How to Register Your Marriage in Israel: Step by Step

You married abroad, or in another civil ceremony, and came home with a certificate in hand. What now? Knowing how to register a marriage in Israel matters, because registration is the step in which your personal status in the Population Registry changes to “married”. In this article I go through the process step by step, according to the law and the service page of the Population and Immigration Authority.

I am a rabbi and an attorney. This is general information, not legal advice.

Who needs to apply, and who does not?

According to the service page, Israelis who married through the Rabbinate or the Sharia courts do not need to go to an office: their status changes to “married” automatically. They can produce a digital ID appendix and registry extract in their personal area. People who had a civil marriage outside Israel must submit a notice of change of personal status themselves.

What is the deadline?

Here it is worth looking at the law itself. Section 17 of the Population Registry Law, 5725-1965, says in Hebrew: “חל שינוי שלא כאמור בסעיפים 5א, 15 ו-16 בפרטי הרישום של תושב, חייב הוא למסור לפקיד רישום הודעה על השינוי תוך שלושים יום”. In my own translation: where a change occurs in a resident’s registration details, other than as stated in sections 5A, 15 and 16, the resident must give notice of the change to a registration officer within thirty days. Section 19C(a) of the law provides that such a change is registered on the basis of a notice under section 17 together with a public document attesting to the change. Source (in Hebrew): Population Registry Law 5725-1965 on Nevo.

The official form, form MR6, is titled “notice of change of personal status” and is submitted under section 17 of the law. The form states that a certified and duly authenticated public certificate must be attached.

Step 1: prepare the certificate

According to the service page, a marriage certificate issued abroad must be original, authenticated and translated into Hebrew by a notary (certificates in Arabic do not need translation). If the issuing country is a party to the Hague Convention, authentication is by apostille. If not, contact the Israeli mission in that country for instructions. I wrote about this in detail in apostille for a marriage certificate.

Step 2: gather the other documents

• The ID cards of both spouses.
• The original marriage certificate, authenticated and translated as above.
• An Israeli passport, if you have one. Anyone applying at an Israeli mission abroad must present an Israeli passport.
• If one spouse is not listed in the Population Registry, for example a foreign citizen: a certificate of their previous personal status. If it was issued abroad, it too must be original, authenticated and translated by a notary.

I explain the documents that prove personal status, and the difference between the registry extract and the Rabbinate certificate, in certificate of no impediment in Israel.

Step 3: fill in the form and submit

According to the service page, you print the application form for a change of personal status and fill it in by hand. Then you submit it with the documents at the Population and Immigration Authority office nearest your home. People living abroad can submit at the nearest Israeli mission. The form itself has a place for the signature of the person giving notice and of the spouse, both in the presence of the clerk. Source (in Hebrew): gov.il: notice of change of personal status.

Do both spouses have to come?

This is the question couples ask most, especially when one partner is a foreign citizen or lives abroad. There really are two possible readings, and I present both:

• The first reading: the service page says in general terms that the service may be requested by applicants for themselves and for their spouses. Section 18(a) of the law also provides that notice given by one of the persons obliged to give it exempts the others. From this one could understand that one spouse can act for both.
• The second reading: the very same page states explicitly that where the marriage or divorce certificate was issued abroad, personal attendance of both spouses is required at an Authority office or at an Israeli mission abroad. In other words, with a foreign certificate, according to the page, both of you need to appear.

My practical recommendation: if your certificate is foreign, plan to come together. If that is hard, for example because one of you is abroad, say so when booking the appointment. Ask the office for a clear answer, or consult a lawyer. The page itself reminds readers that in case of conflict, the law prevails.

What about your surname?

If you want to change or combine surnames, that is a separate part of the process with its own rules. These include personal attendance, replacement of your ID card and passport, and an appointment in advance. I wrote about it in changing your name after marriage in Israel.

Utah online marriages and the Bril ruling

In recent years many couples have married in civil marriages of the State of Utah by video conference. In AAA 7368/22 Ministry of Interior v. Bril, of 7 March 2023, the Supreme Court held that the registration officer must register as married couples who presented a valid Utah public marriage certificate. The court repeated the long standing rule that separates registration of a marriage from the question of its validity. It also stressed that its decision is limited to registration. Source (in Hebrew): summary of the ruling on the Judiciary website.

I write about the difference between registration and recognition, and the legal background as a whole, on the page about recognition of civil marriage in Israel. The options themselves, including marrying abroad and online, are on the page about civil marriage options and registration.

Same sex couples

The service page does not distinguish between couples by gender. The National Insurance Institute page on common law couples refers explicitly to same sex couples recognized as common law partners by National Insurance or as married by the Interior Ministry. If you are a same sex couple with a specific question, consult a lawyer.

General information, not legal advice. Official pages are updated, so check their current version before you apply.

And the chuppah?

Many couples who register as married after a civil marriage also want a Jewish moment, personal and moving, under the chuppah. If that is you, I would love to hear from you and schedule an introductory call.