A lawyer for the settlement of personal status
The citizenship law and who may obtain citizenship in Israel?
The Citizenship Law is the law that determines who may acquire Israeli citizenship and how.
Citizenship is a legal status in the country, it determines the individual’s relationship with the country and the fabric of rights and obligations arising from the relationship.
There are countries where holding additional citizenship is prohibited and there are countries that welcome it and see additional citizenship as an aid to the country’s economy and culture.
By Igal Mor, Adv. & Notary
Accuracy in Legal Advice. Excellence in legal support.
Citizens of the State of Israel are not prevented from holding additional citizenship or trying to obtain another citizenship, but a person who is naturalized not according to the Law of Return must renounce his previous citizenship.
In the State of Israel, there are several ways to gain citizenship, by virtue of the Law of Return, by virtue of living in Israel, and by virtue of birth.
By Virtue of Return
Any Jew who immigrates to Israel and expresses his desire to receive Israeli citizenship and meets the criteria specified in the Law of Return will be able to obtain citizenship.
By Virtue of Living in Israel
Living in Israel qualifies an individual for citizenship only if certain conditions are met such as being a citizen of the Land of Israel (before the establishment of the state) or descendants of a citizen of the Land of Israel, not holding the citizenship of certain countries, residency in Israel and more.
By VIrtue of Birth
Citizenship by virtue of birth is not obtained by mere birth in the territory of the State of Israel, but a number of criteria must be met in order to gain citizenship by virtue of this.
The criteria for this citizenship are birth in the territory of the State of Israel to parents who are citizens of Israel, or birth outside the territory of the State of Israel to parents who are citizens of Israel by virtue of return, birth, or naturalization.
Another way to gain citizenship, without meeting the various criteria, is security service in the State of Israel or an equivalent to that determined by the Minister of Defense. And even bereaved parents of a son or daughter who served in the security service.
Naturalization by Virtue of Marriage to an Israeli Citizen
An individual married to an Israeli citizen can become a citizen if he meets certain criteria which are detailed in section 5 of the law.
The detailed criteria include eligibility for permanent residence in Israel, residence in Israel 3 out of the last 5 years, settlement or intention to settle in Israel, certain knowledge of Hebrew, and renunciation of a previous citizenship.
A person who meets these criteria will be able to gain citizenship if the Minister of the Interior deems it appropriate, and if so, he can declare allegiance to the State of Israel and gain citizenship.
Support From a Lawyer is Essential
Naturalization is a long and tedious process that involves many documents and a lot of bureaucracy. The percentage of rejections in the various application procedures is quite high and therefore it is highly recommended to use a lawyer who can manage the procedure and knows how and where to obtain the various documents, as well as in what manner to submit them.
In conclusion:
Regulating status in Israel and obtaining a residence visa or residency status / Israeli citizenship is a complex and bureaucratic legal procedure.
At Mor & Co.’s personal status department, we understand the challenges you face.
We are here to protect and defend your rights.
We guarantee you the best legal support and personal representation at all stages of the legal process because we possess extensive legal knowledge and proven experience in the field.
The personal status department at our office specializes in legal support for citizenship applicants, for various reasons, and accompanies many clients on their way to a long-awaited Israeli citizenship.
The staff in our office will be able to assist you in any matter related to regulating your status in Israel.
Do not hesitate! Call now at 02-595-3322 or send a WhatsApp message to 050-441-1343
Together, we will succeed in realizing your dream – regularization of legal status in Israel.
