Relocating abroad as a family is a large, multi-track project: visas and dependents, schools, housing, healthcare, finances, and the emotional adjustment of children all have to move forward at once. This checklist turns that into a clear, sequenced timeline built for Israeli families specifically — including the Israeli paperwork, tax-residency questions, and Bituach Leumi steps that a general moving guide tends to skip.
It is a companion to our broader family relocation guide and the families hub. Use the guide for the "why and how" narrative; use this page as the running list you tick off month by month.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Israeli tax residency and immigration eligibility depend on personal facts and should be reviewed with a qualified Israeli tax professional or immigration lawyer.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-13
How to use this checklist
The timeline below is a general framework, not a deadline that fits every family. Start earlier if you are moving with school-age children, applying for a visa with dependents, or relocating to a popular city where school places are scarce. Adapt the order to your own circumstances, and verify every official step against the destination country's authorities and the relevant Israeli government source.
9–12 months before: decide and research
This is the alignment and research phase. Nothing is booked yet, but the big decisions get made here.
- Align as a family on why you are moving and what success looks like — career, education, safety, lifestyle, or family. Give older children a voice.
- Shortlist destination countries and compare them on the factors that matter to your family. Our country guides and the broader planning guide are starting points; the Family Planner helps weigh schools, costs, and healthcare together.
- Identify the visa or residence route that fits your situation, and confirm how dependents are included — whether a spouse can work, and whether children are covered for schooling and healthcare. Browse routes in the visa guides.
- Begin shortlisting schools. In popular cities, good local and international schools fill up far in advance, so research curricula, languages, and waiting lists early. See schools abroad for Israeli families.
6–3 months before: legal and financial groundwork
With a country and route chosen, the formal applications and money planning begin.
- Submit the visa/residence application with full dependent documentation. Family applications often need more paperwork and take longer than individual ones.
- Review your tax residency. Leaving Israel does not automatically end Israeli tax residency — it is decided by where your center of life is, not by your departure date. Read how to disconnect Israeli tax residency before relocation and, if you hold shares, options, or investments, review exit tax. For anything specific to your family, consult a cross-border tax professional. General background lives in the relocation tax hub.
- Note the Bituach Leumi question early. National Insurance residency is assessed separately from tax residency and is examined for the whole family unit; terminating it affects your family's entitlement to health services. Do not act on this in haste — weigh it carefully and verify directly with the National Insurance Institute.
- Build a realistic two-year family budget, not just a moving budget: deposits and several months' rent, school fees, healthcare, furniture, and a buffer before income stabilizes. See childcare and family costs abroad.
3–1 months before: documents, schools, and logistics
This is the heaviest paperwork phase. Front-load it.
- Authenticate your documents. Israeli public documents used abroad — birth certificates, marriage certificates, and school or academic records — generally need an apostille to be recognized in another Hague Convention country, and often a certified translation. In Israel, apostilles are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by registrars of the Magistrates' Courts; confirm the current process on the official Israeli apostille page.
- Request school records and reports for each child, apostilled and translated as the destination school requires, and secure placement in writing. More on choosing well: schools abroad for Israeli families.
- Gather medical and vaccination records for the whole family; many schools require proof of vaccination at enrollment. See family healthcare abroad.
- Arrange housing and shipping. Renting first is usually wiser than buying; line up temporary accommodation for the first weeks so you can choose a long-term home with local knowledge.
The final month: confirm and close out
- Check that every family member's passport is valid well beyond the move; Israeli citizens normally enter and leave Israel on an Israeli travel document.
- Consider requesting an official Israel entry-and-exit report for your records — day counts can matter later for tax-residency and some visa questions.
- Close out or transfer local services (utilities, leases, subscriptions, mail) and confirm the first weeks abroad: arrival accommodation, school start date, and an initial healthcare plan.
The first 90 days after arrival
The first three months set the tone, especially for children.
- Complete arrival bureaucracy in order: residency registration, bank account, healthcare enrollment, and school start — but don't try to do everything in week one.
- Establish daily routines quickly; predictability is grounding for kids.
- Build a support network — neighbors, other parents at school, and local family activities. Expect a dip a few weeks in once the novelty fades; it is normal and usually passes.
