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In depth
Misrad HaPnim (Ministry of Interior) is the Israeli government ministry responsible for citizenship, residency, identity documents, and population registration. It processes citizenship applications under the Law of Return and other paths.
For aliyah cases, Misrad HaPnim issues the teudat zehut (Israeli identity card) and the Israeli passport after the Jewish Agency confirms eligibility and the applicant arrives in Israel.
Misrad HaPnim also processes citizenship for non-Jewish spouses of Israelis, naturalization, and citizenship revocation. It is based in Jerusalem with offices throughout Israel.
Related terms
The Law of Return (1950) is the Israeli law that grants Israeli citizenship to Jews, their children, grandchildren, and spouses.
Aliyah is the Hebrew term for Jewish immigration to Israel, the process by which Jews and their descendants claim Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return.
The Jewish Agency for Israel is the organization that processes aliyah applications and confirms eligibility under the Law of Return.
The OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card is the Indian document granting lifelong residency and most economic rights to persons of Indian origin, in lieu of full dual citizenship.
PIO (Person of Indian Origin) was a card for persons of Indian origin, merged into the OCI scheme in 2015.
A koseki is the Japanese family registry, the official record of family relationships that serves as proof of Japanese citizenship.