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Image: Danny Shem-Tov, Knesset Spokesperson Office
New Immigration Bill Could Impact International Couples in Israel
Last Wednesday, the Knesset approved in a preliminary reading the proposed Basic Law: Entry, Immigration, and Status in Israel. This controversial legislation, included in coalition agreements with Likud, and initiated by MK Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionism), introduces sweeping immigration restrictions that could significantly affect international couples in Israel.
The bill builds on previous efforts to impose stricter immigration controls, going even further than measures that were previously overturned by the High Court of Justice. It grants the government unprecedented powers, particularly in the treatment of asylum seekers and individuals without legal status. If passed, the law would allow the state to detain individuals who currently reside in Israel under group protection indefinitely, severely restrict their movement, and prevent them from obtaining any form of legal status.
Additionally, the proposed law could create significant challenges for international couples and every foreigner seeking to enter Israel. The Basic Law seeks to restrict the ability of non-Israelis to appeal administrative decisions in court, removing vital legal safeguards, and to prevent individuals who have stayed in Israel illegally for more than three months from ever obtaining legal status in Israel.
Key Provisions Affecting International Couples
The bill includes several provisions that could make it more difficult for non-Israeli partners to obtain or maintain legal status in Israel. Among the most significant are:
- Annual quota on visas for non-residents: The law authorizes the government, with Knesset approval, to set a yearly limit on the number of people granted a legal status in Israel that is valid for more than a year. This could potentially block international couples from entering the gradual process, progressing in it or completing it for extended periods of time.
- Stricter Entry and Residency Rules: Under the proposal, anyone who has stayed in Israel unlawfully for more than three months will not be eligible for legal status. This raises concerns for couples who may experience bureaucratic delays in their applications, potentially leaving foreign partners in an unlawful status through no fault of their own.
- Ban on Status for Certain Nationalities: The law states that citizens or residents of specific countries or regions may be denied legal status or a residence permit in Israel. If enforced broadly, this could prevent some foreign partners from joining their Israeli spouses.
- Restrictions on Legal Appeals: The bill would bar non-citizens and non-residents from directly petitioning Israeli courts on administrative issues, including visa refusals. This could prevent international couples, foreign family members, and even regular tourists from challenging unfair decisions or bureaucratic mistakes.
What This Means for International Couples
If passed into law, these restrictions could create new obstacles for non-Israeli partners seeking to obtain partner status in Israel. The potential for status caps, nationality-based exclusions, and limited legal recourse could leave many international couples in legal limbo.
The Israeli Association for International Couples (AIC) is closely monitoring the progress of this legislation, which is still in its preliminary stages. AIC is committed to fighting every step of the way to ensure that discriminatory clauses are removed or that partners of Israelis are exempt from the law’s harmful effects. We are working alongside other human rights organizations to protect the rights of international couples and ensure that the law does not harm the ability of Israelis to live with their non-Israeli partners.
Now more than ever, the international couples community in Israel must stand together to fight against discriminatory legislation that threatens our right to family and love in Israel. To support AIC’s efforts and ensure our continued work in opposing such draconian laws, JOIN US AS A MONTHLY DONOR TODAY!
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