It seems we all know what an Israeli “Teudat Zehut” is, but it turns out that there exist quite a few legal issues concerning it, that only few people are aware of. In the State of Israel, residents who are 16 years of age or older are eligible to receive an identity card. The identity cards currently issued in Israel are smart identity cards, including biometric information. The identity card includes details from the Israeli Population Registry<\/a>, including the identity number of the card\u2019s holder, their name, birth date, birth country, sex, their parents\u2019 names, and their personal image. As opposed to common practice in many other countries, the identity card holder\u2019s nationality is not included in Israeli identity cards.<\/p>\n From a legal viewpoint, there are a number of facts that you should know about identity cards. Unfortunately, these facts are not always known to the general public. For example, many don\u2019t know when it is mandatory to identify oneself using as identity card in order to receive various services, the conditions for eligibility to issue an identity card, how and when identity cards can be renewed, and what the law provides regarding the duty to carry an identity card. Below we provide details about these issues and others. There are many rights reserved for Israeli citizens and residents, the exercise of which requires presenting your identity card. One salient example is verifying one\u2019s identity to a notary, as part of notarial certification<\/a>. Likewise, identity cards are also used to verify your identity to public authorities and bureaus, such as the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Transport, the Israel Police, the National Insurance Institute, etc.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note that recent years have seen changes and easements on the issue of identification using an identity card, and in more than a few cases, the law allows the use of other identity documents, such as a driver\u2019s license or a valid Israeli passport<\/a>. For example, today people can vote in Knesset elections using a driver\u2019s license or a passport. Similarly, you can identify yourself using a passport while opening a bank account<\/a>. In fact, in cases where the law does not provide mandatory identification with an identity card, other identity documents can be used for this purpose.<\/p>\n Not many are aware of this, but the duty to carry an identity card applies constantly. Meaning, Israeli residents are obliged to carry their identity card at all times, and present it to police officers and soldiers upon their demand. This is in accordance with the Identity Card Carrying and Displaying Law<\/a>. This law is fairly old, and is not often enforced. However, it is still in effect, and therefore failure to carry an identity card might lead to various sanctions, and in severe cases even prosecution. However, it\u2019s important to note that the courts have also emphasized over the years, that although the authority to present an identity card is enshrined in law, the authorized authorities must only demand a person to present their identity card subject to certain grounds, rather than for no reason. In any case of legal complications concerning failure to present an identity card, we recommend obtaining advice from a lawyer.<\/p>\n Israeli identity cards are issued by the Population and Immigration Authority<\/a> of the Ministry of Interior. Those wishing to obtain identity cards are required to make an appointment at the Ministry of Interior. It\u2019s important to note that, according to the policy currently practiced at the Ministry of Interior, no identity cards are issued for those not considered as Israeli residents. This policy also applies to those holding an Israeli citizenship, but who are not considered residents, for example due to the termination of residency. Hence, those wishing to obtain an identity card are first required to regulate their status in Israel as permanent residents<\/a>. A temporary residency<\/a> status in Israel would not be sufficient for this purpose. In cases of difficulty to obtain an identity card, we recommend seeking advice from a lawyer specializing in Israeli immigration law, who has experience in regulating legal status in Israel with the authorities.<\/p>\n The re-issuance of an identity card, or the replacement of a lost identity card, are also handled by the Population Authority. However, and following the information stated above, it\u2019s important to know that an identity card can only be re-issued by the Population Authority if the identity card\u2019s holder is still a resident on the date of the submission of the renewal application. In 2019, the Supreme Court determined (in a ruling no. HCJ 393\/18<\/a>) that Israeli citizens, whose center of life is not in Israel, are not eligible for the re-issuance or replacement of an identity card, even if they possessed an identity card in the past. For additional information about this topic, and an explanation of the alternative solutions in cases such as these, read this article, published in our law firm\u2019s website, about the re-issuance of identity cards for Israelis whose life center is abroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n In this article, we provided a detailed explanation about identity cards, their use, the duty to carry them, and the identity card\u2019s presentation, how to issue or re-issue identity cards, and in what cases this might prove challenging. If you have any other questions or if you need any assistance regarding this issue, please contact our law firm, and we would be happy to assist you. Our law firm, located in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, specializes in Israeli immigration law and representation throughout the process of legal status regulation with all various authorities and judicial forums.<\/p>\n [author_and_contact_info]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A “teudat zehut” is the the main identity document used by the residents of the State of Israel. Israeli identity cards are issued by the Population Authority of the Ministry of Interior, and in general, non-residents are ineligible for the issuance or renewal of an identity cards. The law in the State of Israel mandates…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[175],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-92754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-immigration-to-israel-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"Israeli](\"https:\/\/lawfirmbackup_200125.k1uagm.ap-southeast-2.wpstaqhosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/\u05e9\u05ea\u05d9-\u05ea\u05e2\u05d5\u05d3\u05d5\u05ea-\u05d6\u05d4\u05d5\u05ea-300x243.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhat is the purpose of identity cards?<\/strong><\/h4>\n
What does the law say about carrying and holding an identity card?<\/strong><\/h4>\n
How to issue an identity card<\/strong><\/h4>\n
How and in what cases can an identity card be re-issued?<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Contact a lawyer specializing in Israeli immigration law and status regulation.<\/strong><\/h4>\n