Jerusalem, 25 May, 2026 (TPS-IL) — An Israeli court ruled that a judgment for deportation cannot be circumvented through a procedure to regularize the individual’s status in the country, such as through marriage with an Israeli citizen.
The Administrative Court in Beersheba rejected an appeal by a Georgian citizen regarding his status, after he stayed in Israel in violation of a ruling requiring him to leave the country.
As part of the proceedings, an Israeli citizen and her partner, a Georgian citizen residing in Israel illegally, filed an appeal against the Population and Immigration Authority’s decision not to consider his application to regularize status based on a partnership, as long as he violates a final judgment ordering him to leave Israel.
The appellant entered Israel as a tourist in 2016 and remained in the country after his visa expired. His asylum application was rejected, and in 2019 a final judgment was issued against him ordering him to leave Israel immediately. Despite this, he continued to reside in the country. In 2023, after he began a relationship with an Israeli citizen, an application was submitted to regularize his status based on the marital relationship.
The Population Authority refused to consider the application as long as he remained in Israel in violation of the judgment, and demanded that he leave the country as a condition for its consideration.
The court accepted the state’s position and ruled that the Population Authority’s decision was reasonable and appropriate.