Success Stories
The Ministry of Interior closed a family unification case because the foreigner spouse stayed abroad 7 months of the year - following an internal appeal the decision was canceled
The couple have been in the process for 3 years and the foreign spouse held a B/1 (work) visa. After they got married abroad and submitted a request to upgrade her status to temporary residency (A/5 visa), the Ministry of Interior decided to close the case completely and ordered the foreign spouse to leave the country immediately. This is because in the past year she stayed 7 months of the year abroad. Attorney Michal Luft immediately filed an internal appeal in which she explained the purpose of the trips and their necessity, and within two weeks the Ministry of Interior announced the cancellation of its decision and the issuance of an identity card and an A/5 visa to the spouse.
M waited almost a year for an extension of his A/5 visa- a month and a half after Adv. Luft petitioned the court,the visa was extended
The client received the visa as part of a petition he submitted to the court, and when he approached the Ministry of Interior to renew it for another year, the Ministry delayed his request for months and did not give him an answer. Adv. Luft's appeals to the Ministry of Interior were also unsuccessful, so a repeat appeal was made to the District Court. About a month and a half later, the visa was renewed for another year and all of M's rights in Israel were restored to him.
The Ministry of Interior ordered the exit of a German citizen even though she was pregnant from an Israeli citizen - following an appeal the decision was overturned and she received status
The couple submitted a request for family reunification in Israel while the spouse was pregnant, but the Ministry of Interior refused to process the request because she had previously been in a relationship with another Israeli. Contrary to the procedures, the Ministry demanded that she leave the country. Attorney Michal Luft filed an appeal to the Appeals Court and immediately received an interim order that allowed the spouse to stay in the country. After the hearing, the Ministry agreed to cancel the decision and re-examine the couple's request. The couple was then interviewed and the application was approved.
After DNA tests in Israel, Australia and Norway - the firm's client's Aliyah application was approved
The client was born in the US to a Jewish father and a Norwegian mother, however the father was not registered as his father on the birth certificate and the two had no relationship. In his adulthood, a relationship was formed between the two and the client asked to immigrate to Israel. With the assistance of attorney Michal Luft, a paternity claim was submitted to the Family Court in which the client and his parents were tested - one in Australia, one in Norway, and one in Israel. After receiving the samples and performing the test, the court recognized that the Jewish father is indeed the client's father. Based on the verdict, the client submitted an Aliyah application to the Ministry of Interior. The case was approved and the client received Israeli citizenship.
After three of her previous requests were rejected, the request of a permanent resident to register her children as residents was finally approved
The resident lives in East Jerusalem and gave birth to her three young children in Jerusalem. After each birth, she asked the Ministry of Interior to register her newborn and grant them permanent residency, but her requests were rejected on the grounds that it was not proven that her life were actually centered in Jerusalem. The children grew without any legal status in Israel. Just before she lost hope, the resident turned to attorney Michal Luft and together they submitted an additional request to register the three children. This time the request was approved and the children received legal status. Following this, a family reunification request for the resident's spouse was also approved, a request that had also been rejected in the past.
A married couple waited three years for a response to their request for family unification - About two months after turning to Attorney Michal Luft, the request was approved
The couple had submitted the request themselves without a lawyer in 2020 and patiently waited to hear from the Ministry of Interior. At the end of 2023, they turned to Attorney Luft in despair and asked for her help in clarifying what had happened to their request. Attorney Luft immediately contacted the Ministry of Interior and revealed that the request had indeed not been processed all this time. Following the referral, the Ministry of Interior summoned the couple for a joint interview and afterwards approved the request, granting family unification permission to the spouse.
The Ministry of Interior closed a family unification request via email- Following an internal appeal the request was reopened and reconsidered
The couple, an Israeli and a Brazilian citizen who immigrated together from Brazil and have two children, had submitted the request themselves without a lawyer. Contrary the regulations, the Ministry of Interior informed them via email that the request was closed due to lack of documentation and ordered the spouse to leave the country immediately. Following an urgent appeal submitted by Attorney Michal Luft, the request was not closed, and the Ministry of Interior reviewed it, subsequently granting the spouse an initial B/1 visa.
