Family Reunification

The protection of the family unit is an important human right. If you were separated from your family members before or during your flight, they may join you in Austria under particular conditions.

If your family members (core family: spouse and underage children) are still outside the EU, they may be able to join you if you have been granted protection, for instance, if you have been officially recognised as a refugee. Whether your family can join you ultimately depends on your residence status (see categories below). If members of your core family (spouse and underage children) are already staying within the European Union or in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Iceland, a reunification with them is therefore already possible during the asylum-seeking process. If your family members are not in one of these countries, family reunification is not possible while you are still an asylum-seeker.

For detailed information on the family reunification procedure, please have a look at the Red Cross information website (select “beneficiaries” or “minors”).