uabb domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /var/www/sites/lawfirmbackup_200125/wordpress/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131The Ministry of the Interior has established a procedure that details the guidelines on this subject. It is a lengthy process which involves presenting various documents and dealing with a lot of bureaucracy. In this article, a lawyer for married couples will explain the first step in the procedure: the opening of a family unification file<\/a> with the Population and Immigration Authority of the Ministry of the Interior.<\/p>\n Our law firm has branches in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and specializes in immigration law. Our firm has extensive experience arranging the legal status of couples with a foreign spouse<\/a> and representing them before all administrative and legal courts.<\/p>\n Israeli law generally only permits couples to be married under the conditions of religious law. Despite calls over the years for a change in the legal situation<\/a>, civil marriages in Israel have not yet been allowed. As a result, many couples who cannot legally marry in Israel are forced to hold civil ceremonies abroad and then register their marriage in Israel. This is especially common among couples with different religious affiliations or couples in which one of the spouses is a foreign citizen. For couples who want to get married not in accordance with religious law, a civil marriage outside the country is the only viable option. You can read more about the issue of civil marriage abroad, including single-party marriage, in our article<\/a> about Paraguayan marriage.<\/p>\n For couples where one of the spouses is a foreign citizen, civil marriage in a foreign country is only the beginning when it comes to the regulation of their legal status in Israel. This is because the Citizenship Law does not automatically grant Israeli citizenship to foreign citizens, even when they are married to Israelis. However, the law does open the possibility of naturalization, contingent on the Ministry of the Interior\u2019s procedure on the subject. The procedure establishes a process that lasts about 5 years, at the end of which the foreign spouse will be able to obtain Israeli citizenship.<\/p>\n The first step in the procedure to regulate the legal status of married couples with a foreign spouse is to open a file at the Ministry of the Interior. At this stage, the couple must file an online application to start the proces<\/a>s. If the foreign spouse is not in Israel, the obligation falls to the Israeli spouse. If neither is in Israel, they must report to an Israeli representative in the country they are staying (this is usually at the local Israeli embassy). If the Israeli spouse is in Israel and the foreign spouse is abroad, then the Israeli spouse performs the first step vis-\u00e0-vis the Ministry of the Interior in Israel, until the foreign spouse enters Israel in a formal capacity.<\/p>\n There are cases where the purpose of the foreign spouse\u2019s entry into Israel is purely for a brief visit. You can read more about inviting foreign spouses from abroad for a tourist visit in this article<\/a> on our website.<\/p>\n The coupe must present a series of documents at the time of opening the file. Read more about the specifics in this article<\/a>. As part of the procedure, the couple will be identified and the foreign spouse will be asked to present a foreign passport that is valid for two years.\u00a0 In addition, the couple\u2019s marriage certificate will be examined, and it will be determined whether there are any legal or security restrictions that would impede on the stay of the foreign spouse in Israel.<\/p>\n At the end of the aforementioned process, and to the extent that there are no impediments, the foreign spouse will be given a 6-month visa. If they have any offspring who are minors, they will also be given a visa. All of the above applies if the foreign spouse is in Israel.<\/p>\nMarriage Restrictions Under Israeli Law<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The Duty to Regulate Legal Status for Couples with a Spouse with Foreign Citizenship<\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/b><\/h4>\nOpening a Family Reunification File for Married Couples<\/strong><\/h4>\n
What Happens After the File is Opened?<\/strong><\/h4>\n