In general, an extension is requested if a DNA procedure is pending and not expected to be completed within the two-week timeframe. This request is accepted by almost all the Member States, apart from Germany, which might reject a re-examination request on the basis that the results proving the family link were not submitted in due time. Regarding unanswered re-examination requests, the Greek Dublin Unit tries to address reminders to seek an official reply. Unanswered cases are eventually referred to the regular procedure. Re-examination requests for several cases addressed to the German Dublin Unit remained unanswered long periods of time which exceeded the two-week time frame mentioned in the CJEU judgment but were eventually answered following reminders by the Greek authorities. Αccording to information received by national NGOs, French authorities replied within the time limit during 2024 and there was no issue of unanswered requests during 2024. 2.1.1. Application of the Dublin criteria To the knowledge of GCR, in 2024 as in previous years most outgoing requests took place in the context of family reunification, i.e., application of the family unity criteria. For a “take charge” request to be addressed to the Member State where a family member or a relative resides, the written consent of the family member is required, as well as documents proving the legal status in the receiving country (e.g., residence permit, asylum applicant’s card or other documents certifying the submission of an asylum application) and documentation relating to evidence of the family link (e.g., certificate of marriage, civil status, passport, ID). For cases of unaccompanied minors, the written consent of the guardian is required. Based on GCR’s experience, an outgoing request will not be sent until the written consent of the relative and the documents proving their legal status in the other Member State is submitted to the Greek Dublin Unit. On the other hand, inability to provide documents proving the family relationship between the applicant and the family member to the requested Member State is not a sufficient reason for the request not to be sent and/or received. In such cases, the availability of circumstantial evidence is assessed (e.g., photographs of the applicant and the sponsor, statement of the sponsor describing her/his relationship with the applicant, transcript of the sponsor’s interview before the authorities of the requested Member State, in which the details of the applicant are mentioned). These cases, though, have little chances to be accepted according to the Greek Dublin Unit. Family unity is the main way for applicants to enter another Member State safely and legally. However, restrictive practices of requested states such as requirements for official translations of documents proving family links, sometimes unnecessary DNA tests to prove the applicant’s family ties, age assessments of unaccompanied children to be conducted according to the requested State’s methods, often result in the rejection of the ‘take charge’ requests. Apart from the general criteria applied to every case falling under the Dublin III Regulation, nuances have been observed on the way the family unity criteria are applied by different Member States. Germany, for example, refused the responsibility for applicants who could not prove their relationship with the person they wished to be reunited with, while other countries were taking into consideration circumstantial evidence and may have conducted interviews with the family members/ relatives. However, in 2022, according to NGOs, Germany accepted circumstantial evidence while France did not. Italy is reportedly more flexible than other Member States on that issue. Furthermore, only documents in English or the official language of the requested Member State are considered by the Dublin Units of some of the Member States. GCR could not obtain similar information as to the application of the family unity criteria in other Member States in 2023. Based on GCR’s observations, in 2024 in some cases 101