Russian
billionaire Roman Abramovich has been granted Israeli citizenship after he
was unable to renew his visa to Britain, according to Israeli media reports.
The Chelsea football club owner's UK visa application had been "taking
longer than usual" to process amid increasing tensions between London and
Moscow, sources told Reuters.
It has been reported that Mr Abramovich would have to explain the source of
his wealth to receive a new British visa.
The UK government has declined to comment on the case.
Mr Abramovich, who is Jewish, flew to Tel Aviv on Monday and obtained
documents confirming his status as an Israeli citizen, the Israeli news site
Ynet reported.
A spokesman for Mr Abramovich also declined to comment on the claims.
The country's interior ministry has confirmed Mr Abramovich has gained
citizenship there, The Times of Israel reports.
An official at Nativ, a government department that deals with Jewish
communities in the former Soviet Union, said Mr Abramovich had applied for
an immigration visa at Israel's embassy in Moscow.
They added: "His documents were examined under the 'law of return' and he
was indeed entitled to immigrant status in Israel, and as a result he was
issued an immigration visa."
An Israeli passport will allow Mr Abramovich to enter Britain for up to six
months, but he won't be able to work there without first receiving a work
visa.
Israel's law of return gives every Jew, or child or grandchild of a Jew, the
right to Israeli citizenship.
Relations between Moscow and London have been strained since the poisoning
of former Russian double-agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury in March.
Britain has blamed the attack on Russia but the Kremlin denies any
involvement.
The UK said this month it would review long-term visas of wealthy Russians
after the poisoning.
Mr Abramovich has been a regular visitor to Israel and Ynet said he had
bought a property that was formerly a hotel.
The building is based in an old Tel Aviv neighbourhood close to the
Mediterranean shore.
The Sunday Times Rich List put Mr Abramovich's wealth at £9.3bn.
He has owned Chelsea football club since 2003.
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