Application refused: what are the options

Published: 18 October 2026

What a refusal looks like

A refusal in the Gradual Process is given in writing with reasons: by the email address you gave when you applied and, at the same time, by registered mail, and in some cases by hand at the office. On the decision itself the Authority must state the appeal options: an internal appeal under procedure 1.6.0001, or an appeal to the Appeals Tribunal under section 13(23) of the Entry into Israel Law.

Keep the letter, the envelope and the email, and write down the day you received the decision. The deadlines run from the day of receipt, not from the day the letter was written.

The rules are the same in both procedures: for married couples (5.2.0008) and for couples in a shared life and common-law partners (5.2.0009).

What happens to the foreign partner's licence

If the foreign partner holds a valid residence licence that was given under the process, the refusal cancels it. When the refusal is based on the findings of the interview, the procedure says the Authority invites both of you to the office, hands over the notice and requires departure from Israel within 30 days; for someone staying in Israel unlawfully, within 14 days. A copy of the refusal letter is passed to the Enforcement and Foreigners Administration.

So the time really is short. An appeal filed on time is the way to ask for the matter to be looked at again, and the lawyer will also check whether it is possible to ask that departure not be required until a decision is made.

The first option: an internal appeal within 21 days

  • An internal appeal is filed in writing with the Authority, without delay and no later than 21 days from the day the decision was received.
  • An appeal filed after that period is not handled; the procedure says so expressly.
  • In the appeal you explain why the decision is wrong and attach documents that were not in the file or that the Authority did not address.
  • The appeal is handled under procedure 1.6.0001, the procedure for handling applications and appeals against decisions of the Authority's offices and headquarters.

If the internal appeal is also rejected, the decision rejecting it is the starting point for the next stage.

The second option: an appeal to the Appeals Tribunal

The Appeals Tribunal is a judicial body that hears decisions of the Population Authority and the Minister of the Interior on entry, stay, residence and departure from Israel and on citizenship. It sits in four districts: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the Centre, Beer Sheva and the South, Haifa and the North. The appeal is filed through an online system, with an application form and an affidavit.

The appeal fee is 774 NIS from 1.1.2026. The deadline for filing is set in the Entry into Israel Regulations (Procedure and Administration in the Appeals Tribunal), 5774-2014, and it is short; do not wait until the end of the period.

An appeal to the Tribunal is a legal proceeding in every sense, with pleadings and a hearing. This is the point at which most couples turn to a lawyer, and preferably right after receiving the decision rather than two weeks later.

A new application: usually only after a year

If the application was refused at the start of the process or during it, the procedure says that as a rule a new application can be filed only one year after the last decision on the application: the office's refusal, the rejection of the internal appeal, or a judicial decision that dismissed or struck out the proceeding, and provided you complied with the terms of that decision.

There is an exception: when the couple shows that since the refusal there has been a clear change of circumstances in their case, the office manager may allow a new application even before a year has passed.

A summary rejection because of missing documents is handled differently: the procedure allows time to complete the documents, and if they are not provided by the deadline a rejection notice is sent, stating the ground and the option of an internal appeal. Here the first question is why the documents were missing, and that can be fixed.

What to do in the first days

  • Record the day you received the decision and keep every document and envelope.
  • Read the reasons carefully: a refusal over doubt about the sincerity of the relationship, over the centre of life, over a criminal or security impediment, or over documents; each calls for a different answer.
  • Collect evidence that answers the reason straight away: a joint lease, bills, dated photographs, letters from people who know you as a couple, confirmations from institutions.
  • Check the status of the foreign partner's licence and whether departure has been required.
  • Turn to a lawyer within a few days, so that the internal appeal is filed within the 21 days and the Tribunal option is not lost.

How IsraelVisa helps

IsraelVisa helps you keep all the documents and decisions in one place, ordered by date, and quickly put together the package of evidence an appeal needs. IsraelVisa does not give legal advice and does not represent you before the Authority or the Tribunal; if you wish, you can find independent lawyers through it.

Frequently asked questions about the Gradual Process

Frequently asked questions

How long do we have to appeal a refusal?

An internal appeal is filed in writing no later than 21 days from the day the decision was received; a late appeal is not handled. An appeal to the Appeals Tribunal is subject to the deadline in the regulations, and it is short.

Can we simply file a new application?

As a rule only one year after the last decision on the application. The exception: a clear change of circumstances, with the office manager's approval.

How much does an appeal to the Appeals Tribunal cost?

The fee is 774 NIS from 1.1.2026, according to the Tribunal's service page.

Does the foreign partner have to leave Israel after a refusal?

The refusal cancels a licence given under the process, and in a refusal based on the interview the procedure sets a requirement to leave within 30 days (14 days for someone staying unlawfully). This is exactly the question the lawyer examines in the appeal.

Related guides

Sources

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The information in this article is general and does not constitute legal advice. The procedures are updated from time to time; check the current version on the website of the Population and Immigration Authority.