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• If members of your immediate family (your spouse, partner in certain cases, or your minor children) are already present in a Member State of the European Union or in a State associated with the Dublin system (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein) as beneficiaries of international protection or applicants for international protection, that State may, in certain circumstances, become responsible for examining your application in order to preserve family unity.
• If your family members are not present in one of these States, family reunification is generally not possible while your application for international protection is pending. However, it may become possible once you have been granted international protection, depending on the applicable national legislation.
• If you are an unaccompanied minor and a member of your family (a parent, sibling, aunt, uncle, or grandparent) is legally residing in a State participating in the Dublin system and is able to care for you, that State may become responsible for examining your application for international protection.
• If you are an adult and a member of your family is already residing in a State participating in the Dublin system as either a beneficiary of international protection or an applicant for international protection, the authorities may decide that this State will examine your application, provided that the conditions laid down in the relevant European legislation are fulfilled and that the persons concerned wish to be reunited.

For the purposes of this procedure, family members generally include a spouse, a partner (where such a relationship is recognised under the applicable national legislation), and unmarried minor children.

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The European rules governing responsibility for examining applications for international protection are currently evolving as part of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. If you believe that these provisions may apply to your situation, we strongly encourage you to seek advice from a lawyer or a specialised organisation in order to receive guidance tailored to your individual circumstances.

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