Guidance

Living in Israel and the OPTs

Essential information for British nationals residing in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published
28 January 2014
Last updated
12 October 2023 — See all updates

This guide sets out essential information for British nationals residing in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), including advice on health, education, benefits, residence requirements and more. We are unable to provide any guidance on general lifestyle enquiries beyond the information and links listed below.

See our information on what consulates can and cannot do for British nationals, under Our Services.

This information supplements the Travel Advice for Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Conflict since 7 October 2023

We advise against all but essential travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and against all travel to some locations there.

If you’re a British national living in Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories, you should:

Before you go

See our travel advice to Israel and the OPTs for up-to-date information on entry requirements, local laws and customs, safety and emergencies.

See also moving and retiring abroad.

Social ethics and traditions

Israel is a culturally and religiously diverse society and people feel strongly about their beliefs and customs. It is important for visitors to be aware of this at all times.

For example, it is not wise to enter or drive in ultra-orthodox Jewish neighbourhoods in Jerusalem on Shabbat (Saturday). Some roads and communities are closed to all vehicular traffic from Friday sundown to after Saturday sundown – please check before travelling.

Moreover, shops and services such as transportation are also generally shut during the main religious festivals (e.g., Passover, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur). Check when such holidays are meant to take place as the dates change every year.

It is also important to be sensitive when taking pictures of people in Muslim areas, the military or police anywhere. All travellers who are new to the area should get a good guidebook which covers these and other local sensitivities.

Modest dress is advised in generally religious conservative areas, such as Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, the Old City in Jerusalem, the West Bank and especially Gaza.

Entry and residency requirements

Visit our Travel Advice page for information on the different entry requirements for both Israel and the OPTs. For airports and border terminals please visit the Israel Airports Authority. Information on the crossing points in the OPTs and the District Liaison Offices can be accessed here.

If you are making Aliyah, information can be found on the Aliyah and integration section of the Israeli Government Portal and Jewish Agency.

Everyone living in Israel will be issued with a mandatory Identity Card (Teudat Zehut) issued by the Ministry of the Interior. For further information on residency requirements see the websites of the Israel Embassy in London.

For living in the OPTs please check here on procedures for entry of foreign nationals in the West Bank. For residency matters, visit the website of the Palestinian Ministry of Interior.

Passports and travel

You can apply for or renew your British passport from Israel and the OPTs. The British Embassy in Tel Aviv and the British Consulate in Jerusalem do not issue passports – only UK Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs).

If you are in need of a UK Emergency Travel Document (ETD), please apply here. Note that UK Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) are not valid for entry into Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories unless the holder is a returning resident. However, ETDs are accepted for airside transit and exit from Israel.

Check the Israel travel advice for passport validity requirements.

The Israeli police may conduct identification checks; it is recommended to bring a photo ID with you (but not necessarily your passport) at all time.

Name changes

If you change your name in Israel after making Aliyah, or change your name in the OPTs, please note that the name(s) of your British passport needs to match the name(s) as displayed on your Israeli passport. Please see change your name or personal details on your passport.

Children travelling from Israel

Minors (under 18 years old) exiting Israel alone should carry a locally issued notarised letter as advised by external firms.

For exiting the OPTs, please refer to the Palestinian Authorities at the following addresses:

Healthcare in Israel and the OPTs

Before travelling to Israel and the OPTs please visit the Health section of our Travel Advice.

For information on accessing healthcare, please visit the Ministry of Health websites for Israel and the OPTs.

The NHS has also information for people moving abroad.

Healthcare in Israel and the OPTs is not free and any form of medical treatment can be expensive. Check that you have full insurance cover for emergency treatment, hospitalisation and medical evacuation to the UK. If you cannot obtain cover for a specific illness, ensure that extra funds can be sent to you easily. Hospitals will insist on payment and may take legal action to delay departure until bills are settled.

The UK has a limited agreement with Israel that just provides healthcare in the case of industrial accidents for a person entitled to receive industrial injuries benefits. The agreement does not extend to a wider reciprocal healthcare cover and only applies in rare circumstances.

Travel insurance is also not intended to cover healthcare costs if you live overseas. You can buy private medical insurance for UK expatriates. You can also buy insurance from local providers overseas. You should always check policies carefully, including seeing whether you could transfer medical cover if you re-locate to other countries in future.

If you also have Israeli citizenship, you will be eligible for a healthcare fund.

For a list of English-speaking medical providers in Israel, click here.

If you live in the OPTs, please check with the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

Guidance on bringing medication into Israel

For information and advice about bringing medication into Israel please contact the Israeli Ministry of Health or the Israeli Embassy in London.

You should also read our guidance on travelling with medicines.

Working in Israel and the OPTs

For information on employment in Israel and on applying for a work permit please visit the Labour and Employment Information from the Israeli Government Portal. Application processing times vary and you should only make travel arrangements once your permit has been issued.

If you need a good conduct certificate from the UK, you should apply through the ACRO Criminal Records Office. In order to get it legalised, you need to apply with the Legalisation Office.

Any academic qualification necessary for local employment needs to be legalised in the UK.

Studying in Israel and the OPTs

For information about education please visit the Ministry of Education websites for Israel and the OPTs.

In order to study in Israel, international students will need an A/2 student visa. Applications should be submitted to the Israeli embassy or consulate in your home country.

Contact the relevant higher education provider in Israel to check what fees you have to pay.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) also provides scholarships for international students. To know more, click here.

Professional and academic qualifications

You may need to get your professional qualification recognised if you want to work in a profession that is regulated in Israel.

For student visas in the OPTs please check the following information.

For recognition of UK educational qualifications and details of their verification services, check with the British Council in Israel and the OPTS.

See also a list of certified translators if you need to have your qualification officially translated.

