Registration FAQ'S

Below are some of the most common questions that people ask before registration opens and during the process. Read through these Qs and As -- and learn how you can make sure you're ready when registration opens!

• What is the actual application process?
• How can I ensure that I have the best chance of getting on a trip in summer 2012?
• Am I eligible for the trip?
• What do I need to do if I already applied in the past?
• Do I need a passport?
• I want to travel with friends, how do I do this?
• Important info if you or a parent holds Israeli citizenship

What is the actual application process?

1. Register with Taglit-Birthright Israel - Click Here!

   *(Registration opens February 15th at 10 AM EST, for returning applicants February 14th at noon EST). Here you will:

   • Provide your basic information
   • Select IsraelExperts as your trip organizer
   • Sign a waiver
   • Submit a deposit payment
   • Confirm your email

   **Please note that at some point you may receive an automated message from Birthright that the trip is waitlist only. This does not indicate your final status with IsraelExperts, only a registration function of Birthright. We ask you to be patient and remain on the IsraelExperts list for your desired trip.

2. Complete your application on the IsraelExperts Infocenter

   Within 24-48 hours of registration you will receive an email from IsraelExperts. You will be asked to continue your application process using an IsraelExperts Infocenter profile created for you - the login information will be provided. Here you will need to follow these steps:

   • List your exact trip date selection
   • Provide medical information including medical needs, emergency contact information and medical insurance details
   • List your interview availability
   • Note your friends/Married to requests
3. Upload your passport to the IsraelExperts Infocenter profile

   Follow the instructions on the Infocenter: photograph or scan the front page of your passport, save a legible copy (under 1 MB) and upload it to your Infocenter profile. Make sure:

   • Your passport is valid for at least 6 months from your desired departure date from Israel
   • Your personal information on the Taglit-Birthright Israel account matches information on your passport (passport #, full name, DOB).
4. Complete an Interview

   Unless otherwise notified, you will receive information on scheduling an interview with IsraelExperts to determine your eligibility for the trip. Interviews are conducted by phone and typically last 15-20 minutes. Following your interview, you may be required to submit additional documentation to support your application.

   *Please note that the timing of your interview will not affect your assignment status.

   Be patient and persistent. Registering may go slowly (and seem even slower) because there are so many people on the IsraelExperts and Taglit-Birthright Israel sites at the same time. Don't give up! You will get through; try again in a couple of hours. If you are over 25, and/or have been waitlisted by IsraelExperts in the past – don’t panic: your priority status with us will remain, even if you cannot get through to register on the first day; just keep trying.

How can I ensure that I have the best chance of getting on a trip in summer 2012?

Every season we have more applicants than seats. There are some things we recommend you do in order to improve your chances of coming to Israel with us this summer:

• Register on the Taglit-Birthright Israel site on the first day that registration opens (February 15th at 10 AM EST) - follow all the required steps.
• Complete your application on IsraelExperts Infocenter. Make sure to note friend requests on this profile to increase your chances of going with your friends.
• Be available for a phone interview at the time you scheduled.
• Submit all required paperwork in a timely manner - Valid passport and any other documentation requested of you.
• Join our Facebook page to receive updates before everyone else.

Am I eligible for the trip?

You are eligible for the Taglit-Birthright Israel gift if you meet all three of the following criteria:

• Jewish
• 18 through 26* (see below)
• Have never been to Israel before on an organized peer trip lasting more than 7 days.

Regarding age, for Summer 2012 Taglit-Birthright Israel have set a cutoff date of May 1st 2012. If you turn 27 before May 1st then you are NOT eligible for any Summer 2012 departure. If you turn 27 ON or AFTER May 1st then you ARE eligible and this will be your LAST CHANCE!!

On the other end of the age range, you must have turned 18 AND completed high school before your trip departure date.

Family visits to Israel or private visits on your own do not disqualify you. If you are unsure whether a previous visit to Israel affects your eligibility, contact us to find out.

