Israel naturalisation: scoped statutory baseline

Statutory presence and permanent-residence entitlement

Section 5(a) of the reviewed enacted text requires an adult non-citizen to be in Israel, to have been in Israel for three of the five years before applying, to be entitled to permanent residence, and to have settled or intend to settle in Israel. These conditions are cumulative in the ordinary provision; three years alone is not a complete eligibility test. Current administrative counting and any required period holding permanent status were not established.

Statutory Hebrew requirement, no verified framework

The reviewed Section 5(a)(5) calls for some knowledge of Hebrew. It does not name a CEFR level or separate skills. A current examination format, accepted evidence and administrative age or disability exemptions were not established from an accessible operative authority document.

Naturalisation-specific prior-nationality condition

The ordinary Section 5 text requires renunciation of the previous nationality or proof that foreign nationality will cease upon becoming Israeli. Section 6(d) gives the Minister power to waive specified conditions, including this one, for a special reason. Section 14's general rule that acquisition need not depend on renunciation expressly excepts naturalisation, so it cannot be used as a blanket dual-nationality assurance for this route.

Discretion and allegiance declaration

Under the reviewed Section 5(b)-(d), the Minister of Interior grants nationality by certificate if the Minister considers it appropriate after the conditions are met. Before grant the applicant makes the statutory declaration of loyalty to Israel, and acquisition dates from that declaration. The statute does not make satisfying the listed conditions an automatic grant.