Published: 06.10.2020.
Updated: 10.06.2024.

The policy area of migration and asylum in the EU is governed by different legislative instruments -  regulations, directives and decisions. This section contains the most important ones.

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1683/95 of 29 May 1995 laying down a uniform format for visas

REGULATION (EC) No 767/2008 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 9 July 2008 concerning the Visa Information System (VIS) and the exchange of data between Member States on short-stay visas (VIS Regulation)

REGULATION (EC) No 810/2009 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code)

REGULATION (EU) 2019/592 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 10 April 2019 amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union

REGULATION (EU) No 265/2010 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 25 March 2010 amending the Convention Implementing the Schengen Agreement and Regulation (EC) No 562/2006 as regards movement of persons with a long-stay visa

DECISION No 1105/2011/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 25 October 2011 on the list of travel documents which entitle the holder to cross the external borders and which may be endorsed with a visa and on setting up a mechanism for establishing this list

REGULATION (EU) 2017/1370 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 4 July 2017 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1683/95 laying down a uniform format for visas

REGULATION (EU) 2018/1806 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 14 November 2018 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement (codification)

       REGULATION (EU) 2019/592 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 10 April 2019 amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union

REGULATION (EU) 2023/2667 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 22 November 2023 amending Regulations (EC) No 767/2008, (EC) No 810/2009 and (EU) 2017/2226 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Regulations (EC) No 693/2003 and (EC) No 694/2003 and Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement, as regards the digitalisation of the visa procedure.

REGULATION (EU) 2023/2685 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 22 November 2023 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1683/95 as regards the digitalisation of the visa procedure.

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2003/86/EC of 22 September 2003 on the right to family reunification

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2003/109/EC of 25 November 2003 concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents

      DIRECTIVE 2011/51/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 11 May 2011 amending Council Directive 2003/109/EC to extend its scope to beneficiaries of international protection

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2004/81/EC of 29 April 2004 on the residence permit issued to third-country nationals who are victims of trafficking in human beings or who have been the subject of an action to facilitate illegal immigration, who cooperate with the competent authorities

DIRECTIVE 2004/38/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 29 April 2004 on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States amending Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 and repealing Directives 64/221/EEC, 68/360/EEC, 72/194/EEC, 73/148/EEC, 75/34/EEC, 75/35/EEC, 90/364/EEC, 90/365/EEC and 93/96/EEC

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2009/50/EC of 25 May 2009 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of highly qualified employment

DIRECTIVE 2011/98/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 13 December 2011 on a single application procedure for a single permit for third-country nationals to reside and work in the territory of a Member State and on a common set of rights for third-country workers legally residing in a Member State

DIRECTIVE 2014/36/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 26 February 2014 on the conditions of entry and stay of third-country nationals for the purpose of employment as seasonal workers

DIRECTIVE 2014/66/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 15 May 2014 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals in the framework of an intracorporate transfer

DIRECTIVE (EU) 2016/801 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 11 May 2016 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of research, studies, training, voluntary service, pupil exchange schemes or educational projects and au pairing (recast)

REGULATION (EU) 2017/1954 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 25 October 2017 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1030/2002 laying down a uniform format for residence permits for third-country nationals

       CONSOLIDATED TEXT: COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1030/2002 of 13 June 2002 laying down a uniform format for residence permits for third-country nationals

DIRECTIVE (EU) 2024/1233 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 24 April 2024 on a single application procedure for a single permit for third-country nationals to reside and work in the territory of a Member State and on a common set of rights for third-country workers legally residing in a Member State (recast).

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2001/40/EC of 28 May 2001 on the mutual recognition of decisions on the expulsion of third country nationals

DIRECTIVE 2008/115/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 16 December 2008 on common standards and procedures in Member States for returning illegally staying third-country nationals

DIRECTIVE 2009/52/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 18 June 2009 providing for minimum standards on sanctions and measures against employers of illegally staying third-country nationals

REGULATION (EU) 2016/399 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 9 March 2016 on a Union Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code) (codification)

REGULATION (EU) 2016/1953 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 26 October 2016 on the establishment of a European travel document for the return of illegally staying third-country nationals, and repealing the Council Recommendation of 30 November 1994

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2001/55/EC of 20 July 2001 on minimum standards for giving temporary protection in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons and on measures promoting a balance of efforts between Member States in receiving such persons and bearing the consequences thereof

