Sergei m Vashkevich
We came to Mr. Joshua with so many questions (and most of all, with so many concerns and worries) …
When we explained our case to him, first of all, he calmed us down and helped us to see the big picture, which took away our fears;
Then he presented us with a detailed explanation and a few options to explore, and a timeline, how things work and necessary steps to undertake on our part,
We thank and highly recommend Mr. Joshua for showing us so much empathy, care and professionalism (!)
Alexander P Gutterman
EU PASSPORT ! Big news! Thanks to Michael Decker and the other good people at the law office, as well as to the virtue of my ancestors, the cruelty of the Inquisition, reparations issued in the Iberian Peninsula, and etc, I am delighted to be on track for Portuguese and European Union Citizenship! A truly incredible development and one which brings me deep joy.
Greg Olson
We highly recommend Adv. Mike Decker and have know him for many years. He has helped our family with many battles over the years. We recently received our permanent residency after 23 years in Israel. We so much appreciate Mike’s representation of us.
Priscilla Moses
competent consulting, fast processing, reliable, warm & good team. highly recommended
Michael and Ariellah Waizman
For Advocate Joshua Pex.
We were in a devastating situation when my wife received an order from the immigration office to leave Israel within 30 days, without any explanation, after we have been married and in the process for six and a half years. We heard of Advocate Pex through a friend of a friend. We contacted Mr. Pex and he was ready to help us when he heard of our situation.
The service is amazing! Always ready to assist without regard to the time it takes. The advice Mr. Pex gave us was great, such as what to do, he gave useful links, and advice about which officials to contact. The price for the service was great!
The process until we received the extension for another year for my wife was not long (3 months). Things started moving once Mr. Pex came into the picture.
We highly recommend Advocate Joshua Pex! We achieved our goal and the fear of deportation has been lifted!
Paul Prince
The team of lawyers and assistants are incredibly professional. Aiming to give their clients the advice possible regarding the normative and the law of Israel. With well trained and professional secretary at the front desk to the lawyers team, I could say that I had one of the most professional services possible. I'm super glad of choosing Joshua Pex of Law office for immigration solution, lawyers to advise in my case, to me, it is remarkable.
Sveta Vashkevich
We (myself and my husband) came to Mr. Joshua Pex – for his professional advice – and we received such human warmth and caring attitude, that our hearts melted …
His attention to our details and our situation peculiarities, combined with his professionalism and knowledge, helped us to map out what needs to be done on our part: we appreciate and recommend You, Mr. Joshua!
Sophie Cooperman
Oded Ger did an excellent job by reviewing a modeling contract I was offered. Explained the bad clauses in the contract, and their possible consequences. Thank you for your amazing job, your professionalism, your consultation and honesty. You showed me from your experience how it can be done differently. It was the best decision choosing you as my lawyer.
I highly recommend this firm, especially Oded Ger.
Наталья Мажуга
Great lawyers Joshua Pex and Nechama and Michael Deker who really want to help you and I have very trustful relationships with them. All my cases they took they won. Thank you and let’s keep working together
Yossi Montrose
Very knowledgeable and professional
Stuart Safft
I am delighted to report that my wife and I have just obtained our Israeli citizenship. We will be forever grateful for all of the help, guidance and support which Ariel Galili of Decker, Pex & Co. provided through this process.
I am a Jewish, 80-year-old American, and my wife is not Jewish. We had started the process on our own back in November 2020 via the Jewish Agency and Nefesh B’Nefesh, but soon became entangled in the delays and often-changing regulations due to Covid-19. The pandemic also caused delays in obtaining the required apostilles for various documents from various state agencies and the US State Department.
We found Decker, Pex & Co. On the internet and began working with Ariel in late November 2021. Ariel did a superb job of leading us through the process, helping us to understand which documents were essential, which would most likely be required, and which, though included on the list of required documents, were rarely required. He helped us several times to understand what was likely and unlikely to occur as “the next step.” Helping us manage our expectations was extremely useful to us.
Besides his knowing the laws, regulations and procedures, Ariel also made us feel that he was truly interested in helping us to successfully work through this process in as smooth, timely, and frustration-free manner as possible.
My wife and I strongly recommend anyone planning to go through this process seriously consider hiring Decker, Pex, Ofir & Co. and, specifically, Ariel Galili.
Schruuf
We were very pleased and content with the services of this law firm. They supported us 100% and solved our case successfully, we couldn't be happier.
Eden Weiss
Extrmely friendly, professional and helpful. A big thank you to Irina especially from the Jerusalem office. Highly Recommended.
