A Quick Guide on Acquiring Israeli Citizenship for Indians

Relocating for work or study is an everyday affair in recent times, particularly as globalisation hit the world. For instance, Indian citizens often move to countries like Israel and try to settle there to continue their careers. However, for this, they must secure Israeli citizenship for Indians.

Are you curious to know how to get this citizenship? Then, read till the end of this article to learn about this process.

For getting citizenship in Israel through naturalisation, applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria.

• Applicants must be permanent residents of Israel for at least five years. In addition, they need to prove their stay here for at least three out of the past five years.
• Speaking and understanding Hebrew is a mandate.
• Applicants need to prove their purpose and intention of settling in Israel for a longer term.

Now, you must be wondering how to get citizenship in Israel for Indians. The process is offline. The following steps can give you rough guidance.

Step 1: Visit the official website of the Israel Government. Go to the Citizenship, documents and passports page.

Step 2: Click on “Apply to be naturalised if you are a permanent resident". Then, download and print the naturalisation application form on the new page.

Step 3: Along with the application form, you will also have to fill out the naturalisation statement and statement of additional citizenship. Fill all these with accurate data.

Step 4: Submit the form along with the documents and application fees. You will have to visit your local Population and Immigration Authority office.

Step 5: Wait for the approval of your application.

Now that you know how to get Israeli Citizenship for Indians, you need to know the documents necessary while submitting your application. These are listed below.

• A valid ID proof (preferably a passport)
• Documentary evidence to show that you have been an Israeli PR for the last three years
• Completed naturalisation statement and statement of additional citizenship
• Marriage certificate (if applicable)

The applicants wishing to apply for Israeli citizenship need to pay a processing fee based on government regulations. As of now, this amount is about ₪173.42. However, this is subject to change in the future.

Israel allows dual citizenship, but with certain conditions. It applies only to the individuals who become citizens by right of return. Applicants who become Israeli citizens by naturalisation are not allowed to have dual citizenship. Hence, Indian applicants must renounce their Indian citizenship before getting Israeli citizenship.

An individual living in Israel as a PR can bring his or her family with an A/4 Visa. It enables you to get your spouse or minor children to Israel. While there are no specific laws regarding a typical application for an entire family, the family members or relatives can start applying for citizenship once they meet the eligibility criteria.

Children can also apply for Israeli citizenship. They must be between 18 and 21 years old. In addition, at least one parent must be an Israeli citizen. In the case of foreign children, there must be at least one reference person who is a permanent resident of Israel. He or she can bring a minor child to Israel through the A/4 visa. The child can apply for citizenship after becoming eligible.

Your work is not just limited to completing an application. Instead, you need to ensure that the application does not get rejected. While there can be multiple reasons behind the rejection of a citizenship application, some common grounds have been listed below.

1. Purpose and intent

Applicants need to prove that they intend to stay in Israel and settle here for the rest of their lives. They also need to provide sufficient reasons for their decision to become a citizen. If these factors are not strong enough, the immigration officers might reject the application. Thus, you must be clear regarding your purpose and intent of citizenship.

2. Permanent residency

Applicants need to prove that they have lived in Israel as PRs for at least the last five years. For this, they must have proof of residence and utility bills. If the immigration officers fail to verify these documents, the citizenship application might be rejected. Hence, you must live in Israel for this term to apply.

3. Criminal convictions

Usually, no government wants to accommodate criminals, and the Israeli government is no exception. When the experts investigate an applicant's past, they look for trails of previous criminal records. Any severe crime can reject a citizenship application. Hence, applicants must comply with Israeli laws.

4. Application process

Applicants must complete the application form with adequate and accurate information. They must not leave any section incomplete. Furthermore, they must submit it to the concerned authorities with the application fee. Failure to do so might get your application rejected.

5. Document verification

As discussed already, you must submit all the documents required for this process. Leaving out any of these might result in cancelling your application. Furthermore, the experts are going to verify the information in these documents. Hence, avoid any fraudulent activities in these.