The Knesset has approved the final readings of a bill by Member of Knesset Oded Forer (Yisrael Beiteinu), under which, a new immigrant will receive a passport upon immigration to Israel and acceptance of Israeli citizenship.
Until now, during their first year in Israel, new immigrants have received a transit certificate (teudat maavar), not a passport, which places many restrictions on the user. MK Oded Forer said, "We have succeeded in correcting a really unjust archaic law and made the conditions of new immigrants equal to the conditions of those born in Israel." He concluded, "The days are over when a new immigrant is considered a second class citizen who is not entitled to a passport."