Matthias Oppliger
I have been receiving services from this Law Firm for several years now and I want to say THANK YOU to the team, especially Joshua Pex. They are doing outstanding work. The services I have received for both our Israeli non profit association but also our social business have helped us solve many issues at hand and provided solutions in complicated situations. Personally, I am grateful for support in visa issues as a foreigner living now in Israel for many years.
Morgan Jones
The team at Decker, Pex & Co have been awesome to work with in helping our US company establish banking in Israel and in providing counsel for legal needs in Israel. I highly recommend!
Lilian Granovsky
I can highly recommend these services!
Every time we turned to Joshua we always got a professional quick and helpful respond.
Dongdiet & Nellie
We are very happy with the services. Somehow they managed to translate the law lingo into language we actually understand 😉 and their outstanding YouTube videos helped us to have a better grasp of what process we had to go through. Their patience, clear explanation and experience are very valuable. It's also very nice to know that you will receive response promptly; it made us feel we can really trust their services. We recommend all those looking for immigration lawyers to get in touch.
YK C
We had a pleasure of working with Irena Rosenberg who assisted in getting our two U.S. born children registered in Israel and supported visa process for my wife in 2021. During the pandemic, my wife and I decided to move to Israel where I am originally from after living in the U.S. for over 20 years, but we had no idea how to go about securing visas before and after arriving in Israel. Irena is knowledgeable, reliable and competent lawyer who always had answers to all our questions which made us feel confident that everything would be fine with her assistance. We are now happily living in Israel and are so grateful to have Irena who is a genuinely nice person as our lawyer.
Shaltiel Devorah
Mr. Joshua Pex is knowledgeable and Professional. I really appreciate his courteous and direct approach.
Kfir Cohen
We were searching for a law firm that will be honest with us and really work hard for a satisfying result, it wasn't an easy task
We found them online; they were the only law firm from all of our searchings which were completely honest and NOT gave us just what we wanted to hear
Using them guaranteed honesty above all. A legal team that is friendly and cares for a superb result
They really care about helping their customers without any other interest
Nadia gave us service behind what we expected; she was professional which lead to fast and easy process with great result
We definitely recommend using them
Dumitrascu Cristina
Best lawyer house from Israel! I couldn’t dealt with my situation without their professionalism and effectiveness. Their dedication to every legal aspect and their drive it’s how a true lawyer house can be!
Working in European market and international now, I couldn’t dare to let myself wide my wings on countries unknown to me. Definitely they’ll be the lawyers representing me, my business at every international aspect and on personal development.
When you hear Decker,Pex,Ofir &Co, you hear 10+ class services, luxurious professionals, confidentiality and exclusive attention to your needs.
Joshua Pex was both an amazing human being and an inspiring human rights attorney. I reported directly to him for various activities I performed as in intern. I was impressed with his incredibly solid character. He is trustworthy, fair, and goes above and beyond to advocate for the vulnerable. He is completely trustworthy and high caliber in his work. His partners and employees are very blessed to work with him. I am honored to know them.
Heather Lebrun
Halvor Ronning
Courteous, clear, efficient service.
TarcisioePotira Freitas
I really recommend the law office's services. The service is very professional and efficient, the price is right. I am satisfied with the services I needed and happy to have known them.
Andreas Kelling
We have been working with Decker, Pex & Co - Law Firm in Tel Aviv for many years very well. Because we appreciated their lawyers services, we recommended businesses and individuals again and again to go there as well.
Marce Ruth St. Rey
Party time in the heart, my beloved husband received his residence after so much time of battles and faith. Gratitude, God has blessed us with wonderful beings who have accompanied us, including a "precious angel" who touched our hearts, our excellent and fantastic lawyer: Maria Chernin Dekel, sweet and wonderful human being, who has guided us and stayed On our side. side in this intense legal transit whom we bless on every occasion. God bless you dear Maria, you have exceeded your professional duty by containing us and collaborating with us in hard times, very hard, for that we want to thank you publicly, you are unique!!!
We bless and thank the entire team at Decker Pex Tal Ofir Law Firm.
Prima Lorenzo
I admire the Austrian citizenship team in Tel-Aviv branch! They deserve more then 5 stars!! They are very friendly and professional. I've got Austrian citizenship in 4 months for all family members which consists of 12 people! The entire team is very friendly and responsive. They are always answering questions and support during the process. I recommend to everyone. Was 100% satisfied.
Israel iluz
We were very satisfied with the service of Nehama. She was very professional in all her dealings and kept us informed all the way.
We highly recommend this law firm. They proved to be reliable, efficient and pleasant to work with.
Genaan Abdelall
I cannot recommend Nechama enough! Her expertise, professionalism, and dedication to her clients is unparalleled. From the moment I reached out to her, she provided clear and concise communication, and helped me navigate through a complex legal issue with ease.