The Ministry of Interior demanded a foreign spouse of an Israeli present a certificate that did not exist- following the intervention of Att. Luft, the demand was withdrawn, and the spouse received residency
The Tel Aviv office of the Ministry of Interior demanded that the spouse, an American and Japanese citizen, present an official document from the US confirming her marriage to her Israeli spouse. This demand was made despite the fact that the US do not issue documents regarding marriages of citizens outside the country, and despite the fact other offices of the Ministry do not requiring this. After Attorney Michal Luft's intervention with the office manager, the demand was reexamined and subsequently withdrawn, and the spouse received an Israeli identity card
The Ministry of Interior instructed an Ethiopian citizen, the mother of two Israeli children, to leave the country following her separation from the Israeli father - following a humanitarian request, the decision was reversed.
The couple separated after about 10 years, during which they had two Israeli children together . However, immediately after the separation, the Ministry of Interior revoked the mother's residency permit and demanded that she leave the country. Attorney Michal Luft promptly filed an appeal with the Ministry of Interior and requested humanitarian consideration. Eventually, the request was approved, and the permit was reinstated for the client.
After 20 years since her Aliyah to Israel, the Ministry of Interior refused to renew the passport of an Israeli citizen and demanded that she prove her Jewishness - following a court petition, the decision was revoked.
For many months, COGAT neglected to respond to a request, submitted by adv. Michal Luft's office, to allow German citizens to visit their family residing within the West Bank. It also refrained from publishing any general procedure regarding the entry of foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 crisis, thus leaving the criteria for approving any applications as well as the timeframe for processing them unclear. Only following an administrative petition submitted to the district court, did COGAT announce that the foreigners' entry request was approved and published a general procedure for future requests of this nature.
Following an Administrative Petition, COGAT Approved the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank for a Family Visit and Published a General Procedure for the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 Crisis
For many months, COGAT neglected to respond to a request, submitted by adv. Michal Luft's office, to allow German citizens to visit their family residing within the West Bank. It also refrained from publishing any general procedure regarding the entry of foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 crisis, thus leaving the criteria for approving any applications as well as the timeframe for processing them unclear. Only following an administrative petition submitted to the district court, did COGAT announce that the foreigners' entry request was approved and published a general procedure for future requests of this nature.
Following an Administrative Petition, COGAT Approved the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank for a Family Visit and Published a General Procedure for the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 Crisis
For many months, COGAT neglected to respond to a request, submitted by adv. Michal Luft's office, to allow German citizens to visit their family residing within the West Bank. It also refrained from publishing any general procedure regarding the entry of foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 crisis, thus leaving the criteria for approving any applications as well as the timeframe for processing them unclear. Only following an administrative petition submitted to the district court, did COGAT announce that the foreigners' entry request was approved and published a general procedure for future requests of this nature.
Following an Administrative Petition, COGAT Approved the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank for a Family Visit and Published a General Procedure for the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 Crisis
For many months, COGAT neglected to respond to a request, submitted by adv. Michal Luft's office, to allow German citizens to visit their family residing within the West Bank. It also refrained from publishing any general procedure regarding the entry of foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 crisis, thus leaving the criteria for approving any applications as well as the timeframe for processing them unclear. Only following an administrative petition submitted to the district court, did COGAT announce that the foreigners' entry request was approved and published a general procedure for future requests of this nature.
Following an Administrative Petition, COGAT Approved the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank for a Family Visit and Published a General Procedure for the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 Crisis
For many months, COGAT neglected to respond to a request, submitted by adv. Michal Luft's office, to allow German citizens to visit their family residing within the West Bank. It also refrained from publishing any general procedure regarding the entry of foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 crisis, thus leaving the criteria for approving any applications as well as the timeframe for processing them unclear. Only following an administrative petition submitted to the district court, did COGAT announce that the foreigners' entry request was approved and published a general procedure for future requests of this nature.
