Israel set to scrap cash deposit mandates for Ukrainian refugees
Some 15-20 percent of Ukrainians entering Israel are required to post collateral
Israel is set to change its immigration policy for Ukrainians as public pressure swells, and ministers call for reform, Israeli media reported Tuesday.
New guidelines will be published on Tuesday, lifting the requirement for Ukrainian immigrants to pay roughly $3,000 when arriving at Ben-Gurion International Airport.
It is also expected that the government will announce a cap on non-Jewish Ukrainians allowed in the country, Haaretz reported.
The policy change was first reported Monday by Channel 12 News. Among those who lobbied were ministers Yair Lapid, Nachman Shai, Merav Michaeli and Pnina Tamano-Shata.
Existing immigration guidelines state that any Israeli wishing to host a relative from Ukraine who might settle in the country must deposit a collateral sum of at least $3,000 and guarantee that they will leave the country within a month.
However, Ukrainian citizens with first-degree relatives in Israel, such as parents, children, spouses, or siblings, can enter without the relative posting the collateral.
Some 15-20 percent of Ukrainians entering Israel are required to post collateral, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked stated, according to Haaretz.
According to immigration authority figures, 2,792 Ukrainians arrived in Israel between the start of the invasion and Monday morning. Of those, 129 were denied entry.