Bituach Leumi — Registration for Olim and Visa Holders

Source: btl.gov.il · 2026-05

What is Bituach Leumi? Bituach Leumi is Israel’s National Insurance Institute. It provides insurance and social security coverage to people living in Israel. Through Bituach Leumi, members gain access to healthcare through one of four health funds known as kupot cholim. Benefits of Bituach Leumi include:

Full health insurance, including free kupat cholim membership, coverage for childbirth, and hospitalization Coverage for preexisting medical conditions

Note: Some kupot cholim offer tourist plans for non-members, but these provide only partial coverage. They do not cover births, and most preexisting conditions are excluded.

Financial grants and allowances such as the maanak leidah (childbirth grant), kitzvat yeladim (monthly child allowance), maternity pay, disability payments, and unemployment benefits.

Note: Having complete health coverage is essential for anyone living in Israel. Applying for Bituach Leumi as soon as you become eligible is strongly recommended.

Who is Eligible for Bituach Leumi? There are two main groups of people who qualify:

Israeli citizens who live in Israel Holders of certain A-category visas, including:

A/1 (temporary residents) A/2 (students at Torah institutions only) A/4 (family members of A/2 visa holders)

Note: People on B-category visas — such as tourists (B/2) or foreign workers (B/1) — are not eligible for Bituach Leumi.

Note: Full Bituach Leumi services are available only to registered members. However, people who are employed in Israel and have Bituach Leumi payments deducted from their salary may still qualify for work-related benefits such as maternity pay, even without full membership.

Registration For Israeli Citizens

Israeli citizens born in Israel to parents who are Bituach Leumi members are automatically registered at birth. Olim are registered once their Aliyah process is complete. Returning Israeli citizens (a toshav chozer or katin chozer) must re-establish residency (toshavut) before becoming eligible.

To re-establish residency:

If you do not have a teudat zehut (Israeli ID card), obtain one. Schedule an appointment at https://govisit.gov.il Bring the following:

Israeli passport (if you have one) Foreign passport Proof of marital status with an apostille (or Israeli ishur nisuin): this could be a marriage or divorce certificate, a spouse’s death certificate, or proof of single status Spouse’s ID, if applicable

Go to Misrad Haklita (the Ministry of Absorption). They will confirm your status as a katin chozer or toshav chozer.

To initiate contact with Misrad Haklita, fill out their online form to establish your status. They typically get back to you within 1–2 weeks to schedule an appointment. You can also call to make an appointment directly:

1-599-500-923 (Jerusalem residents) 03-973-3333 (all other locations)

Misrad Haklita will tell you which documents to bring. These generally include:

Proof of property sale abroad Employment termination letter Proof of bank account closure abroad Israeli rental or home purchase contract Israeli bank account details Utility bills in your name

If you qualify, Misrad Haklita will issue a teudat zaka’ut — a certificate of eligibility listing the benefits you are entitled to.

A note on the toshav chozer: A toshav chozer does not need to wait for Misrad Haklita to finalize their status before activating Bituach Leumi membership. Once you have an updated teudat zehut, contact Bituach Leumi directly. Complete the BL628 form and send it along with supporting documents through the שליחת מסמכים section on Bituach Leumi’s homepage. A toshav chozer faces a waiting period of up to 6 months before healthcare and benefits take effect. This waiting period starts from the date residency is re-established. There is an option to skip this waiting period by paying a fee (currently 15,060 NIS), which can be paid on Bituach Leumi’s website.

Tip: Do NOT move to Israel without private health insurance to cover yourself during this waiting period.

A katin chozer (returning minor) has no waiting period and is entitled to benefits immediately upon establishing residency with Misrad Haklita.

Registration For Foreigners on an A-Category Visa To be eligible to register, you must meet both of these conditions:

Have been physically present in Israel for at least 183 days within the last 12 months

Note: These days do not need to be consecutive, and they do not need to have been spent on a visa.

Hold a currently valid A-category visa

Note: Student visas are only accepted from Torah learning institutions.

Once you have accumulated 183 days in Israel within a 12-month period and hold a valid A-category visa, you can register for Bituach Leumi.

Note: If you are married, both spouses must register together. One spouse cannot register without the other — you must wait until both are eligible.

Step 1: Obtain a Daf Knisot V’yitziot A daf knisot v’yetziot is an official record of all your entries and exits from Israel. Every applicant — regardless of age — must provide this document when applying.

