The immigration and migration symbol in genograms is a tilde (~) or double tilde (~~) placed on the vertical parent-child connection line. This notation tracks cultural transitions and cross-border migration within a family, making diaspora patterns, acculturation stress, and multicultural identity immediately visible across generations.
Cultural Transition
Single tilde ~
Immigration
Double tilde ~~
Single tilde (~): lived in 2+ cultures; Double tilde (~~): immigrated from another country
How Immigration Is Shown in a Genogram
In standard genogram notation, immigration and migration are indicated by placing a tilde symbol on the vertical line that connects a person to their parents. A single tilde (~) means the person has lived in two or more cultures, while a double tilde (~~) indicates the person has immigrated from another country. The tilde is drawn as a wavy interruption in the otherwise straight vertical connection line.
This notation was developed as part of the McGoldrick genogram system to support culturally informed family assessment. Unlike most genogram symbols that mark relationships or life events, the tilde is specifically designed to capture the cultural and geographical dimensions of a person's life history, making it an essential tool for working with immigrant and multicultural families.
McGoldrick Standard Notation
According to McGoldrick, Gerson, and Petry: A single tilde (~) on the parent-child line indicates that the person has lived in more than one culture. A double tilde (~~) indicates that the person has immigrated from another country. Country of origin and year of migration can be annotated alongside the symbol.
Single Tilde vs. Double Tilde
The distinction between the single and double tilde is clinically meaningful. These two markers capture different levels of cultural displacement and the associated psychological impact on the individual and the family system.
Single Tilde (~) — Cultural Transition
Person has lived in two or more cultures. This may include people who grew up in a bicultural household, lived abroad for an extended period, or were raised in a cultural enclave different from the surrounding society.
Double Tilde (~~) — Immigration
Person has immigrated from another country. This marks a permanent or long-term relocation across national borders, carrying significant implications for identity, legal status, language, and family cohesion.
Annotating Country and Year
Alongside the tilde, practitioners typically note the country of origin and the year of migration. For example: "~~ Mexico, 1998" indicates immigration from Mexico in 1998. This detail enriches the clinical picture.
Placement on the Genogram
The tilde appears on the vertical line between the parent couple's horizontal relationship line and the individual's symbol (square or circle). It applies to the specific person, not to the family as a whole.
Clinical Significance
Immigration and migration markers on a genogram reveal patterns that profoundly shape family functioning across generations:
Acculturation stress: Immigrants often experience tension between their culture of origin and the host culture. The tilde makes it immediately visible which family members navigated this transition
Generational differences: When parents carry double tildes but children do not, the genogram reveals potential acculturation gaps — parents rooted in the origin culture while children assimilate into the host culture
Diaspora patterns: Tracking tildes across extended family reveals whether migration was an isolated event or part of a broader family or community pattern
Loss and grief: Immigration often involves leaving behind extended family, community, language, and social status. These losses may remain unprocessed across generations
Resilience and adaptation: Migration also reveals family strengths — resourcefulness, flexibility, and the capacity to rebuild in unfamiliar environments
Legal and documentation status: For clinical purposes, immigration status (documented, undocumented, refugee, asylum-seeker) can be annotated near the tilde, as this profoundly affects family stress and access to resources
Pattern Recognition
When mapping immigration in a genogram, look for generational migration patterns: Did the family migrate in waves? Are there family members left behind in the country of origin? How did the migration affect marriage patterns — did family members marry within their cultural community or outside it? These patterns often reveal unspoken family rules about loyalty, identity, and belonging.
When to Use Each Variant
Use the Single Tilde (~) When:
The person has significant experience living in more than one culture but has not necessarily relocated permanently across national borders. Examples include: a child raised by parents from two different cultural backgrounds; a person who spent formative years living abroad (such as military families or diplomat children); someone raised in an ethnic enclave whose home culture differs substantially from the surrounding society; or a person who has undergone significant cultural transition within the same country (such as moving from a rural indigenous community to an urban center).
