Recognized by the rabbinate, Orthodox converts trapped in legal limbo over Israeli citizenship

 https://www.jpost.com/judaism/article-881417

Orthodox converts in Israel – fully recognized by the Chief Rabbinate – are living in legal and social limbo, denied citizenship, as they face systemic bureaucracy and discrimination at the Interior Ministry, despite a lifetime of religious observance.

In response to why the Interior Ministry rejects the aliyah applications of recognized converts, a spokesperson for the ministry's Population and Immigration Authority told the Post:

"There is a difference between the act of registering a marriage based on halachic considerations and the definition of a Jew for the purposes of the Law of Return, because these are two different laws with different criteria. A marriage certificate is a 'public document' that indicates a marriage and on the basis of which one is registered in the Population Registry as married. The certificate is valid for this registration only. However, the certificate does not constitute proof for the purpose of religion and nationality details and, therefore, is not evidence for checking eligibility for return."