BADIL Resource Center
24 October 1998
For Immediate Release 

We would like to remind our Palestinian compatriots living abroad of the current regulations to be followed  - based on the Cairo Agreement (1994) and the Taba Agreement (1995) - in order to protect your residency rights in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Information about these regulations has been issued recently by the PA Interior Ministry. It applies exclusively to Palestinians with valid resident status in the West Bank (excluding Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip: 

1) RENEWAL OF EXIT PERMIT 

• Gaza Strip: If you hold an exit permit dated 17-5-1994 or any later date, you are not required to renew your permit. You may stay abroad as long as you wish and return at any time you wish. If your exit permit was issued prior to 17-5-1994, you must renew your exit permit according to the regulations valid in the past.
• West Bank: If you hold an exit permit dated 28-5-1995 or any later date, you are not required to renew your permit. Holders of exit permits issued before this date must renew them in order to maintain legal resident status.

2) HOW TO OBTAIN/RENEW YOUR PALESTINIAN PASSPORT WHILE LIVING ABROAD 
Palestinian residents of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip living abroad may obtain/renew their Palestinian passport by: 

a) Authorizing a person in Palestine to handle their application with the PA Interior Ministry. Such authorization must be signed by the applicant and approved by the Palestinian embassy abroad. If no Palestinian embassy is available, the authorization must be signed by a notary in the country of residence of the applicant. 
b) Application forms are provided by the PA Interior Ministry. Forms must be filled according to the instructions. Palestinian stamps in the value of 35 Jordanian Dinars must be attached. 
c) The applicant must attach to the official application form: 

• a copy of the valid exit permit or travel document (laissez passer), pages 1, 2, 3, 4 and the page with the exit stamp from the airport;
• a copy of the personal ID card;
• the birth certificate;
• professional certificates;
• four colored personal photographs. Photos must have a red background, automat photos are not accepted. The photos must be certified by the Palestinian embassy abroad or by a notary.

For further details, please contact: 
BADIL Legal Aid Department, tel/fax 00972-2-2747346; email: info@badil.org

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