Family reunification of third-country nationals in Austria under the Asylum Act and the Settlement and Residence Act

Family reunification is essential for ensuring family unity as well as the right to family life and plays a significant role in the integration of migrants. It has been one of the main routes of regular migration to the European Union in the past decades.
The study addresses key questions such as how the right to family reunification can be exercised in Austria or what challenges do migrants and authorities face in the context of family reunification and how can these be overcome. The study furthermore provides a comprehensive overview of the two family reunification systems in Austria (depending on whether reunification takes place under the Settlement and Residence Act or in the context of international protection), discusses relevant legal and policy changes in the study period (2017 until March 2025), analyses the available data and identifies gender-specific aspects of family reunification.