In 2021, Germany once again granted far fewer family reunification visas for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection than would have been possible by legal means. The new German government coalition wants to abolish the limit for such visas and make it possible for people holding any kind of protection status to reunite with family members.
The city government of Berlin is planning to take in 500 refugees from Afghanistan over the next five years. People who are in particular need of protection will be prioritized under the initiative.
According to Germany's interior ministry, some 4,300 former Afghan local staff have told the German government they are at risk and wish to leave Afghanistan. A total of 2,054 local staff and their family members have been brought to Germany thus far.
A new service is set to open in the city of Palermo on the Italian island of Sicily. It aims to help migrants in applying for residence permits, entrance visas, citizenship, and family reunification.
Syrian families separated during sea push-backs are desperate to be reunited. But Cypriot authorities say asylum seekers do not have such rights.
Thousands of Afghan refugees have landed at the Ramstein US Air Base in Germany. The huge tent city is to be evacuated by the end of September. But where they end up is often a question of luck.
More than 4,000 Afghans who have a right to family reunification in Germany are stuck in Afghanistan. According to a media report, visa-processing sites in the region have only processed around 100 applications per month so far this year.
Illicit crossings between the Tunisian port of Zarzis and the Italian coast have increased sharply in 2021. Chamseddine Marzoug, an activist who has been involved for years with migrants' rights, faced an unprecedented situation. His own wife, accompanied by two of his grandchildren, decided to cross the sea to Europe -- without telling him.
Since the Taliban took full control of Afghanistan on August 15, Afghan refugees in France have been anxious to bring their families to safety. Family reunification procedures, which had been severely delayed due to the pandemic, have become even more complicated and are now a race against time.
It's been five years since Rubina's brother left Pakistan in search of a better life in Europe. He has since been missing. The disabled young woman has gone against all odds to search for her brother and she is still hopeful he will return one day. Rubina's story encompasses what migrants leave behind when they embark on irregular journeys.
According to information from the German government, almost 11,000 migrants are hoping to join their refugee relatives already in Germany via family reunification visas. Many are still waiting for appointments to complete the application.
What are the differences between refugee status and subsidiary protection in Germany, Italy, the UK and France? Here's what you need to know.