U.S. Passport application, place of birth Jerusalem or Israel?

[Shafiq 2]

Hi,

 

After applying for my first US passport, I got a mail requesting that I indicate the place of birth to appear in my passport: Israel or Jerusalem.

I am an Israeli citizen, born in Jerusalem, with an Israeli passport. 

I'm not sure what the best option is.

Would choosing one over the other have any consequences?

 

Thank you

[wildbug100420 132]

1 hour ago, Shafiq said:

Hi,

 

After applying for my first US passport, I got a mail requesting that I indicate the place of birth to appear in my passport: Israel or Jerusalem.

I am an Israeli citizen, born in Jerusalem, with an Israeli passport. 

I'm not sure what the best option is.

Would choosing one over the other have any consequences?

 

Thank you

I believe it's personal preference. I've seen both. Probably boils down to the ongoing conflict in that part of the world. 

[Rekyrts 53]

Your choice.

I was reading the DOS Passport manual a while back; IIRC, they allow individuals to choose between City or Country of birth.

[Shafiq 2]

14 hours ago, Rekyrts said:

Your choice.

I was reading the DOS Passport manual a while back; IIRC, they allow individuals to choose between City or Country of birth.

Could you share that manual with me please?

and why do they give that option? what's difference does it make?

[OldUser 6,980]

23 minutes ago, Shafiq said:

Could you share that manual with me please?

and why do they give that option? what's difference does it make?

I think you, as person born in that region of the world, would know better than any of us? 

 

Both Israel and Palestine have strong connection to the city, so by default "Jerusalem" was used in passports until recently. Now you have a choice to pick "Israel"

 

https://il.usembassy.gov/u-s-embassy-jerusalem-issues-first-passport-listing-place-of-birth-as-israel-for-applicants-born-in-jerusalem/

 

 

Edited December 4 by OldUser

[Lil bear 4,259]

On 12/3/2024 at 2:57 PM, Shafiq said:

Hi,

 

After applying for my first US passport, I got a mail requesting that I indicate the place of birth to appear in my passport: Israel or Jerusalem.

I am an Israeli citizen, born in Jerusalem, with an Israeli passport. 

I'm not sure what the best option is.

Would choosing one over the other have any consequences?

 

Thank you

I have always used what the birth certificate states as place of birth. 

Edited December 4 by Lil bear

[OldUser 6,980]

1 hour ago, Lil bear said:

I have always used what the birth certificate states as place of birth. 

Wise choice

[Patrick Lee 8]

Usually place of births are countries. Israel is a country and not Jerusalem. So your place of birth is your country Israel. 

[OldUser 6,980]

12 hours ago, Patrick Lee said:

Usually place of births are countries. Israel is a country and not Jerusalem. So your place of birth is your country Israel. 

The reason why this exception exists is because other nations claim Jerusalem as their capital too.

[top_secret 2,458]

These are the actual FAM regulations on the subject.

 

https://fam.state.gov/fam/08fam/08fam040304.html

 

 

Quote

8 FAM 403.4-4  Unusual Circumstances Regarding POB

8 FAM 403.4-4(A)  Israel, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, Jerusalem, and the West Bank

(CT:CITZ-73;   06-09-2022)

............................

e. Jerusalem:

(1)  Unless born before May 14, 1948 in locations outside Jerusalem's municipal limits at that time (see below), the POB for U.S. passports for persons born in Jerusalem should be:

(a)  If the applicant lists solely “Jerusalem” as the place of birth (POB) the POB must be JERUSALEM on the U.S. passport, Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), or Consular Report of Death Abroad (CRDA);

(b)  If the applicant lists “Israel,” the POB must be ISRAEL on the U.S. passport or “JERUSALEM, ISRAEL” on the CRBA/CRDA; or

(c)  If the applicant lists “Jerusalem, Israel” you must contact the applicant to ascertain whether the applicant prefers either solely JERUSALEM or ISRAEL (on the U.S. passport) and/or whether the applicant prefers solely JERUSALEM or JERUSALEM, ISRAEL (on the CRBA/CRDA).

(2)  Persons born before May 14, 1948 within the municipal borders of Jerusalem at that time may elect either JERUSALEM or ISRAEL as described above in paragraph e(1);

(3)  The POB for persons born before May 14, 1948 in locations outside Jerusalem’s municipal limits at that time, that are now inside Jerusalem’s declared municipal limits, is listed as PALESTINE or the name of the location (area/city) as it was known prior to expansion of Jerusalem’s municipal limits at any time following May 14, 1948. Persons born in such locations after May 14, 1948, may choose the name of the location (area/city) as it was known prior to the expansion of Jerusalem’s municipal limits; and

(4)  Do not list Jordan or the West Bank for persons born within the current municipal borders of Jerusalem.

 

[Rekyrts 53]

On 12/4/2024 at 1:13 PM, Shafiq said:

Could you share that manual with me please?

and why do they give that option? what's difference does it make?

 

Don't know the "why" of it, just that the allowance is made.

In addition to the excellent stuff already provided by others, here seems to be an overarching guidance from the same manual (8 FAM 403.4-5): https://fam.state.gov/fam/08fam/08fam040304.html. A U.S. citizen born in the U.S./territory/possession cannot request only city/state on a U.S. Passport, but a foreign-born U.S. citizen can.

Happy to be corrected if I am interpreting that incorrectly.