Making Aliyah from the USA & UK in 2026

2024 data -- Nefesh B'Nefesh, Jewish Agency

Key differences vs Aliyah from other countries

• ✈️

  Free Aliyah flight via Nefesh B'Nefesh

  NBN organizes free El Al group flights from the USA, Canada and UK -- a benefit not available to Olim from most other countries. Register early, spots fill months in advance.

• 🏢

  Dedicated case worker -- full-service support

  Nefesh B'Nefesh assigns you a personal case worker who guides every step: visa, flight, arrival, and first months. Olim from other countries go through the Sochnut without this individual follow-up.

• 💰

  US tax obligations follow you to Israel

  The US taxes citizens on worldwide income regardless of residency. You must file annually with the IRS. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE is $132,900 for the 2026 tax year, per IRS inflation adjustments -- this changes yearly, so check the current limit on irs.gov) and the US-Israel tax treaty prevent most double taxation -- but only if you actively claim them. You'll also likely need to file an annual FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) once your Israeli accounts' combined balance tops $10,000 at any point in the year -- a separate filing from your IRS return, submitted directly to FinCEN, with steep penalties for skipping it. Consult a dual-licensed CPA before you move.

• 🏘️

  100+ established Anglo communities

  Ra'anana, Modi'in, Efrat, Beit Shemesh and Jerusalem have large, organized English-speaking communities -- Anglo shuls, English-language services and tight social networks from day one.

• 🛂

  Full dual citizenship -- no renunciation required

  Both the US and UK allow full dual citizenship with Israel. You keep your original passport permanently alongside your Israeli one. No renunciation required.

This guide is mostly US-tax-focused -- here's what changes specifically for UK Olim

• 🏦

  State Pension -- check whether it stays uprated

  Israel has a reciprocal social security agreement with the UK, so a UK State Pension should generally keep receiving its annual increase (uprating) after you move -- unlike the 'frozen pension' countries where the rate locks at the day you leave. Confirm your own entitlement and the current list of qualifying countries directly on gov.uk before relying on this.

• 📋

  Tax residency & HMRC

  Leaving the UK generally changes your tax residency status under HMRC's Statutory Residence Test. You'll usually need to notify HMRC when you move (commonly via form P85 or the residence section of a Self Assessment return) and understand which UK-source income -- rental income or a private pension, for example -- can remain taxable in the UK even once you're non-resident.

• 🤝

  UK-Israel tax treaty

  A UK-Israel double taxation treaty (in force since the 1960s, updated by protocol) is designed to stop the same income being taxed twice, and can reduce Israeli withholding tax on some UK-sourced income once you activate it. Exact treatment depends on the type of income and your residency status in each country -- it isn't automatic.

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