Throughout the entire process, Nechama went above and beyond to ensure that I was informed and comfortable with every decision. She demonstrated a deep knowledge of the law, and was able to offer sound advice that ultimately led to a positive outcome.
What sets Nechama apart is her compassionate and empathetic approach to her clients. She truly cares about the well-being of her clients, and it shows in the way she handles every case.
If you are in need of a lawyer, I highly recommend Nechama.
Arielle Bosch
Incredibly knowledgeable, approachable, accessible, and evident across the board that they truly care about the people they are helping. They are quick to respond, engaged, and obviously top-notch lawyers. I couldn't recommend them highly enough. Thank you, Joshua and Itamar for your help with our Joint Life Application. You were a calming energy during a storm - always breathed a sigh of relief after speaking with you. It is so difficult to get straight answers from the Misrad Hapnim, but you guys are straight shooters. I appreciate your candor and evident integrity. Hope to work with you in the future, and will send everyone I know in need of legal aid your way. Thank you for your guidance and support.
Gáspár Erőss
If you need to solve any complicated legal issue in Israel, don't hesitate to contact them. Otherwise you will loose hours/days/weeks with things that they can solve in minutes. They helped me to obtain my expert working visa in Israel and even after that they responded further questions and gave me advices related to administrative issues in Israel which saved me a lot of time. Irena Rosenberg and Michael Decker worked on my case, they are very professional and helpful. They will not let you down, feel free to contact them.
Jacob Newberry
A really excellent firm. They knew exactly how to handle my situation effectively and efficiently, and we got the result I needed without much fuss. Adi Berger was a wonderful advocate for me and I am deeply grateful for her help!
Michelle Long
Josh has been helping me on and off for a few years now. I have needed legal advice and assistance with immigration due to a complex situation of mine, and he has been extremely available and responsive, honest and clear about my route and how to proceed. Very much recommended!
lynn vonne
Excellent service, very friendly and helpful, fast responding and very patient. Highly recommend. I will choose them again next time if needed.
Amir Abt
The best lawyer firm I’ve had dealt with. I would like to thank Anat Levi and Ariel Galili from the Jerusalem branch for all of their efforts and patience, we could not have been Able to reach to where we are now without them
Asylum seeker in Israel clients often turn to our office for assistance in arranging legal status. We help them translate and submit the required documents, prepare for an interview with the RSD (Refugee Status Determination) unit, and challenge the unit’s decisions in the relevant courts. On our website, we explain the legal background of asylum applications in Israel and provide answers to questions regarding the employment of refugees and asylum seekers in Israel. In this article, Advocate Irena Vasilyeva will summarize the most important things an asylum seeker needs to know.
Most asylum seekers in Israel do not receive refugee status
According to the Refugee Convention, to which Israel is a signatory, a refugee is defined as a person who has been forced to leave his country due to “a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion”.
A person who has left their country because of civil war, poor economic situation, or the wish to improve their quality of life by working in a developed country, is not entitled to refugee status. Even those who are persecuted in their own country, whether by a private person or the authorities, for reasons not detailed above, are unfortunately not considered refugees under the laws of Israel and in view of international conventions.
Even those who are indeed persecuted for reasons specified in the Convention, find the Israeli immigration authorities in no rush to grant them official refugee status. Most refugees do not have documents proving that they are persecuted on political, ethnic, or religious grounds. They do not possess evidence they’ve been arrested, threatened or harmed for these reasons. And even if they have all the required documents, the Israeli immigration authority is usually unwilling to provide a A-5 visa (temporary resident visa which also functions as a work permit) for a refugee. The vast majority of asylum seekers in Israel will only receive a “blue paper”.
What is a “blue” or “white” paper?
Among asylum seekers (especially those from the former Soviet Union) there is a widespread use of terms related to document colors. Immigration experts may find this confusing, since this is not a translation of some term that exists among the immigration authorities. Multiple Israeli certificates are colored blue, and paper is naturally white by default.
Regardless, a “white paper” is a document confirming that the holder sought asylum in Israel and was scheduled an interview with the RSD. The sole purpose of this permit is to prevent immediate arrest and deportation. The “white paper” shows that the owner of the document seeks legal asylum. Their status will be arranged after the interview.
Anyone who passes the initial interview and is not expelled immediately receives a “blue paper”. This is a temporary residence permit issued to an asylum seeker in Israel. This visa is valid until the applicant undergoes a comprehensive interview in the RSD unit and a decision is made. In Ministry of the Interior jargon, this is a “a visitor’s temporary permit of residence under section 2(a)(5) of the Entry into Israel Law.” The blue paper is also known as the “2a5 permit”.
