For students who are U.S. citizens:

To participate on a Taglit-Birthright Israel: Hillel, you must have a United States passport that is valid for six months after the program. No visa is necessary. For more details, go to the Department of State's Passport Services and Information site.

If you have not yet obtained or renewed your passport, please do so immediately. The process may take 4-6 weeks!

A new passport for US-born citizens costs $135 and a renewal costs $110. You may apply at your local post office or clerk of court (for a new passport you need to apply in person). Find a out where to apply for a passport nationwide at the Department of State's Web site.

You will require a birth certificate or naturalization certificate (for new passports), two identical passport photos, and a photo ID.

Expedited processing may be available for a $60 fee plus delivery costs at a local passport agency.

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For students who are not U.S. citizens:

To participate, you must have valid documentation and an Israeli entry visa. If you have not yet obtained valid documentation, please do so IMMEDIATELY. The process may take 3+ months!

Visas may be obtained at your local Israeli Consulate. The process usually takes 7-10 days. You will need a completed application form, two passport photographs per visa, confirmation of travel (which can be obtained from our travel agent upon acceptance to the program), and cash or money order for the processing fee.

1. Students with a Green Card or US visa holding a foreign passport valid for at least six months after your schools Taglit-Birthright Israel: Hillel trip, will require a visa from the local Israeli Consulate.

2. Students with a Green Card or US visa holding a foreign passport that has expired or is about to expire can renew it for a reasonable fee at the country's local consulate. This process can take weeks (Russia) to months (Ukraine).

3. Students who do not hold a valid foreign passport or a Green Card must apply for an INS travel document - either a reentry permit for permanent residents (valid for 2 years), or a refugee travel document (valid for 1 year). This may take 3 months or more, though an agency can expedite this process for a fee of several hundred dollars. After receiving the INS travel documentation, students will then need to obtain a visa from the Israeli Consulate as described above. If this situation applies to you and you are interested in participating on a Taglit-Birthright Israel: Hillel trip, you must begin this process NOW.

Please note that you can check on the status of a passport application by calling the National Passport Information Center at 1-900-225-5674. (There is about a $1 charge to speak with a live person and $.35 to obtain information through their automated system.)

Remember, you must have all travel documentation (passport, visa, etc.) in order to participate on a Taglit-Birthright Israel: Hillel trip!