REGULATION (EU) No 439/2010 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 19 May 2010 establishing a European Asylum Support Office

DIRECTIVE 2011/95/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 13 December 2011 on standards for the qualification of third-country nationals or stateless persons as beneficiaries of international protection, for a uniform status for refugees or for persons eligible for subsidiary protection, and for the content of the protection granted (recast)

REGULATION (EU) No 604/2013 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 26 June 2013 establishing the criteria and mechanisms for determining the Member State responsible for examining an application for international protection lodged in one of the Member States by a third-country national or a stateless person (recast)

DIRECTIVE 2013/32/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 26 June 2013 on common procedures for granting and withdrawing international protection (recast)

DIRECTIVE 2013/33/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 26 June 2013 laying down standards for the reception of applicants for international protection (recast)

DIRECTIVE (EU) 2024/1346 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 14 May 2024 laying down standards for the reception of applicants for international protection (recast)

REGULATION (EU) 2024/1347 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 14 May 2024 on standards for the qualification of third-country nationals or stateless persons as beneficiaries of international protection, for a uniform status for refugees or for persons eligible for subsidiary protection and for the content of the protection granted, amending Council Directive 2003/109/EC and repealing Directive 2011/95/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council

REGULATION (EU) 2024/1348 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 14 May 2024 establishing a common procedure for international protection in the Union and repealing Directive 2013/32/EU

REGULATION (EU) 2024/1349 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 14 May 2024 establishing a return border procedure, and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1148

REGULATION (EU) 2024/1350 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 14 May 2024 establishing a Union Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Framework, and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1147

REGULATION (EU) 2024/1351 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 14 May 2024 on asylum and migration management, amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1147 and (EU) 2021/1060 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 604/2013

REGULATION (EU) 2024/1352 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 14 May 2024 amending Regulations (EU) 2019/816 and (EU) 2019/818 for the purpose of introducing the screening of third-country nationals at the external borders

REGULATION (EU) 2024/1356 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 14 May 2024 introducing the screening of third-country nationals at the external borders and amending Regulations (EC) No 767/2008, (EU) 2017/2226, (EU) 2018/1240 and (EU) 2019/817

REGULATION (EU) 2024/1358 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 14 May 2024 on the establishment of ‘Eurodac’ for the comparison of biometric data in order to effectively apply Regulations (EU) 2024/1351 and (EU) 2024/1350 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 2001/55/EC and to identify illegally staying third-country nationals and stateless persons and on requests for the comparison with Eurodac data by Member States’ law enforcement authorities and Europol for law enforcement purposes, amending Regulations (EU) 2018/1240 and (EU) 2019/818 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Regulation (EU) No 603/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council

REGULATION (EU) 2024/1359 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 14 May 2024 addressing situations of crisis and force majeure in the field of migration and asylum and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1147

Council Regulation (EC) No 1030/2002 of 13 June 2002 laying down a uniform format for residence permits for third-country nationals

      COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 380/2008 of 18 April 2008 amending Regulation (EC) No 1030/2002 laying down a uniform format for residence permits for third-country nationals

       CONSOLIDATED TEXT: COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1030/2002 of 13 June 2002 laying down a uniform format for residence permits for third-country nationals

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 2252/2004 of 13 December 2004 on standards for security features and biometrics in passports and travel documents issued by Member States

         REGULATION (EC) No 444/2009 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 28 May 2009 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004 on standards for security features and biometrics in passports and travel documents issued by Member States

REGULATION (EU) 2019/1157 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 20 June 2019 on strengthening the security of identity cards of Union citizens and of residence documents issued to Union citizens and their family members exercising their right of free movement

REGULATION (EU) 2016/1191 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 6 July 2016 on promoting the free movement of citizens by simplifying the requirements for presenting certain public documents in the European Union and amending Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012

REGULATION (EU) 2017/2226 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 30 November 2017 establishing an Entry/Exit System (EES) to register entry and exit data and refusal of entry data of third-country nationals crossing the external borders of the Member States and determining the conditions for access to the EES for law enforcement purposes, and amending the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement and Regulations (EC) No 767/2008 and (EU) No 1077/2011

REGULATION (EU) 2018/1240 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 12 September 2018 establishing a European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and amending Regulations (EU) No 1077/2011, (EU) No 515/2014, (EU) 2016/399, (EU) 2016/1624 and (EU) 2017/2226

REGULATION (EU) 2019/788 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 17 April 2019 on the European citizens' initiative