Israeli document checklist
Use this as a starting point and confirm exact requirements with your destination's authorities. "Apostille?" indicates whether an apostille is commonly expected for use abroad.
| Document | Apostille? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Passports (every family member) | No | Must stay valid well past the move; Israelis use an Israeli travel document to enter/leave Israel |
| Birth certificates | Often yes | Frequently required for visas and school enrollment |
| Marriage certificate | Often yes | Used for dependent/spousal visa applications |
| Children's school records and report cards | Often yes | Plus certified translation if not in the school's language |
| Academic diplomas / professional licenses | Often yes | For parents' work authorization or credential recognition |
| Vaccination and medical records | Sometimes | Often required at school enrollment |
| Entry-and-exit report (if needed) | No | For day-count evidence; from the Population and Immigration Authority |
Israeli-specific items families often overlook
A general relocation list won't flag these, but they matter for Israeli families:
- Tax residency is about facts, not departure. It turns on your center of life, so plan it deliberately rather than assuming the move ends it — start with disconnecting Israeli tax residency.
- Exit tax may apply if you hold shares, options, or an investment portfolio; review exit tax before you go.
- Bituach Leumi is assessed by family unit and separately from tax — and it is tied to your family's health-service entitlement, so don't decide on the fly.
- Children's passports and citizenship stay intact, but validity and entry/exit rules need checking for everyone before departure.
When you're ready to map your own dates and tasks, the Family Planner and Path Finder turn this checklist into a plan tailored to your destination and timeline.
FAQ
When should an Israeli family start planning a relocation? As a general rule, begin around 9 to 12 months before the intended move. Visa and dependent applications, school placement, and authenticating documents all take time, and good schools in popular cities often fill up months ahead. Treat the timeline above as a general framework, not a fixed rule for your situation.
Which Israeli documents usually need an apostille? Israeli public documents that you plan to use abroad — such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and academic or school records — generally need an apostille to be recognized in another Hague Convention country. In Israel, apostilles are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by registrars of the Magistrates' Courts (and notaries for notarized documents). Confirm the exact requirements with the destination authority and the official Israeli apostille page.
Does my family keep Bituach Leumi coverage after we move? Bituach Leumi (National Insurance) residency is assessed separately from tax residency, and the National Insurance Institute looks at the whole family unit. A family that has genuinely moved its center of life abroad can ask to terminate residency, but doing so affects health-service entitlement, so it is a decision to weigh carefully and verify directly with Bituach Leumi.
How do I prove how many days we spent in or out of Israel? The Population and Immigration Authority can issue an official Israel entry-and-exit report covering the prior years. Families keep this on file because day counts can matter for both tax-residency questions and some visa applications. Verify current scope and how to request it on the official gov.il service page.
Do our children keep their Israeli citizenship and passports if we relocate? Relocating abroad does not, by itself, remove Israeli citizenship, and children generally keep their status. Israeli citizens are normally required to enter and leave Israel on an Israeli travel document, so keep every family member's passport valid. Check passport validity rules for both Israel and your destination well before departure.
Should we tell the children early or wait until plans are final? There is no single right answer, but most guidance favors involving children early and honestly once the move is reasonably likely, giving them age-appropriate choices and time to say goodbye. The emotional side of relocation is the part families most often underestimate.
| Country | Cost Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Thailand | 5/5 | Among the most affordable destinations; Bangkok costs a fraction of Western capitals. |
| Greece | 4/5 | Athens and most cities are affordable; significantly cheaper than Western Europe. |
| Portugal | 4/5 | Affordable outside central Lisbon and Porto; food and services very cheap. |
| Spain | 4/5 | Affordable outside Madrid and Barcelona; food and leisure costs are low. |
| Cyprus | 4/5 | Affordable by EU standards; groceries and dining out are significantly cheaper than Western Europe. |
| Czech Republic | 4/5 | Affordable by EU standards; Prague is cheaper than Western European capitals, regional cities even more so. |
| Germany | 3/5 | Berlin and Hamburg are moderate; Munich is significantly more expensive. |
| Italy | 3/5 | Affordable outside Milan; Rome and major cities are moderate. |
| Netherlands | 3/5 | Amsterdam is expensive; other Dutch cities are moderate. |
| United Arab Emirates | 3/5 | No income tax but Dubai rents are high; groceries and services moderate. |
| Malta | 3/5 | Moderate cost of living; higher than Cyprus but lower than most Northern European countries. |
| Austria | 3/5 | Vienna is affordable by Western EU standards; significantly cheaper than London, Zurich, or Paris. |
| Australia | 2/5 | Sydney and Melbourne are among the most expensive cities globally. |
| Canada | 2/5 | Toronto and Vancouver are very expensive; smaller cities are more affordable. |
| United Kingdom | 2/5 | London is among the world's most expensive cities; smaller UK cities are moderate. |
| United States | 2/5 | Major tech hubs (NYC, SF, Seattle) are very expensive; mid-size cities more affordable. |
| Ireland | 2/5 | Dublin is among the top 10 most expensive cities globally; challenging for Israeli families relocating. |