The July 2026 editions of the partner procedures: what the current text provides
Written by Alon, founder of IsraelVisa · Based on the procedures of the Population and Immigration Authority
Published: 5 November 2026
What this article covers
In July 2026 the Population and Immigration Authority published new editions of the two main partner procedures: 5.2.0008 for a foreign spouse of an Israeli citizen (edition 16, 20.07.2026) and 5.2.0009 for shared-life and same-sex couples (edition 17, 16.07.2026). This article describes the rules as they now stand, with their clauses; it does not compare them with earlier editions, which the text does not mark.
Both procedures state that applications filed before the update and not yet decided, and any Gradual Process not yet completed, follow the current edition (5.2.0008 section I; 5.2.0009 applicability section).
The track lengths did not change
- Married to an Israeli citizen (5.2.0008): during the checks a general B/1 licence for up to six months, not counted in the process (C.7); then an A/5 temporary residency licence for up to four years in total (C.8, G.1).
- Shared life with an Israeli citizen (5.2.0009): three years on B/1, then four years on A/5 (G.1(1)).
- Same-sex couples married abroad: four years on A/5; a couple married in El Salvador and handled under 5.2.0009: two years on B/1, then four on A/5 (G.1(3)-(4)).
Licences of up to two years from the second licence on
Under both procedures the first licence of the Gradual Process is given for one year. From the second year on, each extension may be for up to two years, subject to no security or criminal impediment, no change of circumstances, and a thorough check of the sincerity of the relationship (5.2.0008 C.8, G.4(a)-(b); 5.2.0009 G.1, G.2(1)-(2)).
The checks stay: before every extension both partners are interviewed, and the foreign partner needs a passport valid for two years from the extension date (5.2.0008 G.10; 5.2.0009 G.5). The extension is filed online three months before expiry; 180 days after expiry only a new application is possible (G.8; G.3).
What to ask the office: "up to two years" is a ceiling; check the period written on the licence you receive.
Entering the process without a document
Both procedures let the regional director exempt you from a document required for starting the Gradual Process, on a reasoned request backed by documents: exceptional objective or unique circumstances, proof of sincere efforts, and an official confirmation. An asylum application is expressly not such a circumstance (E.2(8)(b) in both).
The exemption is for entering only and does not apply to any future application, naturalisation included (F.1 in both). At the end the full set is required again: under 5.2.0008 the process cannot end in citizenship without all the documents, and a spouse who proves they still cannot be obtained may apply for permanent residency only (E.2(8)(b), H.1(4)); under 5.2.0009 a further exemption request may be filed at the end (H.2).
What to ask the office: which document the exemption covers and what evidence of your efforts is needed.
Who approves the end of the process
Under 5.2.0008, after four years on A/5 and subject to all the other conditions, naturalisation is approved by the manager or deputy manager of the office, except for a resident of the Area, whose case follows the Temporary Order (C.8, H.3). Three months before the four years end, the foreign spouse tells the office which status is requested, citizenship or permanent residency (H.1(1)).
Where a doubt remains, the office manager may extend the A/5 licence by one more year; after that, the final decision on permanent residency is the office manager's and on citizenship the regional director's (H.1(11)). Under 5.2.0009 the head of the visa team approves the end of the process into permanent residency (H.9), with the same one-year extension on doubt (H.8).
Unlawful stay, a court order and grounds for refusal
A foreign partner whom a court ordered to leave Israel, and who did not: as a rule the application is handled only after departure. On a reasoned request the regional director may allow handling before departure, only in very exceptional, recorded cases (5.2.0008 C.12; 5.2.0009 C.9 and E.2(1)).
An unlawful stay without such a judgment: both partners are interviewed. If the first impression is that the relationship is not sincere, or began after the licence expired, the foreign partner must leave. If it appears sincere, no departure is required until the decision, provided the full application was filed before enforcement steps began (same clauses).
Refusal under section 2(d) of the Entry into Israel Law: a public call for a boycott of Israel or an undertaking to join one; Holocaust denial or denial of the 7 October 2023 massacre; support for prosecuting Israeli citizens abroad or in an international tribunal for acts done in their service in the IDF or the security forces (5.2.0008 C.24; 5.2.0009 C.20). Nationals of Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq are rejected outright (5.2.0008 C.14(e)).
Marriages in El Salvador
Procedure 5.2.0009 covers couples married in El Salvador. For a marriage at a municipality the office asks for the certificate with the municipal protocol; for a marriage before a public notary, the notarial contract on protocol paper. An inadmissible certificate leads to outright refusal. Where both partners were physically present at the ceremony at the municipality abroad, the couple is referred to procedure 5.2.0008 (E.2(5)(a)).
What to ask the office: under which procedure your file is handled, since the tracks differ.
How IsraelVisa helps
IsraelVisa helps you keep the documents, the licence dates and the clause behind each requirement in one place, so that you reach every extension and the end of the process with the full set, yourselves and at your own pace. IsraelVisa does not give legal advice; if you wish, you can find independent lawyers through IsraelVisa.
Frequently asked questions
Did the length of the Gradual Process change in July 2026?
No. The current text keeps up to six months on B/1 during the checks and then four years on A/5 for a spouse of a citizen, and three years on B/1 then four years on A/5 for a shared-life couple.
Does a two-year licence mean no interview for two years?
No. Before every extension both partners are interviewed and the relationship and centre of life are checked again. The text says up to two years; the period actually given can be shorter.
We cannot obtain one document. Can we still start the process?
You may ask the regional director for an exemption with a reasoned, documented request showing exceptional circumstances and sincere efforts. An asylum application is not such a circumstance. The exemption is for entering only; the full set is required at the end.
We are already in the process. Which edition applies to us?
Both procedures state that applications filed before the update and not yet decided, and any Gradual Process not yet completed, are handled under the current edition.
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, C.8, C.12, C.14, C.24, E.2(8), F.1, G.1, G.4, G.8, G.10, H.1, H.3 and I (Hebrew)
- Procedure 5.2.0009 - applications for status on the basis of a shared life (edition 17, 16.07.2026), sections C.9, C.20, E.2(1), E.2(5), E.2(8), F.1, G.1-G.5, H.2, H.8, H.9 and the applicability section (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.