If you did not receive oleh status at the airport, or have decided to become an oleh after residing in Israel as a tourist or temporary resident, you may change your status at the Ministry of the Interior (Misrad HaPnim).
The process involves submitting and verification of documents that attest to your eligibility to receive Israeli citizenship according to the Law of Return. Suitable documents can include a copy of your parents’ ketubah, or a letter from your rabbi at the synagogue with which you were affiliated in your country of origin.
The process may take some time, and you should take into account that until you receive an official change of status from the Ministry of the Interior, you will be ineligible for Ministry of Immigrant Absorption assistance.
For information about changing your status in Israel, contact the Ministry of the Interior office closest to you. Members of the English-speaking immigrant organizations may obtain information and guidance regarding change of status in Israel at the organizations’ branch offices (see section below entitled “English-Speaking Immigrant Organizations”).