Obtain it from the Population Authority (Misrad Hapnim) by presenting your passport. Adults must appear in person; one spouse cannot collect this document on behalf of the other. Children under 18 do not need to be present. No appointment is needed. The document is printed free of charge. Central Jerusalem location: Shlomtzion Hamalka 1 (off Rechov Yaffo) Opening hours: Sunday–Tuesday and Thursday: 8:00–12:00; Monday and Wednesday: 14:30–17:00

Step 2: Prepare the Following Documents All documents should be clear scans saved as PDF files.

Daf knisot v’yetziyot for each applicant (ideally no older than 3–4 weeks) Passport photo page for each applicant Valid visa for each applicant Marriage certificate, if applicable. If one spouse is Israeli, a teudat zehut showing marital status is acceptable. Rental contract (must be valid for one year and include the landlord’s name and ID or passport number) Proof of an Israeli bank account: either a void check or an ishur nihul cheshbon (account management approval) from the bank For A/2 visa holders: A letter from your yeshiva or school confirming you are a student there. If you live in a dormitory, the letter must state this explicitly — in that case, a rental contract is not required. A clear headshot photo for each applicant, similar in style to their current passport photo

Tip: Make sure all documents — especially headshots and the passport copy — are clear and sharp. If your device uses a face filter, upload photos from a different device.

Step 3: Online Registration Submit your application through the online form on Bituach Leumi’s website.

Tip: Complete the form in one sitting, as quickly as possible. If the form is left open too long, or saved and reopened, it will stop working and you will have to start over.

Note: If you are married or have children under 18 you wish to register, the form will give you the option to enter their information. You do not need to submit a separate form for each family member.

After finishing each page, click לשלב הבא to move to the next step. In Step 2, under the field asking for the subject of the request (“אני מגיש את הטופס עבור נושא”), select: “תלמיד ישיבה או בן משפחתו המבקשים לקבוע תושבות וחברות בקופת חולים” Next, select who you are submitting the application for (yourself, your spouse, a child, etc.). When applying for a couple or family, the husband is always listed as the main applicant. Unless you are registering a spouse of an existing Bituach Leumi member, choose “for myself” / עבורי and then add family members when prompted. Enter the applicant’s personal details and the details of their parents.

When applying for a child of an existing Bituach Leumi member, enter the parent’s 77 number as the ID number and select מספר מזהה זמני בביטוח לאומי. When applying for an adult whose parents are not Bituach Leumi members, indicate that the parents are ללא מעמד / without status.

When applying for an adult, you will also need to demonstrate current Israeli residency in Step 4. For the first question — אני שוהה בישראל למטרת מגורי קבע — select Yes. Choose a kupat cholim (health fund). There are four options:

Maccabi Meuhedet (also translated as “United”) Clalit Leumit

Based on your answers in the application, a list of required documents will appear. Any additional documents can be added at the end under צירוף מסמכים. Once all documents are uploaded, submit the application.

Note: A reference number called סימוכין appears in the top right corner of your application. Keep it handy — it can be used if you need technical support.

For technical help (such as uploading documents), call 1299.

Step 4: Becoming a Member You will receive an email confirmation containing a second reference number beginning with 83. Save this number so you can follow up on your application. Approval usually takes about one week. Bituach Leumi will then send a confirmation email along with your new ID number, which begins with 77.

After Registration If you were already a member of a kupat cholim, your account will be updated automatically — this may take a few days after you receive the confirmation email. Contact your kupat cholim to make sure they merge your old account with the new one, including any supplementary insurance. New kupat cholim cards showing your new 77 number should arrive in the mail within a few weeks.

Note: When multiple family members are registered at once, Bituach Leumi sometimes sends only the husband’s number. Call your local kupat cholim clinic after a few days to get the numbers for all other family members.

Upon acceptance, visa holders are recognized as members retroactively from the date they first held a student visa, going back up to one year. You will need to pay Bituach Leumi membership dues for that period (see Paying Bituach Leumi below). You may also be eligible for reimbursement of kupat cholim costs and certain medical expenses incurred during that time.

Note: Children registered within a few months of birth are typically recognized as members retroactively from their date of birth.

Accessing Account Information By phone: You will need a 4-digit personal access code (kod ishi). This code can also be used at self-service kiosks in the Bituach Leumi office or at the Iriyah to print various certificates. To request a code, call *6050. Online account (portal): Lets you upload documents, pay bills, check your application status, and print certificates.

Tip: It is recommended that every adult family member set up their own 4-digit phone access code, as well as a personal online username and password.

To create a Bituach Leumi online account, follow the instructions on their website.

Israeli citizens can open an account using their mispar zehut. Foreigners without a mispar zehut should create an account using their Bituach Leumi number in place of the mispar zehut. In the field for תאריך הנפקת תעודת הזהות, enter the expiry date of your most recent visa.

