Glossary
The EMN Glossary – as one of the key products of the EMN - improves comparability by enabling a common understanding and use of terms and definitions relating to asylum and migration. The Glossary draws on a variety of sources, but primarily on the legislation of the EU asylum and immigration acquis, and makes terms available in the majority of EU Member State languages.
The online version is regularly updated and available in various languages.
- BG: дете
- CZ: dítě
- DE: Kind
- EE: laps
- EN: child
- ES: población infantil
- FI: lapsi
- FR: enfant
- GA: leanbh
- GR: παιδί
- HU: gyermek
- IT: bambino
- LT: vaikas
- LV: bērns
- MT: Tifel (Tifla) / Wild
- NL: kind
- NO: barn
- PL: dziecko
- PT: criança
- RO: copil
- SE: barn
- SK: dieťa
- SL: otrok
Every human being below the age of 18 years, unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier or later.
2. The term should be used to describe the relationship with other family members. When referring to an individual and in a more legal context, the term minor should be used.
- BG: събиране на семейство
- CZ: sloučení rodiny
- DE: Familienzusammenführung
- EE: perekonna taasühinemine
- EN: family reunification
- ES: reagrupación familiar
- FI: perheenyhdistäminen
- FR: regroupement familial
- GA: athaontú teaghlaigh
- GR: οικογενειακή επανένωση
- HU: családegyesítés
- IT: ricongiungimento familiare
- LT: šeimos susijungimas
- LV: ģimenes apvienošana / ģimenes atkalapvienošana
- MT: Riunifikazzjoni tal-familja
- NL: gezinshereniging
- NO: familiegjenforening (b) / familiegjenforeining (n)
- PL: łączenie rodzin
- PT: reagrupamento familiar
- RO: re?ntregirea familiei, reunificarea familiei
- SE: familjeåterförening
- SK: zlúčenie rodiny
- SL: združevanje družine
a) the entry into and residence in an EU Member State, in accordance with Council Directive 2003/86/EC (Family Reunification Directive), by family members of a third-country national residing lawfully in that EU Member State (‘sponsor’) in order to preserve the family unit, whether the family relationship arose before or after the entry of the sponsor; or
b) between an union citizen and third-country national established outside the European Union who then subsequently enters the European Union.
2. In FR, ‘réunification familiale’ is only used when referring to family members of beneficiaries of international protection.
Part (b): Developed by EMN
- BG: създаване на семейство
- CZ: sloučení rodiny
- DE: Familienangehöriger
- EE: pere loomise eesmärgil riiki sisenemine (dažniausiai vartojamo išversto termino nėra)
- EN: family member
- ES: Miembro de la familia
- FI: perheenmuodostaminen
- FR: membre de la famille
- GA: foirmiú teaghlaigh
- GR: μέλος οικογένειας
- HU: családalapítás
- IT: componente familiare
- LT: šeimos narys
- LV: ģimenes apvienošana / ģimenes atkalapvienošana
- MT: Membru tal-familja
- NL: gezinslid
- NO: familiedannelse (b) / familiedanning (n)
- PL: założenie rodziny
- PT: membros da familia
- RO: membru de familie
- SE: familjebildning
- SK: založenie rodiny
- SL: ustanovitev družine
In the context of the Family Reunification Directive (Directive 2003/86(EC), a third-country national, as specified in Art. 4 of this Directive (normally members of the nuclear family – i.e. the spouse and the minor children), who has entered the territory of the European Union for the purpose of family reunification.
In the context of the Free Movement Directive (Directive 2004/38 EC):
(a) the spouse;
(b) the partner with whom the union citizen has contracted a registered partnership, on the basis of the legislation of a EU Member State, if the legislation of the host Member State treats registered partnerships as equivalent to marriage and in accordance with the conditions laid down in the relevant legislation of the host Member State;
(c) the direct descendants who are under the age of 21 or are dependants and those of the spouse or partner as defined in point (b);
(d) the dependent direct relatives in the ascending line and those of the spouse or partner as defined in point (b).
