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Starting the partnership visa process (also known as the gradual process) in Israel calls for the submission of “תיעוד עדכני של המוזמן, מקורי, מאומת ובמידת הצורך גם מתורגם”, or in English: “up-to-date documents of the invitee, original, authenticated and, if necessary, also translated”.
It means that in order to start the Israeli partner visa process, you’ll have to provide some official documents from the country of origin of the foreign partner. These documents are often referred to as “The threshold documents”, and are applicable to both married and non-married couples. Without them, your visa application will not be processed.
The authenticated documents needed to start the partnership visa process in Israel are:
- Birth Certificate
- Name Change Certificate – When applicable – only if you changed your first/last name in the past.
- Personal Status Certificate (current/previous) –
- Non-married couples – a single status certificate, or a divorced/widowed certificate when applicable.
- Married couples – a certificate of previous personal status from before the marriage (single / divorced / widowed) AND a recent certificate of current personal status – even if the marriage was not registered (read more here)
- A marriage conducted in the home country of the non-Israeli partner may cover these two requirements inside the marriage certificate itself.
- Police Certificate (Non-Criminal Record)
- Marriage Certificate (for married couples)
What if I’m a dual citizen/lived in multiple countries?
In case the non-Israeli partner lived in a country that isn’t their country of citizenship for more than 6 consecutive months* – they will need to present a Police Certificate from this additional country of residence as well.
In addition, PIBA may require a personal status certificate from additional countries of residence.
These requirements may also apply to people with dual citizenship.
*New 2024 update. Read more here.
What does “authenticated” mean?
Every official certificate or document, that was issued by a foreign country, has to be authenticated in order to have validity when presented outside of the issuing country. For example, a certificate issued in Germany, will only be valid in Israel if it has been authenticated.
The authentication can ONLY done by the issuing country! The authentication CANNOT be done in Israel! (only documents issued in Israel can be authenticated by Israel).
Many countries, have agreed on one “easy” way to authenticate official documents and certificates. This is what we know as “apostille”. Getting an Apostille seal is the way to authenticate documents, between two countries that are signed on the Hague Convention (Apostille). Israel is one of the convention countries, and therefore will accept authentication done by apostille seal from fellow convention countries.
In the case that the foreign country is not a member of the Hague Convention (Apostille), the authentication is done differently by “signature chain” (שרשרת חתימות). The document will have to be signed by the issuing authority, then by the ministry of foreign affairs in the issuing country, and then by the Israeli consulate at the issuing country.
What if I’m missing a document?
In case you are missing a document, a translation, or authentication of one of the above certificates, you should be notified about the missing documents and given 45 days to provide them. The notification should arrive both by email and post.
In case you failed the provide the missing document within the 45-day time frame, PIBA can close your file.
You can ask for an extension to the 45-day period. Keep in mind that PIBA will not continue processing your application until you complete the missing documentation.
Attention! Some branches have been known to close applications that are missing the Official Documentation without giving a 45-day period to complete them. It is highly advisable to not apply for the partner visa before you have ALL the necessary documentation ready.
Apart from these official certifications, when applying for the Israeli partner visa, you’ll also need to present a number of other documents, proving the integrity of your relationship, and a center of life in Israel. Here’s a list of the other documents you will need to submit in your online application: List of Required Documents for the Partner Visa Application.
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In an immense community effort, we’ve gathered information on how to obtain the necessary documentation from over 25 countries around the world! Find the instructions for your country below. This is your first step on your way to a partner visa.
Your country doesn’t appear here? It means we still didn’t find a volunteer to write about it! We would love your help. Contact us!
Adv. Lior Beres
Articles: 10423 Comments
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Would love to have information about the acquisition of the required documents for Turkish citizens.
Thank you for your immense efforts and support for the community of international couples:)
Thank you for your support!
Definitely, we are working on getting information about as many countries as possible.
