Reimmigration to Israel: - Law office in Israel

What is required for reimmigrating to Israel? Many Israelis born in Israel move to another place at some point in their lives, and their residency is terminated. There are also cases of Israelis who renounce their citizenship, but are still considered eligible for Israeli citizenship based on the Law of Return and can therefore reimmigrate to Israel. This article explains the legal procedure for such Israeli who wish to reimmigrate to Israel.

Our law firm in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv specializes in immigration to Israel. Our firm’s lawyers have extensive experience in assistance and legal representation of immigrants and returning residents before the various authorities. The firm assists, among other things, with issues such as applications for immigration, returning resident and immigrant benefits, financial assistance to immigrants, and more.

Many Israelis Leave the Country, But Many Also Return

In recent years, there has been a steady increase in the number of Israelis who leave Israel and move to other countries. Everyone has heard of the “brain drain”, a term used to describe the phenomenon of academics relocating overseas. But this is true in general, and not just for academics. The statistics speak of very significant numbers of Israelis leaving the country.

In contrast, the phenomenon of many Israelis returning to Israel after long periods abroad cannot be ignored. Many of them have already lost their status as Israeli residents (but not their citizenship) and must undergo a procedure to gain their status as returning residents. Alongside them, there are former Israelis who have renounced their Israeli citizenship – which is retained no matter how many years an Israeli stays abroad, unless he decides to renounce it. This is usually done in order to acquire foreign citizenship in a country that does not allow dual citizenship. The question arises, what is required of those Israelis when they want to return to Israel?

How Can One Reimmigrate to Israel?

The Israeli Ministry of Interior has established a procedure according to which those who wish to reimmigrate to Israel are required to submit an application for this purpose. In the first stage, they are required to fill out an application form for immigration. The Ministry of Interior has set a number of requirements for submitting the application and documents that must be attached, including a foreign passport and confirmation of the renouncement of Israeli citizenship (in relevant cases). In cases of residency termination, it is examined whether the applicant has indeed resided outside Israel for over seven years. For those who have renounced Israeli citizenship, it is examined whether they are still entitled to return.

Where Is the Application Processed?

The main way is to arrive in Israel and process the application with the Israeli Ministry of Interior in person. However, it is not always easy or possible to enter Israel after renouncing citizenship. This is especially true today, during the outbreak of the corona crisis, when it is not possible to enter Israel from many countries. In these cases, it is possible to submit the application through the Israeli missions (embassies and consulates) abroad.

What Can Be Done in Cases Where Difficulties Arise with the Submission or Processing of the Application?

The procedure described above is based on the Law of Return and the Israeli Citizenship Law. These laws give Interior Ministry representatives the power to deny eligibility for citizenship or residency in various cases, such as a criminal background or a risk to state security. When a request for reimmigration to Israel is denied or encounters various problems, an appeal or petition may, as the case may be, be filed in court. Even if the applicants are abroad, this may be done through a lawyer with a power of attorney.

An Example of a Petition to Court Dealing with Reimmigration to Israel

In a ruling given in the High Court of Justice in 2013, a petition was received from a family who immigrated to Israel from the Ukraine. The family immigrated following eligibility for return of the father of the family, who had previously moved to Israel and then returned to Ukraine and renounced his citizenship. When he reimmigrated, his wife and children began the process of obtaining citizenship. It later became clear that the couple had separated, and the gradual process for obtaining the citizenship of the wife and children was discontinued. The court ruled that, in light of the husband’s reimmigration by virtue of the Law of Return, the fact that he was married at the time of reimmigration is sufficient in this case for the purpose of granting citizenship to the woman and children.

Contact a Lawyer Specializing in Immigration to Israel

If you or your relatives are considered reimmigrants or returning residents, or you are planning on moving to Israel, we will be happy to provide you with legal assistance. A lawyer from our law firm specializing in the field of immigration to Israel will be able to assist you with applications for reimmigration to Israel, applications for tax benefits, adjustment year status for immigrants or returning residents, and more. You can contact us using the phone numbers or email address listed below.