In the context of asylum , and in particular Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 (Dublin III Regulation), this means insofar as the family already existed in the country of origin, the following members of the applicant’s family who are present on the territory of the EU Member States:
a) the spouse of the applicant or their unmarried partner in a stable relationship, where the law or practice of the EU Member State concerned treats unmarried couples in a way comparable to married couples under its law relating to third-country nationals;
b) the minor children of couples referred to in the first indent or of the applicant, on condition that they are unmarried and regardless of whether they were born in or out of wedlock or adopted as defined under national law;
c) when the applicant is a minor and unmarried, the father, mother or another adult responsible for the applicant, whether by law or by the practice of the Member State where the adult is present;
d) when the beneficiary of international protection is a minor and unmarried, the father, mother or another adult responsible for them whether by law or by the practice of the Member State where the beneficiary is present.
Family reunification: Recital 9 and Art. 4 of Council Directive 2003/86/EC (Family Reunification Directive)
Free movement Art. 2(2) of Directive 2004/38/EC (Free Movement Directive)
- BG: Пражки процес
- CZ: Pražský proces
- DE: Prager Prozess
- EE: Praha protsess
- EN: Prague Process
- ES: Proceso de Praga
- FI: Prahan prosessi
- FR: Processus de Prague
- GA: Próiseas Phrág
- HU: Prágai Folyamat
- IT: Processo di Praga
- LT: Prahos procesas
- LV: Prāgas process
- MT: Proċess (Il-) ta’ Praga
- NL: Praag-proces
- NO: Praha-prosessen
- PL: Proces Praski
- PT: Processo de Praga
- RO: Procesul Praga
- SE: Pragprocessen
- SK: Pražský proces
- SL: Praški proces
A process to strengthen cooperation in migration management between the European Union (EU) and 19 partner countries to the East (the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Russia, Central Asia and Southern Caucasus).
2. Its activities extend across five areas:
(1) combating irregular migration;
(2) readmission, voluntary return and reintegration;
(3) legal migration;
(4) integration; and
(5) migration and development.
The process takes a comprehensive, balanced, pragmatic and operational approach, respecting the rights and human dignity of migrants and their family members, as well as of refugees.
3. For more information, see the website of the Prague Process.
- BG: непълнолетно лице
- CZ: nezletilý
- DE: Minderjähriger
- EE: alaealine
- EN: minor
- ES: menor
- FI: alaikäinen
- FR: mineur
- GA: mionaoiseach
- GR: ανήλικος
- HU: kiskorú
- IT: minorenne
- LT: nepilnametis
- LV: nepilngadīgais
- MT: Minorenni
- NL: minderjarige
- NO: mindreårig
- PL: małoletni
- PT: menor
- RO: minor
- SE: underårig
- SK: maloletý
- SL: mladoletnik
In a legal context and in contrast to a child, a person who, according to the law of their respective country, is under the age of majority, i.e. is not yet entitled to exercise specific civil and political rights.
2. The age specified by law, called the ‘legal age of majority’, indicates that a person acquires full legal capacity to be bound by various documents, such as contracts and deeds, that they make with others and to commit other legal acts such as voting in elections and entering marriage. The age at which a person becomes an adult varies from State to State and often varies within a State, depending upon the nature of the action taken by the person.
- BG: лице на издръжка
- CZ: rodinný příslušník (osoba blízká, osoba závislá)
- DE: zuzugsberechtigter Familienangehöriger
- EE: ülalpeetav
- EN: dependant
- ES: dependiente
- FI: huollettava
- FR: personne à charge
- GA: cleithiúnaí
- GR: συντηρούμενο / εξαρτώμενο μέλος
- HU: eltartott
- IT: persona a carico
- LT: išlaikomas asmuo
- LV: apgādājamais
- MT: Persuna dipendenti
- NL: afhankelijk gezinslid (very narrow: „persoon ten laste”)
- NO: forsørget person (b) / forsørgd person (n)
- PL: osoba pozostająca na utrzymaniu
- PT: dependente / pessoa a cargo
- RO: dependent
- SE: anhörig
- SK: závislá osoba
- SL: vzdrževanec
A person who has filed an application for family reunification and who is granted entry and residence by the Member State to stay with a legally resident family member or other.
- BG: верижна миграция
- CZ: řetězová migrace
- DE: Kettenmigration
- EE: ahelränne
- EN: chain migration
- ES: cadena migratoria
- FI: ketjumaahanmuutto
- FR: migration en chaîne
- GA: imirce shlabhrúil
- GR: αλυσίδα μετανάστευση
- HU: lánc-migráció
- IT: catena migratoria
- LV: ķēdes migrācija
- MT: Katina ta’ migrazzjoni
- NL: kettingmigratie
- NO: kjedemigrasjon
- PL: migracja łańcuchowa
- RO: migratie in lant
- SE: kedjemigration
- SK: reťazová migrácia
- SL: verižna migracija
The practice where those who have settled on a family reunification basis can themselves sponsor further family members, consistent with European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) obligations.
