Receive Your Israeli Residency Permit
Want to reside in Israel legally? First, you must get your Israeli residency permit situated to avoid unpleasantries with the law. Obviously there are different criteria for temporary and permanent Israeli residency. You can learn more about them below. However, if you qualify under the Law of Return we recommend you review the Aliyah to Israel section.
Temporary residency in Israel
To receive an A-5 visa, which is also called a temporary residency permit in Israel you must submit an application to the Ministry of Interior. Once granted, the A5 visa gives you legal status, an Israeli ID (Teudat Zehut) and some of the same benefits as an Israeli citizen. These benefits include social security benefits, health insurance, and other social services. The temporary residence A-5 visa is valid for 1 year and consequently, you must renew it every year. The Ministry of the Interior may grant A-5 visas as a first step to obtaining a permanent residency in Israel. Read more about permanent residency below.
Permanent residency in Israel
As the name suggests, Israel’s permanent residency visa is permanent and doesn’t require any renewals. The holder of Israeli permanent residency enjoys the same benefits as any citizen. Some of these benefits include health insurance, social benefits, and more. Its mportant to realize that permanent residency does not make you a citizen and therefore you do not qualify for an Israeli passport. The main difference between a permanent residence and citizenship comes down to 2 things:
If you want to upgrade your permanent residency to full citizenship, check out the 5 main ways to obtain Israeli citizenship by clicking here.