Hi, What is the expiration date of the birth certificate? thank you!!
There isn’t an official validity period for a birth ceritificate in the protocols of PIBA. Being a “static” document (the data cannot change), the expiry of a birth certificate is less strictly checked. A safe bet however would be 6 months since it was issued (unless it’s the original of course).
Are all of the documents above should be translated and appostiled?
All official certificates/documents from abroad must be authenticated by the issuing country (by apostille or in the consular authentication way, for countries who don’t use apostilles).
About translation, please read here in Step 2: https://aic.org.il/partner-visa-in-israel-step-by-step-guide-to-your-first-visa/
Is there a recommendation on how current the criminal background check should be at the time we start the gradual process? For the US the approximate wait time is 10-11 weeks. We’ll be starting the process sometime in the next 6 months-1 year and I’m currently in the US so I’m wondering if I should go ahead and get it done?
Not a recommendation, but a requirement. The criminal background certificate must be recent from the last 6 months.
Hy Lior. What if the criminal background is older than 6 months but meanwhile the person didn’t go back to e.g. Germany. Do I still have to apply for a new document?
Thank you for your response.
Hello Adrian, it’s a tricky situation. If the person did not leave Israel PIBA might agree to “push” the expiration and accept an older document, but I would not count on it. You can try to submit the application with the old certificate but at the same time do start working on issuing a recent certificate.
Hi, thank you for putting this together. The 6 month period is from the date you submitted the request online? Or should we take into consideration how long the process might take.
Appreciate your kind response
Hello, there aren’t clear instructions on this matter in the official policy and procedures. In theory the certificates should be up to 6 months old in the moment of submission, but we recommend submitting them as soon as possible to avoid claims by PIBA about their validity down the road.
A couple of questions:
– Does the criminal background certificate need to be at federal level or it can be more local? I’m asking because I’m in New York and we can also have a Certificate of Conduct proving no criminal history in the city.
– I’m married but I see that I also need a ‘previous single personal status certificate’ and I didn’t find a standard way of getting something like this here. Is this really necessary? Should I ask at clerk office to create some document confirming that I was single before getting married?
Have you checked our article about documentation from the United States? I believe you will find your answers there 🙂
https://aic.org.il/official-documentation-from-the-usa/
Hi! My partner and I are going to translate original documents in Israel.
Is confirmation of documents with an apostille in the partner’s country a prerequisite?
On the page https://aic.org.il/partner-visa-in-israel-step-by-step-guide-to-your-first-visa/ it says that “For notarized translations done abroad to be valid in Israel , they have to be apostilled themselves, which might complicate the process”.
We thought that we could not independently confirm the documents with an apostille if we translate them in Israel.
Thanks
All official certificates/documents from abroad must be authenticated by the issuing country (by apostille or in the consular authentication way, for countries who don’t use apostilles).
If you translate the documents in Israel, you will still need an apostille for the certificate itself, you will not need apostille for the translation. So in total: certificate + its apostille + translation (in Israel).
Thank you so much!
I am an Israeli. What documents do I need to provide? For example Personal Status Certificate
In general, as the Israeli side you don’t need to present the above personal certificates (PIBA has access to this information about you). You might be required to present a divorce certificate/agreement (if applicable).
Thanks!
Hey 🙂
For how long are the three documents valid?
Hi! The only document that has a “designated” validity according to the protocols is the police certificate which has to be from the last 6 months, as the article says. The rest of the certificates don’t have a required validity, the procedure calls for them being “up to date”. The usual enforced requirement would normally be 6 months as well. Pay attention that “static” documents such as birth certificate are more likely to be accepted even if older (and of course, the original will be accepted too).
Hi,
I’m from the UK and trying to get the partner visa with my boyfriend in Israel. I haven’t been married before and we don’t plan to get married soon, so is there an alternative document other than the ‘CNI’? (Personal Status Certificate) As the CNI is for if you are getting married in another country
Thanks