Israelis Are Seeking Asylum In Portugal Amidst The War: Report

Israel”s Channel 12 said that many Israelis have submitted requests seeking asylum in after the current Israel-Palestine war which was started on October 7th. The Israeli channel explained that Israelis were taking advantage of Portugal”s announcement that allowed them to have access to asylum visas.

As per report, it is sufficient to have an Israeli passport for obtaining approval to stay in Portugal and work legally. Israeli reports previously indicated about the high demand for the applications for Portuguese citizenship and added that there was a 68 % increase in citizenship application from Israel.

The ease with which the refugee visas are available in Portugal has attracted many Israelis towards the country choosing at a destination for seeking asylum and settle later. The process of applying citizenship visas in Portugal. All they have to do is bring their valid passport to the immigration office at Lisbon, Portugal, and say, “I am from Israel and I am requesting asylum”. After that  take biometric fingerprints and a photo would be taken. In the end, a page confirming the asylum application, which will also be a work permit, will be given. Within one day, the process will be completed. After few months, a five-year visa will be provided, as reported by Channel 12.

Data provided by the Immigration and Population Authority in Israel said that around 370,000 Israelis left Israel since the October 7th Hamas attack until the last of November. The data says that around, 230,309 Israelis has immigrated by the end of October.

Many of the Israelis who are seeking asylum in Portugal has come to a situation where it become “unable to face the idea of staying in Israel”, said an Israeli lawyer who is working in Portugal as an immigration consultant, said Channel 12.

Last year, Jerusalem post reported that around 20,000 Israelis sought Portuguese citizenship. It is the largest number so far for the Jews. Jerusalem Post also reported that, the Israelis are seeking Portuguese visas as per the law that was issued on 2015 for the decedents of Jews who were expelled from the country during Inquisition. By 2022, the number of Jews that has applied for citizenship visas in Portuguese has reached 20,975.