Israel: Frequent visitors coerced into permanent immigration
March 24, 2009
Jewish tourists who spend more than 180 days in Israel, even without violating the terms of their tourist visas, are being increasingly harassed by border patrol officials, detained at the crossings and, in some cases, deported to their port of origin or forced to make aliya against their will, according to a Tel Aviv law firm.
Kan-Tor & Acco, a global relocation law firm that specializes in immigration matters and visas to Israel and the US, said Monday that it had noted a significant increase over the past few weeks in the number of Jewish tourists being detained by authorities at the border crossings, after the Interior Ministry deemed them to have exceeded the acceptable time limit for tourist status.
'Most of the time the calls come at night - people call us from the airport's holding center, panicking and asking us to help bail them out,' Amit Acco, a partner in the firm, told The Jerusalem Post. 'In one case, a person was threatened with deportation because of visiting Israel too many times, and although we succeeded in posting a NIS 50,000 bail, it was contingent on the person making aliya within two weeks,' he said.
The Jerusalem Post
More Immigration Stories From Israel
Israel: Four Israeli-Arabs may have citizenship revoked
May 05, 2009
At the request of Immigration Authority chief Yaakov Ganot, Interior Minister Eli Yishai (Shas) plans to begin the process of revoking the citizenship of four Israeli-Arabs engaged in anti-Israel activity. The four, who left Israel for enemy countries many years...
Continue Reading
Israel: Frustrated Sudanese asylum seeker assaults, bites immigration officials
May 04, 2009
A Sudanese asylum seeker was arrested in Lod on Sunday after physically assaulting and biting employees of the Population and Immigration Authority. The Interior Ministry said employees of the Refugee Unit of the Authority came under attack when the Sudanese...
Continue Reading
Israel: Imm. agency official suggests breaks for firms hiring immigrants
April 24, 2009
Instead of spending money on unemployment benefits, the state should subsidize companies hiring immigrants, incoming Immigration and Absorption Minister Sofa Landver told Anglo File this week. 'The National Insurance Institute today has a NIS 15 billion surplus,' the Yisrael Beitenu...
Continue Reading
Israel: Population and Immigration authority boss quits
April 16, 2009
The head of the Population and Immigration Authority, Ya'akov Ganot, announced Thursday that he would be stepping down from the controversial job after only a year and a half in the position. Ganot, who was appointed head of the Population...
Continue Reading
Israel: NGOs criticize crackdown on illegal workers
April 14, 2009
As government plans to deport more than 100,000 illegal foreign workers are set in motion, social rights activists working with the migrants are bracing themselves for another round of human rights violations, The Jerusalem Post was warned on Monday. 'It's...
Continue Reading
More Immigration Stories From World
Canada: M.P.'s case focuses attention on nanny program
May 18, 2009
OTTAWA - If there's a silver lining in the Ruby Dhalla affair, it may be for the organizations who have long sought better protection for thousands of Filipinas who come to Canada each year to work as nannies and caregivers....
Continue Reading
Canada: Imm. Minister weighs options in case of released killer
May 18, 2009
The Canadian Immigration Minister's office is looking at all options to get a convicted Bosnian murderer back into custody. Elvir Pobric was convicted of the execution-style shooting of two men in Bosnia back in 1992. He served 3 years of...
Continue Reading
Jamaica: Gay men often driven to pursue asylum
May 18, 2009
Lisa Biagiotti is reporting on HIV/AIDS, sexuality and young gay men in Jamaica. Her interest in the subject began when she met Alex Brown* 18 months ago. The story below is his - of a gay Jamaican who received asylum...
Continue Reading
U.K.: Home Office rules take aim at shady immigration advisers
May 18, 2009
The UK Home Office is proposing tough new rules to tackle rogue immigration advisers. Historically, many immigrants have suffered at the hands of unscrupulous and dishonest immigration advisors. The proposals would give greater powers to the Office of the Immigration...
Continue Reading
U.K.: New points-based system affects student visas
May 18, 2009
The UK Border Agency has issued a reminder to would-be student visa applicants to check their UK visa letters before submitting their applications. Foreign nationals who want to study in the UK must apply for a visa under Tier 4...
Continue Reading