For Taglit-Birthright Israel eligibility requirements, you are Jewish if you have at least one Jewish parent (mother or father) and consider yourself to be Jewish, or if you have completed a conversion course (certification will be required).

What do I need to do if I already applied in the past?

As you were waitlisted on a previous Taglit-Birthright Israel trip with IsraelExperts, we are giving you priority status to join us in the following seasons. In addition, YOU can take advantage of a special early registration, which opens on February 14th at noon EST. Official registration opens February 15th at 10 AM EST.

Since you started your registration process before, you will only need to undergo a partial registration process including reactivation of your Taglit-Birthright Israel profile. Please remember to re-activate your profile using the same email address you used in your original application.

Additionally, you will need to re-sign the waiver and re-submit your deposit. You will receive a welcome email from IsraelExperts inviting you to update your Infocenter profile, which contains important information including exact departure dates, mandatory information and friend requests.

Click here to reactivate your Taglit-Birthright Israel account (*link will be functional on February 14th, at noon EST): http://israelexperts.birthrightisrael.com

Do I need a Passport?

You cannot be assigned to a flight unless you have a passport that will be valid for at least 6 months from the completion date of the trip. Israeli law will NOT let you into Israel without this. If you don't have a passport, apply for one now. If you need to extend your passport, do it now.

If you already have your passport, either take a good digital picture of it or scan it and get ready to upload it to your Infocenter account which will be created when you register. All information on Infocenter and how to upload your passport will be provided upon registration. Make sure the name on your passports exactly matches the spelling of your first and last name (and middle name, if it appears on your passport) on your Taglit-Birthright Israel application!

I want to travel with friends, how do I do this?

If you want to travel with friends - Get Organized!

• Before registration opens: ask your friends to join our mailing list so they stay updated on trip options and schedules. Refer them to http://taglit.israelexperts.com/registration/registration-steps
• When registration opens: when you register, make sure your friends have already registered and that they chose the same exact trip options and dates as you.
• During registration, don’t forget to put down the names of your friends in the correct section: when you log into your IsraelExperts Infocenter Profile you will be able to enter this information under the Date Request section in 'Friendship Request' section in the account on the registration forms. You should also mention this when asked during your phone interview.
• Everyone who is travelling together must complete all steps of the process. We will work hard to get you and your friends on a trip together but only if you have all registered, completed your application, and noted your requests at the proper stages.

Important info if you or a parent holds Israeli citizenship

According to Israeli citizenship law, you are a citizen of the State of Israel if any ONE of the following statements is true:

• You were born outside of Israel to a parent (mother or father) who is a citizen of Israel and who acquired Israeli citizenship by birth or through immigration to Israel, or
• You were born in Israel, or
• You acquired Israeli citizenship by immigrating to Israel.

If ANY of the above apply to you, it is very important to read on:

If you are a citizen of the State of Israel, as defined above, Taglit-Birthright Israel requires that you prove by official documentation that you have lived continuously outside of Israel from before your twelfth birthday. Even those of you who have never lived in Israel will need to do so if you were born to an Israeli parent. The following documents are acceptable:

• Middle School & High School records for each year between 12 and 18 years old, or
• An official letter from your middle & high school(s) confirming attendance between the ages 12 and 18 years, or
• A letter from the Israeli consulate, or
• A letter from your family doctor on letterhead confirming that you have been his/her patient between the ages of 12 and 18.

You should prepare your documents and get ready to send them to us when registration opens.

PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU ARE ISRAELI WE - BY LAW - CANNOT SECURE YOUR PLACE UNTIL WE HAVE THIS DOCUMENTATION.

In addition, if you are a citizen of the State of Israel, by any of the definitions above, Israeli law requires that you enter and leave Israel using an Israeli passport (it is recommended that you bring your other passport as well so as to facilitate your re-entry into the United States or Canada). Please see this page for more info.