Following an Administrative Petition, COGAT Approved the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank for a Family Visit and Published a General Procedure for the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 Crisis
For many months, COGAT neglected to respond to a request, submitted by adv. Michal Luft's office, to allow German citizens to visit their family residing within the West Bank. It also refrained from publishing any general procedure regarding the entry of foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 crisis, thus leaving the criteria for approving any applications as well as the timeframe for processing them unclear. Only following an administrative petition submitted to the district court, did COGAT announce that the foreigners' entry request was approved and published a general procedure for future requests of this nature.
Following an Administrative Petition, COGAT Approved the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank for a Family Visit and Published a General Procedure for the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 Crisis
For many months, COGAT neglected to respond to a request, submitted by adv. Michal Luft's office, to allow German citizens to visit their family residing within the West Bank. It also refrained from publishing any general procedure regarding the entry of foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 crisis, thus leaving the criteria for approving any applications as well as the timeframe for processing them unclear. Only following an administrative petition submitted to the district court, did COGAT announce that the foreigners' entry request was approved and published a general procedure for future requests of this nature.
Following an Administrative Petition, COGAT Approved the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank for a Family Visit and Published a General Procedure for the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 Crisis
For many months, COGAT neglected to respond to a request, submitted by adv. Michal Luft's office, to allow German citizens to visit their family residing within the West Bank. It also refrained from publishing any general procedure regarding the entry of foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 crisis, thus leaving the criteria for approving any applications as well as the timeframe for processing them unclear. Only following an administrative petition submitted to the district court, did COGAT announce that the foreigners' entry request was approved and published a general procedure for future requests of this nature.
Following an Administrative Petition, COGAT Approved the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank for a Family Visit and Published a General Procedure for the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 Crisis
For many months, COGAT neglected to respond to a request, submitted by adv. Michal Luft's office, to allow German citizens to visit their family residing within the West Bank. It also refrained from publishing any general procedure regarding the entry of foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 crisis, thus leaving the criteria for approving any applications as well as the timeframe for processing them unclear. Only following an administrative petition submitted to the district court, did COGAT announce that the foreigners' entry request was approved and published a general procedure for future requests of this nature.
Following an Administrative Petition, COGAT Approved the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank for a Family Visit and Published a General Procedure for the Entry of Foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 Crisis
For many months, COGAT neglected to respond to a request, submitted by adv. Michal Luft's office, to allow German citizens to visit their family residing within the West Bank. It also refrained from publishing any general procedure regarding the entry of foreigners into the West Bank during the Covid-19 crisis, thus leaving the criteria for approving any applications as well as the timeframe for processing them unclear. Only following an administrative petition submitted to the district court, did COGAT announce that the foreigners' entry request was approved and published a general procedure for future requests of this nature.
Following an appeal to the Appellate Tribunal, the Ministry of Interior Retracted its Decision to Cancel a Residency Permit Granted on Humanitarian Grounds
the decision to cancel the residency permit was carried out under a faulty process and lacked any substantiation. Shortly after the appeal was filed, the Ministry acknowledged that a mistake had been made and transferred the case to back for reevaluation. the Ministry Interior was ordered to pay 3,500 NIS in legal expenses.
Reinstating a Residency Permit to a Foreign Woman, so that She Could Reside in Israel alongside her Children
Thanks to the work of Adv. Michal Luft, a foreign woman who had been married to an Israeli man and later divorced him had her residency permit reinstated. Following the divorce, her permit had been annulled. Because the couple had small children who were all Israeli citizens, adv. Luft submitted a humanitarian request to reinstate the woman's permit, and the request was subsequently approved. Thanks to the permit, the woman was allowed to continue living in Israel alongside her children.
Granting Citizenship to Children Born Abroad and to an Israel Man after their Mother had Passed Away - and Bringing them to Israel
in an exceptional and touching case, adv. Michal Luft was successful in arranging the entry into Israel of three small children who had been born abroad, to an Israeli father and a foreign mother, after their mother had died. After months of delays by the Ministry of Interior, Adv. Luft intervened and within a week was successful in registering the children under the Population Registry, granting them citizenship, and bringing them into Israel.
