In March 1995, local human rights organizations were informed that West Bank residents married to a Jerusalemite and holding a three-month entry permit to Jerusalem will be able to renew this permit only once for an additional three months. For a second renewal, the Civil Administration will request a written confirmation by the Jerusalem Interior Ministry declaring that the couple’s application for family reunification is still pending. Considering the fact that the Interior Ministry requires an average of one year to process family reunification applications and the permanent overcrowding at the Ministry, this new procedure represents a new form of bureaucratic harassment to Palestinian couples attempting to legalize their presence in Jerusalem.