Status in Israel for Foreign Spouses

Many couples with one Israeli and one Filippino spouse wish to live together in Israel. This is partly because of the economic and trade ties between Israel and the Philippines, as well as the many Philippine nursing caretakers residing in Israel. In this article, attorney Joshua Pex, a specialist on immigration to Israel from our…

How to file a joint life application for an asylum seeker who enters a relationship with an Israeli partner? In this article, an expert immigration attorney explains the relevant regulations; the unique rules regarding asylum seekers; and the possibilities of appeal in cases where the authorities refuse to grant legal status for asylum seeker spouse.…

When a foreign spouse applies for legal status in Israel, one of the issues that is thoroughly considered is whether there is a criminal or security impediment to the foreign citizen’s entering Israel and settling in the country. If the foreign spouse is from a country defined as “high risk”, how does that affect the…

;Over the last few decades, there has been a regrettable increase in the rates of divorce in Israel. Alongside the many divorced couples, there are also separated couples in Israel who decided to avoid a formal divorce proceeding. When the Israeli spouse is still registered as married, it’s difficult to arrange legal status for a…

If the Interior Ministry refuses a joint life application or to continue the process of legalizing a foreign spouse’s status, it is not the final word. It is possible to file an appeal for foreign spouse in Israel against the decision via one of several appeal mechanisms. In this article, Michael Decker, an attorney with…

Many couples seeking to register their marriage in Israel are not aware that a number of countries will allow them to conduct a marriage in the absence of one or both of the partners. What is the procedure for civil marriage by proxy, and what is the validity of such marriages in Israel? Our law…

Did you know that if an Israeli wants to live in Israel with a foreign partner who has minor children from a previous relationship, the couple must be married? And did you know that the second parent of the minor children must be given the opportunity to oppose the request for the children’s immigration/naturalization? Arranging…

Filing a joint-life application is the first step in obtaining legal status for a foreign spouse in Israel. Following this step, an extended procedure begins, lasting 5-7 years or more. At the end of the process, the foreign spouse can receive Israeli citizenship or permanent residence status. This procedure for obtaining legal status in Israel…

As you may know, marriage in Israel is only allowed between members of the same faith and according to religious law. Cyprus, which allows civil marriage on its territory, is an attractive marriage destination for many Israelis due to its proximity to Israel, low prices, and the relatively simple procedure required for finalizing a marriage…