The Israeli government is planning to cancel an amendment to the law that allows new immigrants to receive a passport immediately upon their arrival after proof of settlement instead of waiting a year.
According to the local media, this change can be introduced due to the phenomenon of taking advantage of the possibility of obtaining Israeli citizenship without living in the country or having any real connection to it, VisaGuide.World reports.
The law was changed in 2019 in an effort to enable a new immigrant who is entitled to obtain Israeli citizenship to receive a passport at the same time. However, the country’s Security Agency, Shin Bet, warned in the past that the immediate issuing of passports could be misused and lead to abuse, potentially carrying out actions that harm public security.
On the other hand, the Population and Immigration Authority in Israel previously noted there was no dramatic change in the policy, while Israel was actually returning to the situation how it used to be since the 60ies, and such, immigrants can obtain a permanent passport only after staying for a year in the country, as the authority explained.
The law was amended to enable any new immigrant to obtain a passport on their first day in Israel without having to prove commitments to settle in the country. The amendment created loopholes in the system which allowed abuse of the law for those who did not intend to settle in the country initially, as well as for criminal elements.
The situation concerns Jews and those that are eligible for Aliyah from Former Soviet Union countries, with many of whom have obtained Israeli passports and even be eligible for benefits without the intention to live in Israel. Many Israeli firms focus on this service and charge expensive sums for the procedure.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many French Jews made Aliyah (immigration) and obtained an Israeli passport in order to visit their family members in Israel, but with no intention to live there in the upcoming years. Israel would not allow non-Israeli citizens to enter the country for long periods of time.
According to the Passport Index, the Israeli passport has a score of 74.06 points, ranking 56th at an international level. Israel has a visa-on-arrival agreement with 33 countries and an e-visa agreement with 12, while nationals from 45 countries have to apply for a visa to Israel before traveling there. In addition, an entry ban applies to nationals of 11 countries.
Local media in Israel reported last year that 70,000 new immigrants from 95 countries arrived in the country, recording the most drastic increase in the last 23 years, especially in comparison with the previous year when 28,600 immigrants reached Israel.
According to reports, the majority of the immigrants came from Russia and Ukraine with a total of 37,364 people coming from Russia and another 14,860 from Ukraine in 2022 alone.
The post Israel Plans to Issue Passports for New Immigrants One Year After Aliyah appeared first on VisaGuide.World.
