Israel Slashes Passport Fees by Nearly Half for Winter Season
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Israel's Population and Immigration Authority is offering discounted biometric passport fees from November 1st to February 28th. Adult passports will cost 185 shekels, down from 290, and child passports will be 105 shekels, down from 155. Special discounts apply to military reservists and soldiers, reducing their cost to 92.50 shekels. To receive the discount, payment must be made online in advance.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israeli passport fees are being cut by up to 45% from November 1st to February 28th.
- Adult passport prices will drop to 185 shekels, and child passports to 105 shekels.
- Active reservists, soldiers, and national service workers get an additional 50% discount.
- The reduced fee is only valid for online payments made in advance.
- Applicants must pay online by February 28th but can schedule appointments later.
- Biometric passport applications require in-person visits for photos and fingerprints.
The Population and Immigration Authority in Israel is reintroducing its "winter tariff" for passport issuance, offering significant discounts from November 1st to February 28th. This annual initiative aims to help citizens save money on passport renewals and new applications ahead of spring and summer travel.
Under the winter tariff, the cost for an adult's biometric passport will be reduced to 185 shekels (approximately $50 USD), down from the regular price of 290 shekels. For minors, the fee will drop to 105 shekels from the usual 155 shekels. These reductions can amount to hundreds of shekels in savings for families.
Special discounts are also available for active reservists, regular soldiers, and national civil service workers. They will receive an additional 50% off the already reduced winter tariff, bringing their passport cost down to just 92.50 shekels. Eligibility for this extra discount is automatically checked when a national ID number is entered on the website.
To benefit from these lower prices, applicants must pay in advance and online through the Population and Immigration Authority's website. Payments made in person at a branch office will be charged the full, regular price. The crucial condition for the discount is the date of payment, not the date of the appointment. Therefore, individuals are encouraged to pay the discounted fee online starting November 1st and schedule their in-person appointment for a later date.
Biometric passport applications require the applicant's personal presence for facial photos and fingerprinting; no home-taken passport photos are needed. Applicants should bring their ID card and previous passport if available. For minors, one parent must also be present. Passports issued will be valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for minors. Even outside the winter tariff period, online payments are cheaper than in-person payments at branches.
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