Approval of a Temporary Residency Permit (A/5 visa) for an Asylum Seeker Suffering from a Serious Medical Condition
through a specific procedure intended for humanitarian cases, adv. Michal Luft was successful in obtaining a temporary residency permit for an asylum seeker who was suffering from a serious medical condition. The said asylum seeker had fled the genocide in Darfur (Sudan) and had been living in Israel for more than ten years without any proper legal status. Today the new permit allows him to receive subsidized health insurance as well as various allowances and and grants from the National Insurance Institute, all which assist him in dealing with his illness.
Repealing Security Prohibitions that were Imposed on Palestinian Residents and Prevented their Entry into Israel
many Palestinian residents, from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, apply to receive entry permits to Israel (e.g. a work permit, trader permit, family visitation permit, a permit to accompany a sick patient, etc.) Many of these applicants discover, upon submitting the application that they have been placed under a security ban that prevents their receipt of said permit. Adv. Luft has enjoyed much success in repealing such security restrictions, thus allowing for the issuance of the permit. Occasionally, petitions to the District Court were required to achieve this goal, and in these cases the court has ordered the State to pay legal expenses to the resident for being forced to take legal action.
Approval of West Bank Residency Permit for a Gaza Resident after he had Fled from the Gaza Strip, Years Ago
through an exceptional procedure, adv. Michal Luft succeeded in convincing the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories and the Civil Administration to issue a West Bank residency permit to a Gaza resident who had fled the Gaza Strip when Hamas came to power and had been living abroad ever since. Thanks to the permit, the resident can now return to his homeland within the Palestinian Authority, live there in dignity and security and reunite with his extended family who also reside in the West Bank.
Rescinding a Police Prohibition and Reinstating a Dwelling Permit for a Palestinian Woman who was Married to an Israeli
several years after receiving a dwelling permit what allowed our client to live with her Israeli spouse and their Israeli children, the Ministry of Interior refused to renew the permit arguing there was an outstanding police case on her matter. After a quick inquiry by adv. Michal Luft, it became evident that the case had in effect been closed years ago, but due to negligent oversight by the Israeli Police, the District Attorney's Office, and the Ministry of Interior, the information on file was not up to date. Following a request filed by adv. Luft, the police updated their computerized registry to state that the case had indeed been closed and the Ministry of Interior restored the client's dwelling permit.
Following an Appeal before the Appellate Tribunal, the Ministry of Interior Agreed to Grant an Asylum Seeker a Temporary Residency Permit (A/5)
Adv. Luft represented an asylum seeker from Darfur who, due to his age, was entitled to receive a temporary residency permit (A/5). Despite this, the Ministry refused to grant him the permit, arguing that in their systems he had been registered as being of a younger age. Adv. Michal Luft was able to correct the age of the client appearing in the registry, but the Ministry nonetheless persisted in its refusal, arguing that it could not grant any additional permits retroactively. Only after filing an appeal before the Appellate Tribunal did the Ministry withdraw from its previous position and agreed to grant the client the long sought-after permit.
Following an Appeal before the Appellate Tribunal, the Ministry of Interior Retracted its Decision to Terminate the Gradual Process of an Israeli and a Foreign Spouse
after ten years of marriage and seven years holding a visa that allowed her stay in Israel, the Ministry of Interior informed the foreign spouse of an Israeli man that the process in her case was being terminated on the grounds that her relationship with the Israeli was not sincere. Adv. Michal Luft filed an appeal before the Appellate Tribunal challenging the decision and the tribunal subsequently ordered the Ministry to resume the process and restore the client's permit.
