Israeli passports soon to be renewable online

The Knesset today passed the second and third reading of a law requiring the Ministry of Interior to issue ID cards and passports over the Internet. The law, which is a temporary order for six months, is expected to come into effect on April 30. In this way Minister of Interior Moshe Arbel and the Population and Immigration Authority hope to end the long lines and waiting times that have plagued the issuing of passports and ID cards in recent years.

However, the new services will not be available to everybody. Only Israelis aged 18 and above who already hold a biometric ID card, which permits use with fingerprints, and holders of passports with less than one year remaining or, which has expired over the previous six months, will be eligible for the online service. In addition, the person requesting service must be in Israel when submitting the application. The passport or ID card will be sent directly to the applicant’s home and will be valid for five years.

The six month temporary order will likely be extended for a further six months before the results of the pilot project are examined and a decision taken on whether to continue the service.

Arbel said, “This is a dramatic step by the Ministry of Interior and the Population and Immigration Authority to meet the needs of citizens and provide a solution for a large part of the population who will not have to set foot in the bureaus and will be able to order a passport or ID card without leaving the house. We set the goal of improving the service to the citizens of Israel and I am happy about another step being promoted in this national mission.”

Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on March 19, 2024.

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