Moving to Israel

Immigration to Israel attracts not only residents of the post-Soviet space. Immigrants from Germany, France, or Austria also aspire to move to Israel for permanent residence. There are numerous reasons for this: here you can study and find a well-paid job, provide yourself and your family with high-quality medical care and a carefree old age.

Do not think that the Israeli state accepts only Jews. Here, in a single space, more than 70 nationalities coexist perfectly. Residents are tolerant towards foreigners and peacefully treat representatives of not only different nationalities, but also other religions.

Every year, Israeli land becomes a new home for 20-30 thousand foreigners, of which 1/5 are repatriates. Next, we will tell you in detail where to start, how to move to Israel and what benefits you can get from it.

Who can move to Israel: fastest ways to move to Israel

The circle of persons who can become Israeli citizens under a simplified procedure was determined back in the period of the formation of Israel—in 1948. At that moment, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, it was determined that Jews, regardless of their place of residence, can automatically count on Israeli citizenship. In this case, the main condition is the presence of documentary evidence of Jewish nationality.

The following citizens are eligible to apply for permanent residence in Israel under the accelerated procedure:

• Jews and persons who have Jewish roots and can document this, as well as members of their families;
• Spouse of a citizen of the country;
• Departure for permanent residence in Israel for employment.

Departure for employment is possible only on a B1 visa. Only people of young and middle age (23-51 years) can apply for it. This requires a formal contract with an Israeli employer. The visa is renewed annually as long as the person works for an Israeli company.

Aliyah for jewish migrants

The right to return to their homeland under the repatriation program can be used by:

• Direct descendants of Jews, whose parents were Jews;
• Persons who have evidence that their grandparents are Jewish;
• Spouses of deceased Jews, unless they remarried;
• The closest relatives are husbands, wives, and children (including adopted ones).

Any person born to a Jewish parent, or those who have formally converted to Judaism can immigrate to Israel under a process known as ‘Aliyah’. As a Jewish person, under the Law of Return, you can return to Israel and receive all the rights of an Israeli citizen. That is, the “Law of Return” establishes that the right to aliyah is assigned to foreigners who can prove Jewishness in the first, second and third generations.

It should be borne in mind that generations are considered differently, depending on which line the nationality is passed on. If maternal, then the child of a Jewess is a Jew of the 1st generation, since the Jewish race starts from the great-grandmother. If Jewishness is determined by the paternal line, then the children of a Jew are already considered the 2nd generation, that is, the relationship is from the grandfather.

It should be understood that if a foreigner is a Jew in the 3rd generation, then his children under the age of 18 can use the right of repatriation.

How to apply for repatriation

All initial actions must be carried out in the state of residence, although the country’s authorities allow direct application for citizenship to the Israeli Ministry of Internal Affairs. Repatriates rarely use this method.

Registration of repatriation in the country of origin should begin with a search for documents confirming the presence of Jewish roots. The process is not easy, and often you have to draw a real family tree. For example, if evidence is found that your grandmother is Jewish, and there is no such entry in the mother’s documents, then you will first have to confirm the relationship between your grandmother and mother, and then prove your belonging to this family line.

In order to successfully pass the consular check for immigrate to israel you will need to provide a list of documents. It will be individual for each case. Approximate list of required documents:

• A Birth certificate—yours and those of your relatives, a USSR passport, military IDs of those times, diplomas of education and other documents in which nationality may be indicated;
• Marriage certificates: own, parents, grandparents;
• Medical certificates, postcards, photographs, etc. It is important to understand that if it is necessary to confirm Jewish origin, all evidence universally is significant.

If all the documents are collected, and you are sure of their authenticity, it remains to go through just a few steps before obtaining Israeli citizenship:

1. Sign up at the Repatriation Department for an interview with the consul;
2. Prepare personal documents for yourself and family members;
3. Pass an interview with the Consul;
4. Get a repatriate visa;
5. Enter Israel during the period of its validity (6 months from the date of issue);
6. Obtain Israeli citizenship.

Note that a conversation with the consul is one of the most critical life exams, the passing of which determines whether a new life will begin in the Holy Land.

Other ways to move to Israel

Do not think that only Jews can obtain permanent residence in Israel. The Promised Land is rightly called the country of emigrants. At the time of the formation of the state (1948), almost 900 thousand people lived here, of which a little more than 700 thousand were Jews. Now it is a state of many millions (the number according to the last census is approaching 9 million). A little more than 6.6 million Jews live here. That is, over 70 years of repatriation (aliyah), the number of Jews alone has increased almost 10 times.

Other immigration routes are not very popular due to the complexity of execution. However, repatriates who do not have Jewish roots should not refuse to obtain Israeli citizenship.

Another option that allows you to move to Israel for permanent residence is a request for political asylum. Of course, it is important to properly substantiate such a need so that the consulate does not have any doubts about such a need. The Promised Land gives political asylum to all those in need.

How much does it cost to move to Israel

While this might come as little surprise, we would be doing you a disservice if we didn’t admit that moving to Israel is probably going to be on the pricier side…considering it’s got one of the highest costs of living in the world. And while you’ll get a lot more support as an Aliyah migrant, heading to the Middle East is probably going to put some pressure on your pockets either way.

Here’s a look at some of the things you probably have to consider once you start living in Israel:

• Dental and vision care. Health care in Israel is universal and free, but doesn’t cover going to the dentist or eye doctor, so you’ll probably have to pay for additional coverage.
• Renting or purchasing property. Purchasing property is difficult, you’ll need at least 25% by law for a down payment, but most banks will actually ask for closer to 40%. And rent will run you around $1,500 for a one-bedroom apartment, on average.
• Wage gap. The difference between the cost of living and the amount workers earn is even higher in Israel than it is in North America, which means it can be hard to make ends meet—and there are limited job opportunities paying high wages outside of tech.
• Private school for your kids. Private education in Israel is top-notch, but it’ll cost you a pretty penny—ranging from $11K-$19K. However, public education is free!

In conclusion — benefits of moving to israel

According to numerous reviews, the main advantages of permanent residence in the great Jewish state are the following points:

• Pleasant climate. The climate in Israel is beautiful – it is warm and mild. Most days of the year are sunny.
• High standard of living. The most important advantage of living in the Israeli state is a high standard of living. Also here perfectly developed social and commercial infrastructure, very well organized transport links.
• The possibility of visa-free visits to more than 160 countries. If your work involves business travel, having an Israeli passport can seriously simplify your life. Living in Israel gives you: high quality medicine, a developed economy, high social guarantees and cities full of beauty and entertainment.

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