Following a Series of Administrative Petitions, the Ministry of Interior Reinstated Temporary Residency Permits (A/5) of the Members of a Large Family Living in the Negev
the family members had been living in the Negev for years under temporary residency permits, which had been renewed on a yearly basis. Then, unexpectedly, one day the Ministry of Interior to suspend and then reject the renewal of the permits. Adv. Michal Luft's appeals before the Ministry remained answered and it was only after submitting administrative petitions to the Beer Sheva District Court that Ministry consented to reinstate the permits. In some of the petitions, legal expenses were awarded to the clients.
Approving Entry Permits for Palestinian Spouses for the Purpose of Accompanying their Israeli Partners during Childbirth
in several cases, adv. Michal Luft was successful in quickly obtaining the Civil Administration's approval for the entry into Israeli of Palestinian spouses whose Israeli partner was about to give birth in Israel. Thanks to the quick and determined intervention of adv. Michal Luft, the partner was able to be present at the birth and this participate in the emotional event together with his partner.
The Ombudsman of the State Representatives in the Courts Accepted adv. Michal Luft's Complaint and Determined that it is a Legitimate Practice to Make Reference to the State's Position in other Cases as a Means to Support a Claim
In the course of an appeal before the Appellate Tribunal, the state attorney objected to the fact that adv. Luft had referred to the state's responses in other cases in an attempt to prove that these contradicted the state's position in the appeal. After the (successful) conclusion of the appeal, adv. Michal Luft filed a complaint against the attorney for having raises this position. In his decision, the Ombudsman stated that there is nothing inappropriate in making reference to other responses issues by the state as a means to to support an appellant's claims, so long as it does not disclose information from confidential proceedings.
The Israeli Citizenship of an 80-year-old Woman was Restored
the client was born in Israel but had lived most of her life abroad and, at one point, even chose to renounce her Israeli citizenship. Later, in her old age, she sought to return and live in Israel, but the Ministry of Interior impeded her request for citizenship for a period of months, thus forcing her to live in Israel as a tourist, without health insurance and other important rights. After contacting Michal Luft's law firm, adv. Luft quickly contacted the Ministry, which subsequently lifted its objections and summoned the woman to receive her Israeli citizenship.
Granting a Palestinian with an Israeli Entry Permit for the Participation in his own Wedding
Surprisingly, the Civil Administration refused to grant a Palestinian an entry permit, so that he could participate in his own wedding. The justification for the refusal was that though Palestinians are allowed to enter Israel to attend a relative's wedding, there is no criteria that allows Palestinians to marry within Israel. Only after adv. Michal Luft intervened and threatened to take immediate legal action, the Civil Administration issued the client with the entry permit and the wedding was held as planned.
Freedom of Information Requests sent by adv. Michal Luft Assisted in the Disclosure of Data relating to the Issuing of Permits, and in Receipt of Documents Belonging to the Firm's Clients
under Israeli law, every person has the right to receive from state authorities those documents and information that belong or relate to him/her. When dealing with administrative procedures, and immigration/legal status in particular, documents such as interview minutes and copies of decisions that were made can prove extremely valuable. Adv. Michal Luft has taken action, in a series of cases, to obtain all the information and documents that relating to her clients from state authorities.
A Complaint Submitted by Adv. Michal Luft to the Ombudsman on State Representatives in the Courts was Accepted
adv. Michal Luft filed a complaint against the state attorneys in the Southern District Prosecutor's Office for continuously including incorrect and misleading statements in their responses to the court, regarding the law that binds them. The Ombudsman accepted the complaint in its entirety and determined that these were indeed false statements that should not have been submitted to the court. He ordered the Prosecutor's office to refrain from submitting these claims in the future.
Renewal of High-Tech Workshop Permits for Palestinians that were Suspended without Prior Notice
during the Covid-19 crisis, Israel unexpectedly decided to prohibit young Palestinian residents – who held entry permits for the purpose of participating in workshops of in Israeli high-tech companies – from entering Israel. The authorities did not inform the participants of this in advance and did not explain why it had been decided to ban their entry, thus causing damages to both the participants and the hi-tech companies themselves. Following adv. Michal Luft's appeal to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories as well as the Civil Administration, the ban was lifted, and these young Palestinians were again able to enter Israel and participate in the workshops.