Bituach Leumi | Imamother

AhavatYisrael

Tue, Nov 30 2010, 2:13 am

Does anyone have a phone number for an English speaker in bituach leumi? I keep trying to get through to them but the only options they have on their phone is Hebrew, Russian, and Arabic and I can't understand the Hebrew choices.
Our 6 month waiting period where we're only on meuchedet is almost up and I'm trying to figure out what we need to do to apply to BL. I have some paperwork but not sure that they're the correct forms or if there's anything in addition that we need. Has anyone done this before??

zipporah

Tue, Nov 30 2010, 2:35 am

J R wrote:

I always give up and go down to the office. I go down Ben Sira when I get off the bus on Shlomitzion Hamalka and turn left at the first street. There's a Bituach Leumi office that's helpful and where most of the staff speaks English.

suomynona

Tue, Nov 30 2010, 2:56 am

Do you have the newcomer's guide? They explain very clearly what you need to apply. We did it based on their info.
They have a website, but I'm not sure if that info is on it.

http://newcomersguideisrael.com/

AhavatYisrael

Tue, Nov 30 2010, 3:17 am

Thank you!! I do have the guide and it's usually the first thing I refer to. I'm not sure why I didn't think of it this time!! I just spoke to someone who told me that bituach leumi doesn't really answer this type of question on the phone and they also recommended that I just go down to the office.
Have either of you done the switch from meuchedet to joining BL? Is there anything I need to know about before I start this process?

suomynona

Tue, Nov 30 2010, 8:47 am

When you apply to BL you specify which kupat cholim you want. I think when we got onto bituach leumi, meuchedet automatically sent us new cards.
If it's nogea for you, you can also apply to get back all the money you spent on meuchedet from when you become a toshav.

AhavatYisrael

Sun, Dec 05 2010, 2:19 am

Really?? What's the criteria to be eligible to get all the money back? Does that include what we paid for Adif as well? If we could get all that money back it would be amazing!!

shabri

Sun, Dec 05 2010, 8:36 am

J R wrote:

Really?? What's the criteria to be eligible to get all the money back? Does that include what we paid for Adif as well? If we could get all that money back it would be amazing!!

Yes really. No you don't get back what you paid for adif--thats coverage over and above what BL pays for. All you do is give them copies of your receipts and a letter and eventually they will reimburse you. It took a few months and they give you back a lot but not 100%. When you go to BL ask them about it

suomynona

Sun, Dec 05 2010, 10:17 am

When you say you have a six month waiting period, I'm assuming you're applying to BL on a student visa, and you didn't make aliya. Am I right? So if you're applying right after the six months are up, I don't think you'll get back any money. You would just get back money for the time after those 6 months.
If you did make aliyah, I don't know anything about that, so never mind what I just said.

AhavatYisrael

Tue, Dec 07 2010, 5:19 am

Thanks! We're on student visas. Shabri -Who needs to write this letter that you mentioned? What should it say? Should I wait until exactly 6 months before applying or begin the process now? (The 6 months ends in 3 weeks).

Lolo88

Mon, Oct 08 2012, 10:42 am

Hi, does anyone know if you go on bituach leumi, for the 6 month period is it from your visa date, or if you leave does it reset the dates even though the visa says 6 months?