About this report:

Family related migration has been the dominant legal mode of entry in Europe for the past few decades, but has become increasingly contested in recent years. Granting migrants the right to family reunion has traditionally been considered as promoting the integration of migrants into receiving societies. However, in current debates over the ethnic closure of migrant communities and the alleged "failure" of integration, the "migrant family" is increasingly seen as an obstacle to integration - as a site characterised by patriarchal relationships and illiberal practices and traditions such as arranged and forced marriages. As a result, family related modes of entry have been increasingly subject to restrictions, while the existing conditionality has been tightened up.
The research project analysed family migration policies in nine European countries from two angles. First, the project analysed policies and policy-making in regard to family related migration in a "top-down" perspective through the analysis of legislation, public debates, as well as through expert interviews. Secondly, the project analyses family migration policies from a "bottom-up"  perspective, by investigating the impact of conditions and restrictions on migrants and their families and the responses and strategies migrants adopt to cope with these and to organise their family lives.

This report is only available in English.

Author: ICMPD - International Centre for Migration Policy Development