The ECJ has ruled that refugee minors have a right to family reunifications, even if they turn 18 during the application process. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Thursday that unaccompanied refugee minors retain the right to family reunification even if they come of age during the asylum application process. The ruling from the European Union’s top court could impact tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors who applied for asylum within the bloc, while shaking up immigration hardliners in Germany who want to curb family reunifications. According to figures from Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, some 66,300 unaccompanied minors entered Germany between January 2015 and October 2017. A two-year suspension on family reunifications was introduced in 2016 for persons entitled to subsidiary protection.

Source: Egypt Independent April 12, 2018 09:00 UTC