Visas & Bituach Leumi
Your visa is your ticket to being recognized as a legal resident of Israel. When your visa expires, you lose your rights to all the benefits that come along with being a resident of Israel – including Bituach Leumi.
When your visa, or one of your children’s visas, nears expiration, you will probably get a warning letter from Bituach Leumi saying that your membership will be suspended shortly. Generally, Bituach Leumi gives a 45 day grace period from the day your visa expires before your Bituach Leumi benefits – both health insurance and monetary grants – will cease. Shortly thereafter, access to kupat cholim services is also cut off.
As difficult as it may be, stay on top of your family’s visas. Visas can be renewed around two months before they expire. Don’t wait until the last minute!
Most children’s passports, and therefore visas, last for a maximum of five years. Their passports must be renewed early enough to allow for time to get a new visa before – or soon after – the first one expires. Without a new visa, they will be without health insurance.
Notify Bituach Leumi when visas are updated
After renewing your visas, you must update Bituach Leumi. They will not be notified automatically. Make a copy of each new visa and label each one with the corresponding Bituach Leumi 77 number. Leave these copies in the mailbox outside the Bituach Leumi office located on Rechov Shimon Ben Shetach.
Alternatively, you can submit it online from the העלאת מסמכים section of your online account.
To submit online, choose:
נושא: ביטוח וגבייה
קטגורייה: פרטים אישיים
מסמך: מסמכים מזהים
In either event, be sure to follow up with a query (פנייה) from your online account, to ensure that it was received and updated.
To create an online account for Bituach Leumi follow the instructions here.
If you are a foreigner and do not possess a mispar zehut, you may create an online account using your Bituach Leumi number instead of a mispar zehut. In lieu of תאריך הנפקת תעודת הזהות, use the date of expiry of your most recent visa. If it has been a significant amount of time since your visas expired, you may be required to send dapei knisot v’yetziot to Bituach Leumi in addition to your renewed visas.
Please note: if you have renewed your passport, be sure to send a copy of the photo page of the new passport to Bituach Leumi as well , via one of the options mentioned above.