Paying Bituach Leumi Fees Bituach Leumi charges monthly premiums, typically billed every three months (quarterly). The bill is issued only to the head of the household (the husband or father) and covers the wife and all children under age 18.

Student rate: 171 NIS/month (covers the entire family). If the wife is employed, her employer will also deduct payments. Unemployed: 266 NIS/month Employed: Payments are deducted by the employer. The higher-earning spouse pays for the whole family.

When you are first accepted into Bituach Leumi, you will receive a large bill covering the retroactive period. Visa holders are usually recognized going back up to one year from when they held a student visa. This bill can be paid using any of the methods listed below.

Note: When a child turns 18, separate payments must be made based on that child’s personal status. Foreign citizens must update Bituach Leumi with the child’s new adult visa and arrange a separate payment plan.

Payment Methods At the start of each year, Bituach Leumi sends a bill split into four parts, each covering a three-month period. You can pay these quarterly bills using any of the following:

In person: At any bank or post office. Note that some post offices accept Israeli credit cards only. By phone:

*6050 (requires your PIN code) 08-650-9911 (no code required, but you must know the exact amount owed)

Automatic payments: Set up a standing order (hora’at keva) to be charged monthly instead of quarterly. With this option, you will not receive a bill. Submit a completed authorization form to your Israeli bank. Online: Pay through the גביה section of your online account, or via the general Bituach Leumi payment page. Make sure to select the correct payment category — yeshiva students have their own separate category.

Tip: Pay your quarterly bills on time to avoid penalties and to protect your eligibility for benefits such as kitzvat yeladim and dmei leidah.

Note: Bituach Leumi payments must be current in order to register for childbirth or to add a new family member.

If you did not receive your annual bill, contact Bituach Leumi to avoid late payment penalties. You can also view your bill through your online account under the גביה section.

Contacting Bituach Leumi Website: www.btl.gov.il

To upload documents: use שליחת מסמכים in the center of the homepage To make payments: use תשלומים in the top left corner of the homepage

Online account: Create a personal portal to securely upload documents and applications, pay bills, print certificates, and more.

Israeli citizens can open an account with their mispar zehut. Foreigners without a mispar zehut should use their Bituach Leumi number instead. In the field for תאריך הנפקת תעודת הזהות, enter the expiry date of your most recent visa.

Phone: *6050

A 4-digit access code (kod ishi) is required to access account information by phone. This code also works at self-service kiosks in the Bituach Leumi office or at the Iriyah. To request a kod sodi, call *6050 and ask Bituach Leumi to mail the code to you.

Online inquiry form: For people who have a 4-digit PIN but no access to their personal online account.

On the Bituach Leumi homepage, go to יצירת קשר in the top left corner and select בירורים אישיים.

Important Information After Visa Renewal Visa Expiration and Bituach Leumi When a visa expires, all Bituach Leumi benefits — including health insurance and financial grants — are suspended. As your visa approaches its expiration date, you may receive a warning letter that your Bituach Leumi membership is about to be cancelled. Bituach Leumi generally allows a 45-day grace period after visa expiration before benefits are cut off.

Tip: Keep all family members’ visas up to date. Visas can be renewed approximately two months before they expire — do not leave it to the last minute.

Most children’s passports are valid for a maximum of five years. Passports must be renewed early enough to allow time to obtain a new visa before — or very shortly after — the previous one expires. Without a current visa, children will lose their health insurance coverage.

Note: Israeli dates are written in the format DD/MM/YEAR.

How to Update Bituach Leumi With a New Visa After renewing your visa, you must notify Bituach Leumi yourself. The Population Authority (Misrad Hapnim) will not automatically inform them, and if your previous visa has already expired, you risk losing your Bituach Leumi coverage. Submit a copy of the new visa, and if applicable, a copy of the new passport, together in the same submission. Label the document with the individual’s 77 number and the words לצורך חידוש קופת חולים. You can submit using one of two methods:

Fax: 026755416 Online: Through the העלאת מסמכים section of your Bituach Leumi online account. Select the following:

נושא: ביטוח וגבייה קטגורייה: פרטים אישיים מסמך: מסמכים מזהים

Whichever method you use, follow up by submitting a query (פנייה) through your online account to confirm the documents were received and processed.

Note: A daf knisot v’yitziot is generally NOT required when updating your visa, unless the visa has been expired for 6 months or longer.

Employment and Bituach Leumi If you are legally employed in Israel and receive a monthly pay slip (tlush), make sure you are registered as an employee using your Bituach Leumi 77 number — not your passport number.