How long the Gradual Process takes
Published: 20 October 2026
The short answer
It depends on the track. A foreign partner married to an Israeli citizen: 4 years on an A/5 temporary residence licence, and at the end a choice between citizenship and permanent residency. Shared life with a citizen: 3 years on a B/1 licence, then 4 years on A/5, 7 years in all. With a permanent resident: 9 years for shared life, and 27 months plus 3 years for married couples. Married same-sex couples: 4 years on A/5.
The review of the application, before the process starts, is not counted.
The table: the tracks side by side
| Track | Procedure | B/1 within the process | A/5 | Total in the process | At the end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Married to an Israeli citizen | 5.2.0008 | None (B/1 for up to half a year only during the review, not counted) | 4 years: one year, then extensions of up to two years | 4 years | Citizenship or permanent residency, by choice |
| Married to a permanent resident | 5.2.0011 | 27 months (15 months plus one year) | 3 years, one year at a time | 5 years and 3 months | Permanent residency |
| Shared life with an Israeli citizen | 5.2.0009 | 3 years | 4 years | 7 years | Permanent residency |
| Shared life with a permanent resident | 5.2.0009 | 4 years | 5 years | 9 years | Permanent residency |
| Married same-sex couples | 5.2.0009 | None | 4 years | 4 years | Permanent residency |
Same-sex couples who are not married are handled in the shared-life track, according to the status of the Israeli partner.
What is not counted: the review
The Gradual Process starts on the day the application is approved. Before that comes the review. For spouses of citizens, once all the documents are in, the foreign partner can receive a B/1 stay-and-work licence for up to half a year, and that time is not counted in the process. For shared life, a tourist licence (B/2) that is valid on the day of filing can be extended until the checks end. So the time from filing to the end is longer than the number in the table.
What can make the road longer
- Doubt at the end: if the conditions for upgrading the status are not met, or a doubt arises about the relationship or the centre of life, the head of the office may extend the A/5 licence by one more year before deciding.
- A late renewal: once 180 days have passed since a licence expired, an extension can no longer be requested, and the system allows only a new application, a fresh start (5.2.0008, 5.2.0009).
- A refusal: a new application after a refusal is, as a rule, possible only a year after the last decision on the application.
And what can make it shorter
In special circumstances, for example when a well-established relationship was proven even before the application was filed, the regional manager may shorten any period in the procedure by up to half of it, for special reasons that are recorded (5.2.0008, 5.2.0009). Under the procedure for spouses of permanent residents, the power to shorten belongs to the head of the visa and status division at headquarters. This is an exception, not a regular track.
Marrying during the process: a couple in the shared-life track who marry can move to the married-couples track, with no additional fee. A partner who holds B/1 is upgraded to A/5 and must still complete the full period of the process; a partner who already holds A/5 must complete 4 years on A/5 from the day it was first given.
At the end: citizenship or permanent residency
For spouses of citizens, the foreign partner tells the office three months before the end of the 4 years which status they are asking for: citizenship or permanent residency. Citizenship requires, among other things, living in Israel for 3 of the 4 years, including the last 2 years continuously (short holidays aside). At this stage the procedure exempts the partner from renouncing a previous citizenship and from the requirement to know Hebrew.
In the other tracks, the status at the end of the process is permanent residency. The request is filed with both partners present, at the office that handled the file.
How IsraelVisa helps
IsraelVisa helps you see which track you are on, plan the renewal dates and keep the evidence over all the years, yourselves and at your own pace. If you wish, you can find independent lawyers through IsraelVisa.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Gradual Process take for married couples?
For the spouse of a citizen: 4 years on an A/5 licence, after a review of up to half a year that is not counted. For the spouse of a permanent resident: 27 months on a B/1 licence, then 3 years on A/5.
And for common-law couples?
With a citizen: 3 years on B/1 and 4 years on A/5, 7 years in all. With a permanent resident: 4 years on B/1 and 5 years on A/5, 9 years in all.
Can the process be shortened?
Only in special circumstances, by a decision of the regional manager, and by up to half of the period. Marrying during a shared-life process also allows a move to the married-couples track.
Do I need to know Hebrew to get citizenship at the end?
Under procedure 5.2.0008, at the end of the Gradual Process for spouses of citizens there is no requirement to know Hebrew and no requirement to renounce a previous citizenship.
Related guides
Sources
- Procedure 5.2.0008 - status for a foreign spouse married to an Israeli citizen (edition 16, 20.07.2026), sections C.7, F.5, F.6, G.1, G.4, G.12, H.1, H.3 (Hebrew)
- Procedure 5.2.0009 - applications for status on the basis of a shared life (edition 17, 16.07.2026), sections E.2(12), G.1-G.7, H.8 (Hebrew)
- Procedure 5.2.0011 - status for a foreign spouse married to a permanent resident (10.12.2020), sections D.8, E.2, E.8 (Hebrew)
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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.