Author Topic: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa  (Read 15864 times)

Offline Daniel

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Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« on: May 02, 2012, 08:58:55 AM »
Does anyone here have expereince doing this? If so, did you need to put down a deposit with Meches (tax authorities) and/or get a letter from your school?

Offline Jkhein

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2012, 09:03:29 AM »
I heard you need to put down a deposit. Would also love to hear more on peoples experiences.

Offline Drago

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2012, 09:39:29 AM »
Post this question on the NBN listserve, and you'll get some responses.
Generally, NBN recommends against it.

I also met a guys who works in cars who helps ppl with this. PM me if you want his info.

Offline Daniel

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2012, 09:47:12 AM »
Of course NBN recommends against it. They try to encourage Aliyah and tout all the aliyah benefits and advise against long-term student visa shtick.

Offline PlatinumGuy

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2012, 11:10:17 AM »
I know someone who tried doing this.

You need to provide ערבות בנקאית.  (Which is basically a check from a bank). Made out to the full some of taxes (90% of car price). 

Unless you basically own a bank, the bank makes you deposit the full amount in fund and charges you 5% annually for this 'service'.


There are other issues, but if usually paying the tax is better than this.
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline Drago

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2012, 03:39:00 AM »
Of course NBN recommends against it. They try to encourage Aliyah and tout all the aliyah benefits and advise against long-term student visa shtick.
To clarify, NBN recommends against importing cars at all. Too many hassles.

Offline ashers

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2012, 07:05:36 AM »
Just got my car
Did the import myself  8)
Happy to help with any specific questions
it CAN be done!

Offline L'Chaim

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2012, 07:34:00 AM »
They recently cracked down on imported cars from England with right hand drive as it became illegal.

After six months they make you put on an israeli plate.(or you can chose to take the car out of the country for 3 months, IIRC)

Offline sruly101

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2012, 07:59:40 AM »
Just got my car
Did the import myself  8)
Happy to help with any specific questions
can u please wroite a note step by step how it workes!? (only if u got time ;))

Offline shmuelb

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2012, 08:24:13 AM »
I have a friend who just had to trash his car to get the bank deposit back. He wanted to leave the country.

Had a few options -
1. Sell car but the buyer would not be able to register it (?) because it was more than 3 (?) years old.
2. Take it to Jordan and get his passport stamped that it is out of the country.
3. Pay meches 1500 shek and give them the car.
4. Bring the car to get crushed, with a meches guy, and get the money back.

Any more info?
siyag lachachma :-)

Offline Drago

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #10 on: August 30, 2012, 09:05:22 AM »
Just got my car
Did the import myself  8)
Happy to help with any specific questions
On a student visa? I'm interested in importing using oleh rights.

Offline chuchem

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #11 on: August 30, 2012, 09:16:57 AM »
I have a friend who just had to trash his car to get the bank deposit back. He wanted to leave the country.

Had a few options -
1. Sell car but the buyer would not be able to register it (?) because it was more than 3 (?) years old.
2. Take it to Jordan and get his passport stamped that it is out of the country.
3. Pay meches 1500 shek and give them the car.
4. Bring the car to get crushed, with a meches guy, and get the money back.

Any more info?

I imported on a student visa and they told me the same thing. So I just made sure, that my car got 'stolen' and filled out a police report, took that to meches and they accepted it and all was done. the car was still standing there for 2 years and then it really got stolen :-)

Offline chuchem

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #12 on: August 30, 2012, 09:18:15 AM »
I did loose my right to import a car to Israel again, but thats no problem. Even if I decide to move back and import a car, my wife can and I am allowed to drive hers

Offline yhakak

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #13 on: August 30, 2012, 09:52:42 AM »
I imported on a student visa and they told me the same thing. So I just made sure, that my car got 'stolen' and filled out a police report, took that to meches and they accepted it and all was done. the car was still standing there for 2 years and then it really got stolen :-)

I don't want to start a flame war, but well done defrauding the Israeli government, chuchem. Can we guess how many issurim that entails?

Let's start
1. דינא דלמלכותא דינא
2. מדבר שקר תרחק (twice, if i understand correctly)
3. got kids? then you're also עובר on חינוך
4. there are probably a whole bunch more because it's the Israeli (Jewish) government...

I'm as much for getting a good deal as the next guy, but that's really ridiculous...

As for taking the car out of the country, i was told that the car has to leave the country by sea, so taba/jordan is not an option, gotta put it on the ferry to cyprus...but that information might be out of date.

Offline chuchem

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #14 on: August 30, 2012, 10:02:10 AM »
My car was not worth anything and they told me, that I have to pay 5000 dollars if I dont take it out, at that time they didnt allow destroying it.
It would have cost alot to take it out of the country
I didnt claim insurance as stolen
I didnt use it anymore

Did I do the 100% correct thing, no I didnt. Happy to hear?

Offline yhakak

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #15 on: August 30, 2012, 10:03:34 AM »
My car was not worth anything and they told me, that I have to pay 5000 dollars if I dont take it out, at that time they didnt allow destroying it.
It would have cost alot to take it out of the country
I didnt claim insurance as stolen
I didnt use it anymore

Did I do the 100% correct thing, no I didnt. Happy to hear?

no, not really. What you do is your own problem. If i were you, though, i wouldn't be so quick about posting this kind of stuff.

Offline Red

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #16 on: August 30, 2012, 10:04:58 AM »
I don't want to start a flame war, but well done defrauding the Israeli government, chuchem. Can we guess how many issurim that entails?

Let's start
1. דינא דלמלכותא דינא
2. מדבר שקר תרחק (twice, if i understand correctly)
3. got kids? then you're also עובר on חינוך
4. there are probably a whole bunch more because it's the Israeli (Jewish) government...

I'm as much for getting a good deal as the next guy, but that's really ridiculous...

As for taking the car out of the country, i was told that the car has to leave the country by sea, so taba/jordan is not an option, gotta put it on the ferry to cyprus...but that information might be out of date.
And now to have some fun..

Offline yhakak

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #17 on: August 30, 2012, 10:05:42 AM »
And now to have some fun..

nope, not going to bite.

Offline Red

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #18 on: August 30, 2012, 10:09:27 AM »
nope, not going to bite.
And here I was gearing up for a nice drawn out completely off topic argument, oh well.  :D

Offline yhakak

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Re: Importing a car to Israel on a student visa
« Reply #19 on: August 30, 2012, 10:11:05 AM »
And here I was gearing up for a nice drawn out completely off topic argument, oh well.  :D

Sorry  ;)