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
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.
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!
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
lynn vonne
Excellent service, very friendly and helpful, fast responding and very patient. Highly recommend. I will choose them again next time if needed.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Halvor Ronning
Courteous, clear, efficient service.
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.
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 (!)
Priscilla Moses
competent consulting, fast processing, reliable, warm & good team. highly recommended
Lilian Granovsky
I can highly recommend these services!
Every time we turned to Joshua we always got a professional quick and helpful respond.
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.
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!
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.
Shaltiel Devorah
Mr. Joshua Pex is knowledgeable and Professional. I really appreciate his courteous and direct approach.
Eden Weiss
Extrmely friendly, professional and helpful. A big thank you to Irina especially from the Jerusalem office. Highly Recommended.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
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
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.
Yossi Montrose
Very knowledgeable and professional
What are the reasons why visitors to Israel may be refused entry?
What are the common reasons for refusal of entry into Israel? Our law office in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv specializes in immigration to Israel. We often handle requests from visitors who are refused entry and represent clients in appeals against refusal of entry into Israel submitted to the Israeli Ministry of the Interior (Misrad Hapnim). Other articles on our website describe the process of refusal of entry and deportation from Israel, and how to avoid it. This article by Advocate Joshua Pex, a partner in the law firm, is based on an updated procedure published by the Ministry of Interior on 20/07/2017, explaining the main reasons for the refusal of entry into Israel which happen mainly at the Ben Gurion airport and other border crossings.
The Legal Basis for Refusal of Entry into Israel:

According to the 1952 Entry into Israel Law, the Minister of the Interior has a great deal of discretion on issues of visas and entry to Israel. The minister of interior and the immigration officers at the border crossings may allow or deny permission to enter Israel for any visitor who is not a resident or citizen of Israel. This authority allows also to deport non-residents or non-citizens. The legal basis is the principle of territorial sovereignty – the right of each state to determine who may cross or reside in its territory. The decision can be logical and taken with due care, or even apparently arbitrary, but still legal. Of course, the reasons for refusing entry or expulsion from Israel are usually anchored in the law, legal precedent, and common sense, as detailed below.
The procedure for handling persons entering Israel’s international border crossings determines that, according to the authority of the Minister of the Interior, a Border Control Officer may investigate, delay and decide to refuse entry to visitors in Israeli territory.
Judicial review of decisions of the Ministry of Interior workers to deny entry to Israel
However, the Supreme Court of Israel, sitting as the High Court of Justice, ruled that the discretion of the Minister of the Interior is not absolute. Administrative decisions regarding refusal of entry into Israel are subject to judicial review. Therefore, if a decision to refuse entry to Israel was made due to an error, improper considerations, or was made unreasonably and disproportionately, an internal appeal can be filed with the head of the Border Control Department at the Population and Immigration Authority in Jerusalem. If the internal appeal is rejected, any further appeal must be filed with the appeals court of immigration.
How are visitors are border crossings questioned?
When a tourist arrives at a border crossing (at the Ben-Gurion Airport, a port or a land crossing), he is required to present a travel document (usually a passport) valid for 6 months beyond the planned period of his stay in Israel to a Border Control officer and undergo a series of questions. The Israeli border controller will question the visitor about his identity details, cross-referencing them with travel document, as well as about the purpose of the visit and the planned duration of his stay. The controller will record these details in the system and according to the level of suspicion or lack of suspicion aroused by the visitor’s replies, will confirm his entry into Israel or require an additional, more in-depth, interview.
In the event that the controller feels the need for further questioning, the visitor will be further interviewed in a separate room. There, the visitor is asked: Did he visit Israel previously, when and for how long, was he ever expelled from or refused entry to Israel. Did he work in Israel in the past, or sought to immigrate to Israel, or requested asylum in Israel. Who is expecting to meet him in Israel, and more. In addition, the visitor will be required to present evidence of his claims, and may be requested to contact the persons waiting in Israel to confirm his comments.
In the case of refusal of entry into Israel, a deportation order is given to the visitor, who is taken to a detention center at the airport and sent back to where he came from. In practice, this deportation order is not always given to the visitor, but can be provided at the request of the visitor’s advocate, in accordance with the Freedom of Information Law.
What are the reasons for refusal of entry Israel?
The common reasons for refusal to allow entry into Israel can be classified into several categories. Mainly, these are issues of proper documentation, threat to security, and unauthorized immigration:
1. Lack of documents or falsified documents. If the travel document (passport) or entry visa are lost, destroyed, forged, raise suspicion or contradict each other.
2. Fear of public or state security – a history of violent behavior, security concerns, information about a criminal past, BDS activity, and similar issues.
3. The visitor arrived without the visa or summons which is required to enter Israel (for example, a foreign spouse of an Israeli citizen or spouse / close relative of a foreign worker in Israel).
4. The visitor apparently plans to illegally work or settle in Israel.
5. Refusal of entry / deportation during a previous visit to Israel (note that this concerns not just the period of automatic entry refusal after a deportation, the procedure requires the border control personnel to take note of all previous refusals of entry).
6. Suspicion of missionary activity.
7. The visitor worked in Israel in the past but now attempts to enter Israel as a tourist.
8. Exceeding the duration of one’s visa during a previous stay.
Any lack of cooperation, attempt to mislead or anything that raises the interrogator’s suspicion, can be a reason for refusal of entry. Note that border control does not need to “prove” these accusations, only “reasonable suspicion” of the interviewee.
Which visitors will not be denied entry even if some of the reasons above apply?
Any visitor arriving on a state mission, with a diplomatic visa or a service visa, is not subject to the provisions of this law. A diplomat or diplomatic attache / Embassy employee will be questioned when entering Israel, but the Ministry of the Interior may not refuse to grant an entry permit in this case. Only the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the authority to deport or refuse entry to foreign diplomats.
Contact our advocate offices in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem for information or legal assistance if a visitor to Israel is refused entry, whether due to one of the reasons mentioned above, or otherwise.