The citizenship process for foreign same-sex partners of Israelis will soon be the same as that of heterosexual partners, Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced Thursday.

Mandelblit’s decision came in response to a petition from the Israeli Gay Fathers Association, which complained that same-sex couples were forced to wait seven years before their marriage would be recognized, compared to four years for heterosexuals. The non-Israeli partner in a same-sex partnership was also forced to give up his or her foreign citizenship to become an Israeli citizen, whereas a non-Israeli in a heterosexual partnership could keep his or her foreign citizenship.

“The mere presentation of foreign marriage documents and the couple’s intention to receive legal validity, is a significant indicator in relations to the seriousness of the relationship and to justify shortening the process,” Mandelblit explained.

Mandelblit’s announcement was “a huge victory against discrimination for same sex couples,” the Israeli Gay Fathers Association said in a statement. “The decision will ease the process for many couples with mixed citizenship that have suffered until today, which many times does not end with Israeli citizenship.”

For more on Israel’s strides in granting rights to its LGBT citizens and residents, read The Persistent Progress of Israel’s LGBT Community, which discusses the advances LGBT Israelis have made in gaining mainstream societal acceptance, and the challenges their community continues to face.

[Photo: Gili Yaari / Flash90 ]