Significant updates to the procedures governing the legal status of foreign partners of Israeli citizens have been introduced by Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA). As of July 2026, certain B1 and A5 visas can now be issued for durations of up to two years. This change affects both married and unmarried couples participating in Israel’s gradual status process. While the overall timeframe of the process stays the same, the new procedures could potentially minimize the number of visa renewal appointments couples need to schedule throughout this multi-year journey.
The revised guidelines allow the first visa issued under the partner procedure to generally remain valid for a year. Subsequent B1 or A5 visas can now be granted for up to two years, depending on PIBA’s discretion and evaluation. Married couples typically go through the A5 temporary residency process, and after the initial one-year A5 visa, later ones might extend up to two years. Unmarried couples usually start with B1 status before progressing to A5 temporary residency, and they too might benefit from extended visa validity as per the new procedures.
In addition to longer visa periods, the updated procedures provide flexibility in situations where applicants are initially unable to submit a required document. In such cases, a PIBA Regional Director may allow an applicant to join the gradual process without the document, provided there is evidence of genuine efforts to obtain it and an explanation of why it cannot be submitted at present. However, the documentation requirement is not permanently waived; the missing document must be submitted before completing the gradual process.
Changes have also been made to citizenship processing, with expanded authority at some PIBA offices during the final stage of the process. Deputy office managers can now process and approve certain citizenship applications for married couples at the end of the gradual status procedure, a task previously reserved for office managers. The updated procedures address foreign partners in Israel without valid legal status; if a relationship is found to have started after a foreign partner’s visa expired, they might need to leave Israel before continuing with the partner visa procedure unless an interview confirms the relationship is genuine.
According to Joshua Pex, an immigration attorney and founding partner at Decker, Pex, Levi Law Offices, the option of longer visa periods could offer more stability for couples in the gradual status process over several years. While applicants can request a two-year validity on B1 or A5 renewals, PIBA retains the authority to decide the visa duration rather than guaranteeing a two-year term for everyone. Decker, Pex, Levi Law Offices provides advice to both married and unmarried couples regarding Israel’s partner visa and gradual status procedures, covering B1 work visas, A5 temporary residency, permanent residency, and Israeli citizenship.
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