Am I a toshav chozer or an oleh chadash?

If you are an Israeli citizen returning after 2+ years abroad, you are a toshav chozer (returning resident), not an oleh chadash (new immigrant). The benefits package is different: toshav chozer does not fall under Chok HaShvut and does not get the full Sal Klita basket, but you do qualify for a returning-resident certificate, a tax basket (if the years match), and re-registration with Bituach Leumi and kupat cholim.

How many years abroad do I need to be a toshav chozer vatik?

At least 10 consecutive years as a foreign tax resident. That is the Mas Hachnasa (tax) threshold, not Misrad HaAliyah threshold (which is 2 years for the certificate). Vatik qualifies for a 10-year tax exemption on foreign-source income under Section 14. Note: Misrad HaAliyah has its own Short-Term (under 6 years) / Long-Term (6+ years) tier system, which is SEPARATE from the Mas Hachnasa 6 vs 10 split, so always label which agency tier you mean. For Form 1348 drafting use israeli-toshav-chozer-vatik-tax-planner.

T627 or T628, which form do I file?

T627 is the initial residency questionnaire for returnees abroad LESS than 5 years, submitted to Bituach Leumi before arrival. T628 is the residency questionnaire for returnees abroad 5 years OR MORE, registered through Misrad HaAliyah V HaKlita. Both fall under the BL residency-determination process. The BL site sometimes uses Form 628 as an umbrella label, so confirm with the local branch which specific form they expect at filing time. Form 628 (the umbrella) is the kupat cholim waiting-period gate, file it early.

How much is the kupat cholim waiting-period pidyon in 2026?

NIS 16,860 one-shot or up to 6 equal installments (Kol Zchut, updated January 2026). The figure rises annually with CPI; older snapshots like Belong NIS 14,520 (February 2024) are now stale. Worth paying if you have urgent medical needs in month 1. Otherwise, waiting out the period (minimum 2 months, maximum 6 months) with short-term private health insurance is the cheaper path.

When do I use this skill vs. another?

Use this skill for: track identification, BL and kupat cholim registration, driver license restoration, order of operations for the first 90 days, employment basket (Vocational Training / Salary Assistance / Maalot), Lone Soldier and National Service tracks. Use instead: israeli-toshav-chozer-vatik-tax-planner for Section 14 math and Form 1348, israeli-returning-resident-customs-vehicle for vehicle import and personal-effects customs, israeli-aliyah-navigator for new immigrants, israeli-relocation-abroad for Israelis still planning to leave.

What employment benefits does Misrad HaAliyah offer returning residents?

Within 24 months of returning: Vocational Training Vouchers (Ulpan Aleph required), Salary Assistance up to 24 months for ages 18 through retirement, and the Maalot Innovation Program for entrepreneurs (5 business centers nationwide, NIS 250 business-model fee, otherwise free). The Maalot eligibility window depends on your return date: pre-March-31-2020 cohort needs 3+ years abroad; post-April-1-2020 cohort needs 5+ years. Guaranteed Income Support (Havtachat Hachnasa) is also available up to 3 months in year 1 at household-based thresholds (individual NIS 2,680, couple NIS 3,694, family of 3 NIS 4,106, family of 4+ NIS 4,836).

My child is being drafted into the IDF, do they qualify as Chayal Boded (Lone Soldier)?

Yes, if conscription occurs within 5 years of your Toshav Chozer status AND your child serves without parents resident in Israel. The basket includes an IDF salary supplement plus a separate Misrad HaAliyah supplementary grant, 21 days annual overseas-parents leave with IDF-covered travel, housing subsidy, IDF Special Fund for hardship, and a Misrad HaBitachon end-of-service grant. Request the status explicitly at induction via the unit social worker (mashakit tash). For the Misrad HaAliyah portion, the national-service coordinator is Natalie Furman, 03-9733333.

My spouse is not Israeli, what is the visa track for them?

A non-Israeli spouse follows a separate Misrad HaPnim process: Ichud Mishpachot (family reunification), B/1 work visa, or A/5 temporary resident permit depending on circumstances. This track is INDEPENDENT of your Toshav Chozer status and typically slower. Your spouse cannot enroll in kupat cholim as a dependent until they have status, must carry private health insurance in the gap, and cannot work without a permit. Required documents typically include marriage certificate with apostille, foreign police certificate, and biometric photos. Start the spouse application in week 1 at the local Misrad HaPnim branch, parallel to your own steps.

Israeli Returning Resident Navigator

Verified91/100

Before deciding whether to install, talk to the skill

Helps Israelis returning from years abroad navigate the first 90 days back: checks eligibility for the Misrad HaAliyah V'HaKlita certificate (2-year threshold), identifies which Mas Hachnasa tax basket applies (regular at 6 years, vatik at 10), walks through filing Form 628 at Bituach Leumi, and weighs the kupat cholim waiting period against the 2026 pidyon (16,860 NIS). Also covers driver's license restoration, the 24-month and 9-month windows, and a practical order of operations. Do NOT use for new immigrants (israeli-aliyah-navigator), Israelis leaving the country (israeli-relocation-abroad), Section 14 tax math (israeli-toshav-chozer-vatik-tax-planner), or vehicle import and household-shipment customs (israeli-returning-resident-customs-vehicle).

