# Israel extends $3,500 departure grant to nationals of all African countries

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/israel-extends-3500-departure-grant-to-nationals-of-all-african-countries/
- Published: 2026-11-13T13:07:45+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-13T13:22:28+00:00
- Original publisher: Middle East Eye (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-widens-cash-exit-scheme-all-african-nationals-departures-slump
- Topics: Africa, Americas, Middle East, World

## Key points

- Israel widened its $3,500 departure grant to all African nationals.
- Applications close on 31 December.
- Assisted departures fell by about 20 per cent in 2025.

## Summary

Israel has expanded its $3,500 voluntary departure grant to nationals of every African country, aiming to reverse a decline in departures assisted by the state. The temporary change took effect on Monday and runs until the end of the year, widening eligibility to include some people who entered legally but overstayed their visas.

Applications must be submitted by 31 December. The grant covers African nationals who have been in Israel for more than two years without a valid visa, as well as people with temporary residency permits; authorities expect several thousand additional people to qualify, including citizens of Nigeria, South Africa and Togo. Assisted departures fell from 3,511 in 2024 to 2,815 in 2025, while Eritreans accounted for 89 per cent of last year’s departures. The article also notes Israel’s refugee recognition rate is below 0.1 per cent and that asylum protections and deportation policies differ by nationality.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.