Ægteskab Uden Grænser (ÆUG, Marriage Without Borders) fights for justice and dignity for Danish-international couples. Our members, our volunteers and our loyal supporters are our foundation.
In 1996, an op-ed in the Danish newspaper Politiken made Danes aware of the unreasonable requirements facing Danish-international couples, and it became the starting point for the association. The op-ed sparked outrage and debate: surely any Dane who marries someone from another country should also be allowed to settle with their spouse in Denmark. And so, during a solar eclipse, the association was founded to support and help Danish-international couples who want to live together in Denmark in dignified conditions.
Our story begins with a sense of injustice. That feeling still shapes the association, and it motivates perfectly ordinary people to fight for Danish-international couples' right to an ordinary family life.
Timeline
- 1996
An op-ed in Politiken sparks debate. The association is founded the same year, during a solar eclipse.
- 2011
ÆUG takes part in a dialogue meeting at the Danish Immigration Service (then Udlændingeservice) and submits a consultation response on the bill introducing a points system and a bank guarantee of DKK 100,000. It comes into force on 1 July 2011.
- 2012
Consultation responses on relaxing and abolishing the points system, and on family reunification of children.
- 2014
Consultation responses on the housing requirement, on refugees' access to family reunification and on dual citizenship, which ÆUG supports.
- 2015
The rules on dual citizenship come into force. The advice day in Copenhagen brings together around 80 participants.
- 2016
The storytelling event "Grænser for kærlighed" (Limits to Love) at Bremen Teater, where eight members share their stories.
- 2017
Consultation responses on accompanying family members, permanent residence and the duration of the bank guarantee.
- 2018
A survey of municipalities' claims on the bank guarantee. Advice days and Loving Day.
- 2020
A demonstration outside Christiansborg on 29 September.
- 2021
25th anniversary celebration at Villa Kultur. The documentary "Til Staten Os Skiller" (Till the State Do Us Part) and a citizens' proposal to abolish the bank guarantee and the application fees.
- 2022
Consultation response to the review of the rules in the 2018 reform of family reunification of spouses.
- 2023
A conference at Christiansborg with the Danish Social Liberal Party (Radikale Venstre) on the psychological strain on Danish-international families.
Today
Thanks to dedicated volunteers, the association is still active. Our advice service answers around 50 enquiries a week. We write consultation responses, letters to the editor and op-eds, give interviews and take part in debates on radio and TV, and our regional network groups meet regularly, so that new couples can get good advice and support from others who have been through family reunification.
Over the years, we have helped to change the law and abolish unreasonable requirements. Through information and debate, we want to move towards a future where family reunification is not a term of abuse, but a positive and beautiful word for Danish-international couples' chance to live together as a perfectly ordinary family.
Ægteskab Uden Grænser is a non-profit organisation with no political ideology, run by volunteers.