6–12 months before: build the plan before the paperwork controls you
If you have complex tax affairs, this is the right time to get cross-border tax advice — before residency changes or asset transfers.
Read the step-by-step Aliyah process · Financial planning guide
3–6 months before: finish documents and legal requirements
Do not rely on a generic internet checklist. Use the document list issued for your own Aliyah file. Common items include passports, birth and marriage records, proof of eligibility, police clearances and documents supporting name changes or family status. Apostilles/authentication may be required.
2–4 months before: make the money move safely
1–3 months before: decide how much housing certainty you actually need
Renting an apartment sight unseen can reduce arrival stress, but it can also lock you into the wrong neighborhood. If possible, use temporary accommodation first unless school registration or another family requirement makes an address essential.
If you have children: school registration can dictate the move
Ministry of Education guidance says public kindergarten and school registration is handled through the local authority where the child lives. The 2026 registration period for the 2026/27 school year ran from 19 January to 8 February 2026, but late-arriving Olim should contact the municipal education department directly.
Because school placement is local, housing and school decisions should be coordinated rather than made independently.
1–2 months before: shipping and customs
The Tax Authority's current guide generally gives eligible Olim a three-year customs-benefit period and tax-free treatment on qualifying household effects within the rules. The Ministry rights guide refers to up to three qualifying shipments.
If bringing a dog or cat: start early
Israel's current pet-import procedure requires health compliance before travel. For up to two dogs/cats traveling with their owner, an import-license exemption may be possible if all conditions are met.
Current Ministry guidance includes microchipping, rabies vaccination and a rabies-antibody test in the standard route, plus an official veterinary certificate issued within 10 days before departure and advance notification to Israel. The Ministry says animals may only travel after receiving the required approval.
Final week: create your hand-luggage folder
Keep these documents with you. Do not put the core Aliyah file into checked baggage or a shipping container.
Arrival day at Ben Gurion
Eligible Olim arriving through the standard process are received by the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration. Current government guidance says the airport process can include Teudat Oleh/eligibility documentation, identity documentation, health-fund registration authorization, bank-account paperwork, initial Sal Klita assistance and transport to the first residence.
First week in Israel
Official first-steps guidance notes that both spouses should generally be present when opening a joint bank account and that banks may request an overseas tax identification number.
First 30 days
The Ministry's My Aliyah app is specifically designed to guide new Olim through tasks in the first months.
Driving: do not wait until your foreign licence becomes a problem
The Ministry of Transport has a specific foreign-licence conversion service for new immigrants and returning residents. Older Ministry guidance states that new Olim may drive on a qualifying foreign licence for one year and should convert within the applicable eligibility window; current conversion requirements should be checked directly on the Ministry service before relying on older printed guidance.