The Problem

Israelis returning home after years abroad get routinely confused with olim chadashim, and AI agents make this mistake even more often: they quote oleh sal-klita figures, conflate the 6-year and 10-year tax tracks, or assume Bituach Leumi residency is automatic. The result is missed customs windows, surprise BL debt, longer-than-needed kupat cholim waiting periods, and lost retroactive benefits. Three independent agencies (Misrad HaAliyah V'HaKlita, Mas Hachnasa, Bituach Leumi) decide three independent questions on three different timelines, and this skill walks the returnee through each one in the right order.

skills-il Government Services|3installs240views

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1.1.1MITGitHub

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Updated: June 13, 2026|Tags:toshav-chozer returning-resident section-14 bituach-leumi kupat-cholim misrad-haaliyah vatik dmei-vitoor form-628 israel

npx skills-il add skills-il/government-services@v1.1.1-israeli-returning-resident-navigator --skill israeli-returning-resident-navigator -a claude-code

Install on Claude.ai, Claude Desktop, ChatGPT, Manus, or other platforms

1. Click "Download ZIP" to download the skill files.
2. Open Claude Desktop and go to Customize > Skills.
3. Click "+" and select "Upload a skill", then upload the ZIP file.
4. Start a new conversation. The skill will activate automatically when relevant.

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Not sure how? Read the guide

When to Apply

When an Israeli is planning to return home after 2+ years abroad and needs an ordered checklist for the first 90 days
When a returnee asks whether they qualify for toshav chozer vatik (10-year track) vs. regular (6-year track) and is unsure which agency decides which question
When someone needs to file Form 628 with Bituach Leumi to re-establish residency and start the kupat cholim waiting-period clock
When a returnee is weighing the kupat cholim waiting period against the 2026 pidyon (16,860 NIS)
When restoring an expired Israeli driver's license or checking foreign-license conversion eligibility

Try These Prompts

Quick eligibility check

I returned to Israel after 8 years in the US and I have been living and working here for 3 months. What do I need to do at Bituach Leumi, Mas Hachnasa, and Misrad HaAliyah V HaKlita, and in what order?

Vatik or regular?

I was in Canada for 11 years and I am returning to Israel. Am I a toshav chozer vatik? What does that mean for taxes and for other rights?

Kupat cholim wait

I was abroad for 5 years. How long is my kupat cholim waiting period, how much is the pidyon in 2026, and is it worth paying?

Form 628 and BL

What is Form 628 (and how does it relate to T627 / T628), where do I file it, and which documents should I prepare to prove I have actually returned?

Lone Soldier basket

My son is being drafted to the IDF a year after we returned, what Chayal Boded benefits is he entitled to and how do we register?

Frequently Asked Questions

Changelog

v1.1.1

v1.1.1: Added Nefesh B'Nefesh (nbn.org.il) to the Reference Links table on both SKILL.md and SKILL_HE.md. NBN is the primary plain-English source for returning-resident rights, vehicle import, kupat cholim, banking, and license conversion.

May 26, 2026

v1.1.0

v1.1.0: Added T627 (<5 years abroad) vs T628 (>=5 years) form distinction, Guaranteed Income Support thresholds (2,680/3,694/4,106/4,836 NIS), employment basket (Vocational Training, Salary Assistance 24mo, Maalot Innovation with April 2020 split), Lone Soldier basket for returnees (5-year window, 21-day overseas-parents leave), Kitzvat Yeladim restoration timeline after Form 628, non-Israeli spouse Misrad HaPnim track, pre-flight Israeli passport for children born abroad. Also: scientists age-37 cap, artists track, education reinforcement, National Service grant (Natalie Furman 03-9733333), bilateral pension convention states, source URL hygiene fixes.

May 26, 2026

v1.0.1

Surfaced the explicit returnee benefit basket from the Toshav Chozer certificate: Shnat Histaglut (Acclimatization Year, Section 14(b) Form 1130 within 90 days), discounted El Al returnee airfare with expanded luggage, business start-up assistance, professional retraining. Added Shivat Zion reference links.

May 23, 2026

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Israeli Returning Resident Navigator

When to Apply

Try These Prompts

Developer & AI Agent Instructions

Security Analysis

Quality Score

Performance Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I a toshav chozer or an oleh chadash?

Am I a toshav chozer or an oleh chadash?

How many years abroad do I need to be a toshav chozer vatik?

How many years abroad do I need to be a toshav chozer vatik?

T627 or T628, which form do I file?

T627 or T628, which form do I file?

How much is the kupat cholim waiting-period pidyon in 2026?

How much is the kupat cholim waiting-period pidyon in 2026?

When do I use this skill vs. another?

When do I use this skill vs. another?

What employment benefits does Misrad HaAliyah offer returning residents?

What employment benefits does Misrad HaAliyah offer returning residents?

My child is being drafted into the IDF, do they qualify as Chayal Boded (Lone Soldier)?

My child is being drafted into the IDF, do they qualify as Chayal Boded (Lone Soldier)?

My spouse is not Israeli, what is the visa track for them?

My spouse is not Israeli, what is the visa track for them?

Changelog

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Israeli Bituach Leumi

Israeli Address Autocomplete

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