ABSTRACT
An increasing number of unaccompanied minors escape war and poverty in their countries of origin and set out on a dangerous and uncertain journey in pursuit of security and protection. Austria is both a common transit country and destination of unaccompanied minors who have either lost family members on the way to Europe or left home alone. This chapter outlines the Austrian asylum regime in terms of national and international laws and institutions involved in the asylum procedure, ranging from the Federal Office for Asylum to child and youth welfare services at the Länder level. It presents some data collected through field research and discusses the findings by distinguishing between three stages of asylum: escape, reception and everyday life. All asylum seekers are provided with general health insurance within the framework of the Basic Welfare Support. Minors have very different experiences with medical care in Austria.
