Israeli Channel 12 revealed that many Israelis have applied for asylum in Portugal following the Al-Aqsa Flood conflict. The channel explained that they took advantage of Portugal's announcement allowing them to obtain asylum visas, as having an Israeli passport is sufficient to gain approval to stay in Portugal and work legally.
Earlier reports from Israel indicated a rise in applications for Portuguese citizenship, showing a 68% increase in requests from Israelis. According to the channel's report, the ease of obtaining a refugee visa in Portugal has led many Israelis to choose it as their destination for asylum and future settlement.
An Israeli simply needs to present a valid passport and go to immigration offices in Lisbon and state, "I am from Israel and I request asylum." After that, biometric fingerprints and a photo are taken, and a confirmation page for the asylum request is issued, which also serves as a work permit. The entire process generally takes one day, and after a few months, a five-year visa can be obtained.
Data from the Israeli Immigration and Population Authority shows that around 370,000 Israelis have left since the start of the Al-Aqsa Flood conflict until the end of November. About 230,309 Israelis emigrated by the end of October, while approximately 139,839 left during November, according to the Israeli Interior Ministry's immigration and population data.
Channel 12 cites an Israeli lawyer working in Portugal as an immigration consultant, mentioning that many Israelis who came to Portugal are now "unable to face the idea of staying in Israel."
It is worth noting that Portugal has been a preferred destination for Israelis seeking its citizenship. The Jerusalem Post reported that over 20,000 Israelis sought to obtain Portuguese citizenship last year, the highest number for a foreign group in the past two years. The newspaper also indicated that the number of Israelis seeking a Portuguese passport through a law enacted in 2015 for the descendants of Jews expelled during the Inquisition reached 20,975 in 2022, according to statistics from the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service.
