Migration & Asylum Glossary

A person who has left their country of origin and formally applied for international protection in another country, but whose claim has not yet been finally decided.

An individual who has been granted refugee status or subsidiary protection following a positive decision on their asylum application.

A safe and regulated route that allows refugees to travel to a third country for purposes such as education, employment, or family reunification, outside of the traditional resettlement framework.

EU law that determines which Member State is responsible for examining an asylum application. Generally, the first country of entry is responsible, although family-unity criteria can modify this.

The EU fingerprint database used to identify asylum seekers and irregular border-crossers. Under the New Pact, its scope is being expanded to include more biometric data.

The process by which a recognised refugee or beneficiary of subsidiary protection is joined by close family members who remained in the country of origin or in a transit state.

The initial administrative decision on an asylum application made by a national asylum authority (such as BAMF in Germany or OFPRA in France).

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency. It coordinates border management, risk analysis, and joint operations at the EU's external borders.

A reception and identification facility on the EU's external borders, primarily in Greece and Italy, where newly arrived migrants undergo registration, security checks, and health screening.

Crossing an international border without authorisation or through non-official points of entry. Frontex publishes annual statistics on detections of irregular crossings.

A category of asylum claim that is considered to have no credible basis, often leading to accelerated examination and a higher risk of return.

A comprehensive set of EU regulations and directives adopted to reform the Common European Asylum System (CEAS), introducing faster border procedures, a solidarity mechanism, and revised Eurodac rules.

The informal, often forcible return of migrants and asylum seekers from a state's territory or territorial waters back to the country they came from, typically without individual assessment of protection needs.

A state-run or contracted facility that provides accommodation, meals, and basic services to asylum seekers while their application is being processed.

A person who, owing to a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside their country of nationality and unable or unwilling to avail themselves of its protection.

The transfer of asylum seekers or recognised refugees from one EU Member State to another, typically from a frontline state to a host country with greater reception capacity.

The selection and transfer of refugees from a country where they have sought protection to a third country that has agreed to admit them as refugees with permanent settlement prospects.

A form of international protection granted to individuals who do not qualify as refugees but who would face a real risk of suffering serious harm if returned to their country of origin.

An exceptional mechanism activated by the EU Council to provide immediate protection and a harmonised residence status to large groups of displaced persons fleeing armed conflict, without requiring individual asylum procedures.

A person below the age of 18 who arrives in a country without being accompanied by a parent or other adult legally responsible for them.