Applying for asylum in Israel: procedure, deadlines and appeals

A foreign national in Israel who seeks protection as a refugee can file a claim with PIBA. Procedure 5.2.0012 asks for the claim to be lodged within one year of entry. A first claim filed later is rejected outright unless the applicant gives special reasons for the delay, which a team leader of PIBA's asylum division then examines.

The claim starts with PIBA's online RSD form, which must be filled in fully and in English; incomplete forms are not processed. You then receive an SMS with a date and time to come to the PIBA office in Bnei Brak to complete registration. Missing that appointment voids the application; you cannot simply refile online but must email the asylum processing unit and explain the absence.

People held in detention facilities make their claim through the detention authorities.

After registration you are given an appointment for the refugee status determination interview at the RSD office in Lod. The RSD unit prepares a recommendation and the Minister of Interior takes the final decision. Official sources do not set a general time limit for the decision.

A refusal can be appealed within 30 days under the Entry into Israel Law, before the Appeals Tribunal. A tribunal ruling can in turn be challenged before the Administrative Affairs Court within 45 days. When a claim is rejected outright, the decision states that a petition to the Administrative Court is possible, and removal may not take place earlier than 72 hours after the final decision.

UNHCR's office in Israel publishes guidance on the national procedure on its help pages. PIBA also runs a general call centre on 3450 for questions about its services.