Money and banking

For more information regarding the banking system in Israel and monetary policy visit the Bank of Israel website.

Requirements to open a bank account in Israel vary among banks, but generally you will need to present your passport, a second piece of ID and any immigration paper you may have. Note, however, that opening a bank account as a non-Israeli citizen can be very difficult.

Tax

The UK has a double taxation agreement with Israel so that you do not pay tax on the same income in both countries. Ask the relevant tax authority your questions about double taxation relief.

You should seek professional advice on paying tax in Israel from a lawyer. Find an English-speaking lawyer in Israel.

The Israeli Tax Authority website also includes information about personal import taxes, commercial import taxes, VAT and customs related issues, and additional useful information about taxation in Israel.

Read also guidance on:

Benefits

The National Insurance Institute is responsible for the social security of only residents of Israel and does not provide social welfare benefits to non-Israeli nationals. As a non-Israeli holding a working visa/permit, you may still have to pay for social security.

Find out what benefits you might be able to get while abroad and how to claim them by visiting Benefits if you’re abroad on gov.uk.

In the UK, you may need to tell the relevant government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax that you’re moving or retiring abroad.

See also claiming benefits if you live, move or travel abroad.

Many income-related benefits such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit cannot be paid if you are abroad for more than 4 weeks.

Victims of terrorism

If you are a victim of terrorism, you may be entitled to a relief scheme. See further information on the British Red Cross website.

Also check the Victims of Overseas Terrorism Compensation Scheme. Applicants must be eligible under the rules of the Scheme. If family members injured in an attack would also like to submit applications, further information can be found on gov.uk at this page https://www.gov.uk/compensation-victim-terrorist-attack.

Pensions

If you retire in Israel from the UK, check the State pension if you retire abroad page and the new State Pension.

If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you need to respond as soon as possible – your payments may be suspended if you don’t.

Driving in Israel and the OPTs

New immigrants, tourists, temporary residents and returning citizens (who have resided overseas continuously for at least one year) may drive in Israel using their valid foreign licence, for a period of one year from their date of entry into Israel.

A green card is proof that you have vehicle insurance when driving abroad. You need to carry a green card to prove you have the minimum insurance cover in Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories.

For more information, see driving abroad and road travel in Israel

Visit the Driving in Israel page of the Israeli government portal for services such as renewing your driver’s licence or converting a foreign driving licence to an Israeli one.

See also how to pay for a traffic fine in Israel.

If you wish to take your vehicle with you, see guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.

Voting

See voting when you’re abroad.

British citizens living abroad can vote in some UK elections – you’ll need to register as an overseas voter.

If you are also an Israeli citizen, you can check your eligibility to vote in Israeli local and national elections.

Births

If your child is born in Israel you should register the birth with the local authorities and request a birth certificate.

You can then register with the UK authorities and apply for a UK birth certificate.

If your child has British nationality, you do not need to register the birth with the UK authorities to apply for a British passport.

See also guidance on how to register a child who was born abroad with the Israeli authorities.

Deaths

See what to do after someone dies.

If someone dies in Israel read our guidance on:

Getting married

In Israel, if you are Jewish, you can only get married with the rabbinate; if you are Christian, you can only get married in a church; if you are Muslim, you can only get married with a religious ceremony. There is no civil marriage in Israel. Marriages performed abroad or remotely from Israel must be registered with the Israeli government.

If you want your marriage recognised in the UK, see getting married abroad for information and on how to book an appointment for an affidavit or affirmation of marital status for Israel.

Additional services can also be found on the marriage and common-law marriage of the Israeli government website.

Property and property disputes

There are risks involved when purchasing land in territory occupied by Israel, such as East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Golan. Potential purchasers should be aware that a future peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, or between Israel and Syria, could have consequences on property they purchase in these areas. The FCDO does not offer legal advice or become involved in private property disputes.

For guidance, see buying a property abroad.

See also the construction and housing section on the Israeli government website.

Pets

See travelling with pets.

If you need to bring your pet to the UK, check bringing your pet to Great Britain.

Emergencies

Israel uses:

  • 100 - police
  • 101 – ambulance
  • 102 – fire brigade
  • 104 – home front command

OPTs uses:

  • 100 – police
  • 101 – ambulance
  • 102 – civil defence

For any information on security and emergency situations in Israel, check the Israeli government website.

If you’re the victim of crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis, contact the British Embassy in Tel Aviv or the British Consulate in Jerusalem. See a list of English-speaking lawyers and translators in Israel and the OPTs.

If you have been the victim of a rape or sexual assault in Israel, read the guidance on what to do and where to get support in cases of rape and sexual assault.

For the OPTs please see: information for victims of rape and sexual assault in the OPTs.

Read the guidance on international parental child abduction if your child may be at risk of this.

Returning to the UK

Tell the UK and Israeli authorities if you are returning to the UK permanently and read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on bringing family members, tax and access to services.

See tax if you return to the UK.

To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre.

If you need to bring your pet to the UK, check bringing your pet to Great Britain.

Useful information

Support for British nationals abroad: a guide sets out how to stay safe abroad, and explains how the FCDO can support you if you get into difficulty.

Disclaimer

This information is provided as a general guide and is based upon information provided to the embassy/consulate by the relevant local authorities and may be subject to change at any time with little or no notice. The FCDO and the British embassy/consulate will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information. British nationals wishing to obtain any further information must contact the relevant local authority.

Published 28 January 2014
Last updated 12 October 2023 + show all updates

  1. Updated with information about how to find guidance in the current conflict.

  2. Document updated 12 July 2023.

  3. Coronavirus links updated with information on vaccines abroad for UK nationals

  4. This site was updated on 1 July 2020.

  5. First published.

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