2. Chain migration may also be based on ethnic or family ties with members of the same family migrating at different times, usually with primary wage earners migrating first, followed by secondary or non-wage earners. In countries with more or less liberal regulations on the rights of migrants to family reunification usually in accordance with international conventions, family reunification as an incidence of chain migration explains much of the growth in the total migrant population.
- BG: спонсор
- CZ: osoba usilující o sloučení rodiny / nositel právna na sloučení rodiny
- DE: Zusammenführender / Sponsor
- EE: sponsor
- EN: sponsor
- ES: reagrupante
- FI: perheenkokoaja
- FR: regroupant
- GA: urraitheoir
- GR: συντηρών
- HU: családegyesítő (note: a sponsor only in context of family reunification)
- IT: sponsor
- LT: globėjas
- LV: galvotājs / garantētājs
- MT: Garanti / Sponsor
- NL: gezinshereniger (NL syn.: referent, hoofdpersoon)
- NO: referanseperson / sponsor
- PL: sponsor
- PT: requerente do reagrupamento familiar
- RO: sponsor
- SE: referensperson
- SK: garant
- SL: sponzor / pokrovitelj
In the EU context of family reunification, a third-country national residing lawfully in a Member State and applying, or whose family members apply, for family reunification to be joined with them.
According to this concept, everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of themselves and of their families, including food, clothing, housing and medical care, and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond their control (Art. 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights).
- BG: no translation
- CZ: nezletilý bez doprovodu
- DE: alleinstehendes Kind
- EE: vanematest eraldatud laps
- EN: separated child
- ES: menor separado
- FI: huoltajasta erilleen joutunut lapsi
- FR: enfant séparé
- GA: páiste dealaithe
- GR: παιδί (αποχωρισμένο από την οικογένεια)
- HU: kísérő nélküli kiskorú
- IT: minore separato
- LT: atskirtas nuo tėvų vaikas
- LV: bez vecāku vai aizbildņu gādības palicis bērns
- MT: Tifel /Tifla mifrud(a) // separat(a)
- NL: alleenstaand kind
- NO: enslig barn (b) / einsleg barn (n)
- PL: małoletni bez opieki
- PT: criança separada
- RO: minor neînsoţit / separat
- SE: separerade barn
- SK: odlúčené dieťa
- SL: otrok brez spremstva
A child under 18 years of age who is outside their country of origin and separated from both parents or their previous legal / customary primary caregiver.
A child may be totally alone while another may be living with extended family members. All such children are separated children and entitled to international protection under a broad range of international and regional instruments.
- BG: мигрант
- CZ: migrant
- DE: Migrant
- EE: sisserändaja
- EN: migrant
- ES: persona migrante
- FI: maahanmuuttaja / siirtolainen
- FR: migrant
- GA: imirceach
- GR: μετανάστης
- HU: migráns
- IT: migrante
- LT: migrantas
- LV: migrants
- MT: Migrant(a)
- NL: migrant
- NO: migrant
- PL: migrant
- PT: migrante
- RO: migrant
- SE: migrant
- SK: migrant
- SL: migrant
In the EU/EFTA context, a person who either:
(i) establishes their usual residence in the territory of an EU/EFTA Member State for a period that is, or is expected to be, of at least 12 months, having previously been usually resident in another EU/EFTA Member State or a third country; or
(ii) having previously been usually resident in the territory of the EU/EFTA Member State, ceases to have their usual residence in the EU/EFTA Member State for a period that is, or is expected to be, of at least 12 months.
2. Under the UN definition, those travelling for shorter periods as tourists and business persons would not be considered migrants. However, common usage includes certain kinds of shorter-term migrants such as seasonal workers.
3. The term 'migrant' is usually understood to cover all cases where the decision to migrate is taken freely by the individual concerned for reasons of 'personal convenience' and without intervention of an external compelling factor; it therefore applies to persons, and family members, moving to another country or region to better their material or social conditions and improve the prospect for themselves or their family.
4. This definition does not include intra-EU mobility of citizens or residents, even though national concepts of international migration may include mobility, as will national statistics on international migration.