ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the consequences of incomprehensible practices and structures for the interactions between employees and applicants and considers the concept of 'illegibility' and the impact on the socialisation process of migrants, arguing that immigration offices make a contribution to the integration of immigrants to society. It is worth comparing the findings with the impressions of the work of the nationality law of the immigration offices. The evidence presented in the chapter suggests that within the German migration management system, the distinction is at least threefold: between us, those who are similar and the others. The chapter results show mechanisms of subjectification and discipline as outcome of the chaotic and 'magical' structures of immigration law administration that allow for both the increased importance of process in comparison to outcome and the stark variations in procedure found in Variations B, C and D.
