![\"Family](\"https:\/\/wpstaq-ap-southeast-2-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/lawfirm_updated\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2024\/06\/DALL\u00b7E-2024-06-01-00.16.12-Create-a-cartoony-illustration-of-a-family-reunion-at-an-Israeli-airport-focusing-on-the-husband-wife-and-their-children-with-non-realistic-faces-a-300x300.jpg\")
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What is Family Reunification?<\/h4>\n
For our purposes, it involves the immigration to Israel of foreign spouses of Israelis and their minor children. Let\u2019s explain what each part means practically:<\/p>\n
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- Foreign Spouses:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Foreign citizens who are not residents of the territories<\/a> (the West Bank and Gaza). They can be married to Israelis or be recognized as common-law partners (not married but in an established romantic relationship). However, the process of obtaining status in Israel (see below) for those who are not married, as well as for same-sex partners, who receive status according to the same procedure as unmarried partners<\/a>, takes longer.<\/p>\n
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- Of Israelis:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Citizens or permanent residents of Israel. This does not refer to those eligible to make Aliyah<\/a> and their family members, which is a completely different process, based on the Law of Return. A point worth emphasizing – the vast majority of those who receive status in Israel as spouses of Israelis are not eligible for Aliyah – if they were, they could receive status in Israel as Olim much more quickly and easily than through the family reunification procedure.<\/p>\n
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- And Their Minor Children:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The couple’s joint child, born to the Israeli and the foreign spouse (children of Israelis can receive Israeli citizenship separately from the family reunification procedure, even as adults, but it is easier to obtain status for the entire family rather than for each member separately) or children of the foreign spouse from a previous relationship, who are not biologically related to the Israeli. Children from a previous relationship cannot obtain status in Israel separately from the family reunification process – meaning they can immigrate to Israel only together with their parent, the Israeli\u2019s partner, to avoid separating the family during immigration. They lose the eligibility to obtain status in Israel after turning 18, if they did not immigrate to Israel with the family as minors<\/a>. Additionally, the consent of the other parent to the children\u2019s immigration to Israel must be obtained, or at least they must be contacted and given an opportunity to object to the immigration – provided that parent is alive and the Israeli\u2019s partner does not have sole custody of the children.<\/p>\n
Why is the Family Reunification Process More Complicated and Lengthy Than the Aliyah Process?<\/h4>\n
On one hand, this is due to the Ministry of Interior\u2019s reluctance to encourage immigration to Israel of those without Jewish roots. On the other hand, every immigration system in the world seeks to ensure that those immigrating with a marriage visa (which is roughly what the gradual status process provides) are indeed in a genuine, long-term relationship with a citizen or resident of that country and genuinely wish to live in that country.<\/p>\n
How Does the Family Reunification Process Work?<\/h4>\n
The Israeli spouse approaches the Ministry of Interior<\/a> (the office responsible for immigration matters in Israel) to issue a request to invite the foreign spouse<\/a> (and minor children, if any). Since the Ministry of Interior assumes that a significant portion of the invited spouses are in a fictitious relationship – not truly in love with the Israeli but only seeking status in Israel – substantial evidence must be presented to prove that the relationship is genuine. Identity documents, criminal records of both partners, and a marriage certificate, as well as documents proving that the foreign spouse is not married to someone else, are just the starting point. Additionally, documents proving the couple shares a household (bills, contracts, certificates) or frequent visits, correspondences, and phone calls, testimonies from friends of the couple, and more must be provided. If the invitation is approved, the foreign spouse arrives in Israel and starts the “gradual process” to obtain status.<\/p>\n
\u00a0What are the stages in the process? Various visas, which are upgraded every few years. Starting with a B-1 visa, which allows the foreign spouse to live, work, and study in Israel, upgrading after some time to an A-5 visa, for temporary residents, and eventually obtaining permanent status – residency or citizenship. Permanent residency is mainly granted to spouses of permanent residents who cannot or do not wish to naturalize. However, some spouses from countries that do not allow dual citizenship prefer to obtain permanent residency in Israel rather than renounce their existing citizenship.<\/p>\n
Throughout the entire gradual process – 5 years for married couples<\/a>, 7 years for common-law partners, 9 years for common-law partners of permanent residents – it must be proven to the Population Authority (the part of the Ministry of Interior handling immigration and status issues for those within Israel) that the couple is maintaining a joint household (living together), is in a genuine relationship, and has not separated. To this end, certain documents must be presented, and periodic interviews must be passed to prove the sincerity of the relationship.<\/p>\n
Our advice regarding the process:<\/h4>\n
There are several important points to know in advance if you want to invite a foreign spouse to Israel:<\/p>\n
First of All – Issue an invitation<\/strong><\/p>\n
In the past, Israelis tended to “skip” the invitation stage. They would bring the spouse to Israel for a visit for some reason, usually without mentioning that they are a partner of an Israeli, and then submit a family reunification request to the Ministry of Interior. The invitation stage takes months or even years if the Ministry of Interior suspects that the relationship is fictitious. Throughout this time, the partners may have to live in different countries, and their relationship is naturally affected by the separation. So why not start the process when both partners are already in Israel?<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Interior now takes a particularly severe view of attempts to skip the invitation stage. When visiting Israel, you are asked to state whether you have an Israeli partner, and if the partner invites you for a visit, they are required to declare that they do not intend to start a family reunification procedure at this stage. Ministry of Interior representatives do not take kindly to attempts to deceive them, and given that the success of the process depends on their goodwill, it is not advisable to start a family reunification in Israel this way. Currently, issuing an invitation while both partners are abroad is easier than ever, so there is no need to separate while the request is being processed.<\/p>\n
Proof of Relationship Sincerity<\/strong><\/p>\n
- And Their Minor Children:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Of Israelis:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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