The Laissez Passer
The Laissez-Passer: Israel's Travel Document Before You Hold a Full Passport
Your first Israeli travel document — and the fast lane when you must travel urgently.
Most new olim assume that becoming an Israeli citizen means walking out of Misrad HaPnim with a passport in hand. It doesn't quite work that way. For your first stretch in the country, your travel document isn't a darkon (passport) at all — it's the laissez-passer, and knowing how it works can be the difference between making an urgent flight and missing one.
What it is
The laissez-passer — in Hebrew the teudat ma'avar (תעודת מעבר) — is the travel document Israel issues to citizens who don't yet hold a full passport. For new olim it matters twice over: it's likely your first Israeli travel document, and it's the fast lane when urgent travel can't wait.
You'll hear it called several things — teudat ma'avar, teudat nesi'a, an emergency or temporary travel document, or simply "laissez-passer." Different clerks use different terms, so it helps to recognise them all.
Think of it as one document with two roles. First, it's the standard travel document for Israelis who haven't yet met the residence test for a full passport — which includes most new olim. Second, an expedited version exists for genuine emergencies, issued far faster than a passport. Same document, two situations.
Ma'avar vs darkon: two different documents
Israel issues two travel documents, and as a new oleh you start with the first.
Teudat Ma'avarDarkon (Passport)WhatTravel document (laissez-passer)Full national passportWhoCitizens not yet "settled" — incl. new olimCitizens resident long enough to qualifyValidity1–5 years (or short-term / emergency)Up to 10 yearsVisa-free reach50+ countriesFar wider (160+)Cost~₪100–300Higher
The full passport comes once you've settled. A darkon is issued to citizens who have been resident in Israel long enough to meet the settlement test. Until then, the teudat ma'avar is your travel document — and once you qualify, you move up to the passport for routine travel.
Timing and emergencies
Two timing rules shape when and how fast you can get one.
The 90-day wait. You generally cannot apply for the travel document until 90 days have passed since your aliyah. Plan around this if travel may come up in your first months — it's a common and unwelcome surprise.
The emergency fast-track. Where a passport can take days to weeks, a temporary travel document can often be issued the same day, or within one to two days, for a genuine emergency. That speed is the feature that makes it a lifeline when time is short.
A word of caution: it's a stopgap, not your everyday passport. The laissez-passer exists for moments when normal timelines can't accommodate you — not for routine holiday planning. Once the urgent trip is behind you (and you've settled long enough), get a proper darkon for ongoing travel.
How to get one
You apply at the Ministry of Interior (Misrad HaPnim). For an emergency, come prepared to explain — and document — why you must travel now.
When you go, bring:
Proof of urgent travel — flight bookings, an employer's letter, or in a family emergency, a hospital letter or death certificate.
Your Teudat Zehut — plus a parent's ID for a child's application.
A clear, assertive account of the urgency. The system accommodates genuine emergencies, and solid proof smooths approval.
One efficiency worth knowing: piggyback it on your biometric ID appointment. If you're already booked at Misrad HaPnim for your biometric Teudat Zehut, you can request the travel document in the same sitting — no separate appointment, and often the document the same day or on one quick return visit.
Where it's accepted — verify before you fly
The laissez-passer is a legitimate State-of-Israel travel document granting visa-free entry to more than 50 countries, including most of the EU/Schengen zone (up to 90 days in any 180). But acceptance is not universal, and border officers retain discretion. This is the part to get right.
Known restrictions (subject to change):
United States — not accepted under the Visa Waiver Program; you'd need a B-1/B-2 visa. Crucial for many Anglo olim.
UAE — holders cannot enter and cannot obtain a tourist visa.
Argentina — requires a visa (since May 2024).
South Africa, Canada, and others — visa or extra scrutiny where full-passport holders go visa-free.
One phone call can save a ruined trip. Never assume "valid internationally" means every country treats it like a passport — what works for Berlin may not for Buenos Aires or Dubai. Confirm with the destination's embassy before you rely on it; these rules shift as diplomatic agreements change.
When it saves the day
A lost or stolen passport before travel. Realising your passport is gone days before a flight is gut-wrenching, and a standard replacement may not arrive in time. Report the loss to the police and Misrad HaPnim, request a laissez-passer, and you can often still fly — sorting a full replacement afterward, or abroad through an Israeli mission.
A family emergency abroad. When a relative overseas is gravely ill or has died, bureaucratic delay is the last thing you need. Clerks are generally sympathetic to these situations, and documentation — a hospital letter, a death certificate — lets them prioritise your emergency document.
Honestly, knowing it exists is half the value. Even if you never need it, simply knowing there's a backup for urgent travel removes a layer of worry. Don't assume that a missing or not-yet-issued passport means you can't travel — with the right documentation, the laissez-passer can be in hand within a day or two.
In closing
For new olim the teudat ma'avar is both your first travel document and your emergency option — fast to issue, modest in cost, and accepted across much of the world. It's a stopgap, not a substitute for a full passport: use it when timing demands, and move to a darkon for routine travel once you've been resident long enough to qualify.
Remember three things:
You generally can't apply until 90 days after aliyah.
It can be issued in a day or two for a genuine emergency — and piggybacks neatly on a biometric ID appointment.
Acceptance varies by country — the US, UAE, and Argentina among the notable restrictions — so verify your destination first.
If you're weighing whether you need a laissez-passer or can wait for a full passport, or you're facing an urgent trip and aren't sure of the steps, that's exactly the kind of thing Olim Advice helps with — free, for every oleh. Country rules and procedures change, so confirm current details before you travel.
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