Situating transnational activities: Peruvian migrants’ family visits in a comparative perspective

Abstract Migrants’ transnational activities have become a core matter in migration and transnational family care research. Among these, migrants’ visits in the country of origin are of particular interest due to their (presumably) positive effects on cohesion and relationships of transnational families. So far, research on the scope and structuring features of migrants’ family visits has compared different migrant populations residing in the same host society, suggesting that different factors act upon their travel propensity. However, no study has considered the impact of different host societies on the transnational involvement of migrants from the same country of origin. This study bridges this gap by comparing the frequency and determinants of Peruvian migrants’ travels to their country of origin from five destination countries. Drawing on the framework of capacity and desire, it is expected that geographic distance, human capital, and transnational ties are strong predictors for frequent travels. Yet, geographic distance does not explain engagement in this transnational activity. Moreover, using regression analysis, findings show that factors play out differently in each country, suggesting that migrants’ family visits are structured by time and context-specific circumstances including migration histories and policies as well as patterns of migration.