No Family Torn Apart
Challenges refugees face securing family reunification in the Netherlands and recommendations for improvements
This study examines the situation of refugees in the Netherlands who are seeking to reunite with their families. Set against the wider context of increased applications for asylum in the European Union (EU) in 2015-16 and increases in the numbers of people seeking to reunify with those granted international protection, it outlines the applicable international and European Union standards regarding the right to family life, family unity and family reunification. The study provides an overview of the family reunification procedure in the Netherlands and how the process is implemented in practice. The central question of the study is: Which legal and practical aspects in the family reunification procedure in the Netherlands present challenges for refugee families in practice and how can the situation be improved?