Israel is a country that is not immigrant-friendly, and therefore, even nowadays as the world becomes a more global village, and more couples have international relationships, it is important to understand the legal process that these couples must undergo in order to regulate the status of their foreign spouse in Israel and establish a common household in Israel.
The family reunification process is the process that must be undergone with the Ministry of Interior in order to regulate the status of a foreign spouse married to an Israeli citizen. In cases where the couple is not married, the process is called “common law marriage“, and still, it is possible to undergo the process and obtain status for the foreign spouse.
In this article we will outline the details of the process and what is required to complete it.
The relevant and definitive procedure in this matter is Procedure 5.2.0008 for Granting Status to a Foreign Spouse of an Israeli Citizen.
The process can begin when the Israeli spouse is in Israel and the foreign spouse is outside Israel, or when both spouses are in Israel. The time frame until receiving the first visa varies dramatically from office to office and depends on the place of residence of the Israeli spouse, when he/she is in Israel.
In cases where both spouses are abroad and intend to start the process outside Israel and only then arrive in Israel, an initial request can be submitted at the Israeli embassy closest to where the couple resides, however after the initial approval and upon arrival in Israel, the couple will still have to undergo much of the process in Israel.
The process begins with submitting many documents online. When it comes to a married couple, a certified and translated marriage certificate must also be submitted, along with a certificate attesting to the personal status prior to the marriage, and a certificate attesting to the marriage registration in the foreign spouse’s country of origin. Afterwards, an appointment will be scheduled to submit the original documents to the office, the couple will be interviewed separately and asked various questions, after which the first approval will be given in the form of a B/1 visa for six months.
The B/1 visa allows the foreign spouse to live in Israel, work in Israel, and freely enter and exit Israel upon receiving a returning visa.
Three months before the first B/1 visa expires, the couple must schedule an appointment at the office to submit additional documents and for another interview. The documents are identical to the ones submitted at the start of the application, except for the official documents – so documents attesting to the center of life and genuineness of the relationship are submitted. The required documents for these requests can be read in this article link. After submitting the documents and another interview, the status of the foreign spouse will be upgraded to an A/5 visa, which is a residency permit, granting broader rights: national insurance and health insurance, an ID card allowing opening a bank account, and more. The permit is granted for one year.
After that, every year, you must go to the office three months in advance, schedule an appointment to submit documents and for an interview. After the foreign spouse holds an A/5 permit for four years, an application for Israeli citizenship can be submitted.
Throughout the aforementioned period, the couple’s, and especially the foreign spouse’s, center of life must be in Israel. The foreigner must stay in Israel for at least nine months each year, and staying abroad for a longer period may be problematic and lead to the permit not being renewed and the process halted. Also, in the last two years before submitting the application for Israeli citizenship, it is advisable to stay in Israel almost fully.
In order to undergo a swift process, without issues, and to receive orderly advice suited to your exact circumstances, contact our office for expert legal advice on family reunification.