There is no such thing as a “refugee visa” that can be obtained before entering the country
Any person who announces before entering Israel or at the port of entry that they wish to apply for refugee status in Israel, will most likely be automatically deported. Asylum seeker in Israel status is not sought in advance, like a work visa or the right to make Aliyah. A refugee enters Israel legally as a tourist, or (in the past) crosses the border ilegally through the border with Egypt. Only upon having entered the country, do they apply for asylum status as detailed above.
What are the restrictions that apply to an asylum seeker in Israel?
It is important to note that holders of “a visitor’s temporary permit of residence” are not allowed to re-enter Israel after leaving it, and their families cannot visit them. Once the holder of a “blue paper” leaves the country, for any reason, they cannot return. Israeli immigration authorities issue an automatic entry restriction order that is updated on the border control’s computerized system. If the asylum seeker tries to return to Israel, their entry will be refused. In addition, as long as the asylum seeker remains in Israel, the entrance to Israel of first-degree family members will be denied.
If border control officials of the Ministry of the Interior learn that more distant relatives are connected to an asylum seeker, their entry into Israel may also be refused. Even after the asylum seeker has left the country, the stigma lingers. If the border controller has information about their relationship with another visitor, said visitor will be treated with suspicion.
A request for asylum will greatly complicate any attempt to obtain legal status in Israel in the future. If you, a friend or a spouse wish to make Aliyah, or receive legal status based on marriage to an Israeli citizen, or being a descendant to a Righteous Among Nations, such a request would make the process far more difficult, especially if you need to travel abroad before submitting a request to change your status.
The Right to Work for Blue Paper Holders (an Asylum Seeker in Israel who has a 2a5 permit)
As detailed in the article on the subject of employing refugees in Israel, the Population and Migration Authority is trying to obfuscate the existing situation. Their website contains a procedure detailing which asylum seekers can and cannot be employed. But Ministry of the Interior publications create the mistaken impression that Israeli employers are forbidden to employ all asylum seekers.
What is the legal situation regarding Israeli work visas for refugees in reality?
It is forbidden to employ an asylum seeker in Israel whose temporary residence permit has the words “not allowed to work” on it. It is forbidden to employ asylum seekers who are required to stay at the Holot facility. On the other hand, it is permissible to employ asylum seekers whose permits have the words “does not constitute a work permit“. However, if the license has a geographical restriction – “You cannot live or work in these cities” – this asylum seeker in Israel may not be employed said locations.
How long does it take to make a decision about an asylum request?
With the increase in the number of asylum seekers, immigration authorities try to come to a decision as quickly as possible. Only a decade ago, the examination of the request could take several years. In 2018, receiving the results after the comprehensive interview can take several months or even weeks, depending on RSD’s workload. Most requests are denied, few are sent for re-examination.
What should I do if my application for asylum in Israel has been refused?
With the help of a lawyer who specializes in asylum applications in Israel, the RSD’s decision can be challenged. The application may be referred to reconsideration. An appeal may be submitted to the appeals court, or the application may be referred to the court after the reconsideration has been rejected. If the Appeals Court finds that the decision of the RSD unit is reasonable, this decision may be appealed to the District Court.
Finally, the decision can be appealed to the Supreme Court. In contrast to the appeal to the Appeals Court and the District Court, this right is not granted on request. In order to appeal to the Supreme Court, it is necessary to prove that the decisions of the RSD and the previous courts have been exceptionally unreasonable.
What about a humanitarian visa for an asylum seeker?
Russian speakers tend to mix up asylum applications and visa applications for humanitarian reasons. On the one hand, this is understandable – saving someone from persecution is very humanitarian. However, it is important to note that these are entirely separate tracks for legal status in Israel. Seeking asylum for reasons of persecution in the country of origin is not a visa for humanitarian reasons.
An example of a good reason for receiving status for humanitarian reasons – someone who was in a graduated process after marriage with an Israeli citizen, but the procedure was stopped due to a divorce, domestic violence, or the death of the spouse. In such a case, a residence permit for humanitarian reasons may be justified. It is also possible to receive status as a mother of a minor Israeli citizen who has no other family.
Refugees / asylum seekers in Israel are ineligible for humanitarian visas, even (especially) if they have been rejected by the RSD. Those who need medical treatment in Israel can apply for an extension of a tourist visa after entering Israel.
Immigration to Israel lawyers
Our law firm specializes in Israeli immigration and helping asylum seekers in Israel. Contact our law office in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem if you or a friend wishes to apply for asylum in Israel. We will be happy to provide legal information and assistance regarding refugee applications and appeal against decisions of the Ministry of the Interior.
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Asylum Seeker Deposit
Judicial Conversion in Israel – Legal Information