Do new immigrants receive Israeli citizenship immediately upon making Aliyah?

Citizenship by return (ezrahut mikoach shvut) is the most direct route to Israeli nationality and it is close to automatic. The Law of Return grants every Jew, and the children, grandchildren, and spouses covered by its 1970 amendment, the right to immigrate. Section 2 of the Nationality Law then converts that right into citizenship: an oleh acquires Israeli citizenship by force of return, effective on the day of Aliyah or the day an oleh visa or certificate is granted. This is fundamentally different from naturalization under Section 5, which is discretionary and demands years of residency, some Hebrew, and usually renunciation of prior citizenship. None of those conditions apply to the returning immigrant, who is a citizen the moment they arrive and register.

For a foreigner planning Aliyah this has immediate consequences. You can obtain an Israeli passport and identity card shortly after landing, and because the Law of Return route does not require giving up your existing nationality, dual citizenship is permitted. Becoming a citizen on day one also starts the clock on other obligations and benefits, including tax residency and potential military service liability, and it opens voting rights. Section 2(c) lets an eligible person decline citizenship, and some choose to remain residents rather than citizens for personal reasons. A non-Jewish spouse who immigrates together with an eligible spouse gains citizenship on the same derivative basis.

From the full guide: Israel's Law of Return: Who Qualifies and How to Apply

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