In 2015, Mrs. S¹—a young Afghan woman—arrived in Switzerland with her children after fleeing conflict in their native homeland. Much of her family had no other choice but to remain in Afghanistan, facing mounting threats as the country descended into violence. In 2021, several of her relatives, including her sister, and 78-year-old grandmother, embarked on a perilous journey to Switzerland with the hope of a safer future and to reunite with their relative whom they had not seen for six years.

Once the family made it over the border to Pakistan, they realized how precarious the situation was for them. Unable to work or secure reliable accommodation, their biggest fear was being returned back to Afghanistan. Their journey to Europe seemed like a distant dream, which was compounded by the fact that a newborn and elderly family members were making the dangerous journey with them.

Back in Bern, Mrs. S was determined and began the process of applying for humanitarian visas for her beloved family. With the support of her daughter, and the invaluable assistance of Carine Hunziker, a volunteer from the Mazay Association, they worked tirelessly to investigate the family’s case. Finally, in December 2023, the State Secretariat for Migration in Switzerland had granted the humanitarian visa, offering a legal path to safety in Switzerland, and the dream of being reunited with her family became reality.

However, the challenges did not end there.

Since it was deemed that the family had entered Pakistan irregularly, the issue of obtaining the necessary exit permits from the authorities was an additional hurdle to overcome.

After overcoming many hurdles and with the help of IOM Pakistan, the family was provided with essential guidance on how to obtain the necessary documents to facilitate the issuance of an exit permit as the family embarked on the next step of their journey to get to Switzerland.

As things were looking up, and the family received the exit permits, the family received another devastating blow. Out of the 10 family members expected to travel to Switzerland, six went missing. Despite this heartbreaking setback, IOM Pakistan continued to assist the four remaining family members by booking flights and providing medical assistance especially to the grandmother whose health had deteriorated as a result of the daily hardships she faced.

IOM Pakistan provided support from beginning to end, booked a flight for the family, accompanying the family to the airport, through the check-in process and security checks and on to their departure gates in Islamabad and in transit at Istanbul.

In Switzerland, Mrs. S eagerly awaited their arrival at Zurich airport and the reunion was marked by deep emotions but also enormous relief that they had made it to safety.

Through this collaborative effort, within the Swiss Family Reunification and humanitarian Visa Program of IOM Switzerland, this family was happily reunited in Switzerland in September 2024.

This story was written by Sylvie Heuschmann, sheuschmann@iom.int

Regular migration pathways and family reunification are essential for a humane and orderly migration system, reducing the risks of exploitation and promoting global stability. By facilitating safe, regulated migration, these pathways allow migrants to contribute economically and socially to their destination countries while upholding their fundamental right to family life. By facilitating the reunification of families, states can promote the mental and emotional health of migrants, reduce vulnerabilities, and build resilient societies. Expanding these pathways aligns with international commitments like the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and contributes to achieving sustainable development goals, benefiting migrants, their families, and society as a whole.