EPISODE 2.12 — THE HEALTH DECLARATION FORM

The health declaration is a form completed by each adult applicant confirming their current health status. Let me tell you three things about this document immediately: it is not completed by your doctor, it is completed by you; it is not a medical examination; and answering yes to some of the health questions does not automatically affect your aliyah eligibility.

The form asks a series of health-related questions about conditions and medications. If you answer yes to any question, you will be prompted to upload a letter from your doctor describing the condition or medication and confirming that you are fit to travel. This letter needs to be on official letterhead and must be from a licensed physician. If you are over the age of seventy-five, there is an additional optometrist and general practitioner form to complete.

The purpose of the health declaration is not to screen applicants for exclusion but to help the Israeli absorption authorities plan appropriate support. New olim with health conditions or disabilities may require specific services, housing adaptations, or connections to specialist healthcare providers after arrival, and this information helps Misrad HaKlita direct you to the right resources. Declaring a health condition on this form is not the same as having that condition used against your eligibility.

The narrow circumstances under which health genuinely does affect aliyah eligibility are limited to cases involving a risk to public health — a small number of specific communicable diseases — and these are assessed at a separate administrative level, not through the self-declaration form.

For children under eighteen, parents complete the minor's health declaration form on their behalf. The completed form will also need to be presented to the Israeli consulate when you apply for your aliyah visa.

Fill in the form carefully and honestly. The question of whether to disclose a health condition is sometimes a source of anxiety for applicants. My strong advice is to disclose accurately. Not disclosing a condition that later comes to light creates far more serious complications than disclosing it at the appropriate stage. The Israeli health system is genuinely good, and the absorption infrastructure has considerable experience supporting olim with health conditions. You are not doing yourself any favours by omitting relevant information.

This form is provided as part of the application process on both the NBN portal and the Jewish Agency portal. You do not need to source it externally. Fill it in, upload it, and move on.