leaders from Abroad, the Machal IDF Volunteers program, or a Hesder Yeshiva program
6. A visit to Israel in the framework of a Masa Israel Journey program
7. IDF compulsory service or National Service (Sherut Leumi)
8. A stay in Israel of up to four months before conscription to the IDF and up to two months after conscription.

Eligibility period: From the day of receipt of an Israeli identity card.
Assistance: Assistance is identical to assistance to individuals with new immigrant status.

Required documents:

1. Passports or alternative documents showing the duration of  visits to Israel
2. Up-to-date identity card

Customs: Information on Customs Concessions can be obtained only at the Customs Authority offices, and only information provided by The Customs Authority should be considered reliable.

Health insurance: Information on health insurance can be obtained at the National Insurance offices near your home.

Information and Assistance
 
Overseas: Information and assistance for returning to Israel can be obtained from the official aliyah emissaries (shlichim) at the Aliyah Centers of the Jewish Agency; however, final determination of immigrant citizen status is made by the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and the Customs Authority in Israel.

Note! 
An immigrant citizen receives assistance as an immigrant from the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption only. For information on Customs and matters connected with other government ministries, you must consult with them directly. For further information about assistance, which is provided to all the populations served by the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, see the section on the categories of eligibility for assistance on the Ministry website.