Use the Double Tilde (~~) When:
The person has immigrated — permanently relocated from one country to another. This includes: voluntary immigration for economic opportunity or family reunification; forced migration due to war, persecution, or natural disaster (refugees and asylum-seekers); colonial or post-colonial migration patterns; and any permanent cross-border relocation regardless of legal status. The double tilde specifically marks the act of crossing a national boundary with the intent of establishing a new life in a different country.
Multicultural Family Assessment
The immigration symbol is a cornerstone of the cultural genogram, an extension of the standard genogram that foregrounds cultural identity, migration history, and intercultural dynamics. In multicultural family assessment, the tilde symbols help clinicians quickly identify which family members share migration experiences and which do not — a distinction that frequently maps onto family conflict lines.
For example, a family where grandparents carry double tildes (immigrated), parents carry single tildes (bicultural), and grandchildren carry no tildes (born and raised in the host country) presents a classic three-generation acculturation gradient. Each generation may hold different values around language use, partner selection, religious practice, and family obligation — tensions that the genogram makes structurally visible.
How to Add Immigration Symbols in GenogramAI
Steps to Add an Immigration/Migration Marker:
1Select the person on the canvas who has a migration history
2Open the details panel for that person
3Look for the cultural or migration marker options
4Choose "Cultural Transition (~)" or "Immigration (~~)"
5Optionally add the country of origin and year of migration
6The tilde symbol appears on the connection line above the person's symbol
Special Cases
Refugees and Forced Migration
Refugees and asylum-seekers receive the double tilde (~~) because they have crossed national borders. However, clinicians should annotate the involuntary nature of the migration, as forced displacement carries distinct psychological consequences compared to voluntary immigration — including trauma, loss of agency, and uncertain legal status.
Return Migration
When a person immigrates and later returns to their country of origin, both moves can be noted in annotations alongside the tilde. This pattern is common in diaspora communities and may indicate unresolved attachment to the homeland, failed adaptation, or deliberate bicultural strategy.
Transnational Families
In transnational families — where members live across two or more countries simultaneously — multiple family members may carry tildes. The genogram reveals the geographic dispersion of the family system, which has implications for caregiving, financial support networks, and emotional availability.
Undocumented Status
Immigration status is not captured by the tilde itself, but it can be annotated nearby. For families where some members are documented and others are not, the genogram can reveal how legal status creates differential vulnerability within the same family system — a critical factor in clinical assessment.
A single tilde (~) on the parent-child connection line indicates that the person has lived in two or more cultures. It marks a cultural transition without necessarily indicating a permanent move to another country. This could include bicultural upbringing, extended time living abroad, or significant cultural shifts within the same country.
What is the difference between a single tilde and a double tilde in a genogram?
A single tilde (~) indicates the person has lived in two or more cultures (cultural transition). A double tilde (~~) indicates the person has immigrated from another country (permanent relocation across national borders). The double tilde carries a stronger implication of geographic and legal displacement.
Where is the immigration symbol placed on a genogram?
The tilde (~) or double tilde (~~) is placed on the vertical parent-child connection line, between the parent couple's horizontal line and the individual's symbol. This placement indicates that the migration event is part of that specific person's life history, not the family's collective experience.
Who developed the genogram immigration symbol?
The immigration/migration tilde notation is part of the McGoldrick standard genogram system, developed by Monica McGoldrick, Randy Gerson, and Sueli Petry. It was introduced to support culturally informed family assessment and is widely used in social work, family therapy, and multicultural counseling.
Can I use the immigration symbol for internal migration?
The single tilde (~) can capture significant internal cultural transitions, such as moving from a rural indigenous community to an urban setting. The double tilde (~~) is reserved for cross-border immigration. For internal moves that involve substantial cultural change, the single tilde is appropriate.
How do I show the entire family immigrated together?
Each family member who immigrated receives their own tilde on their individual connection line. If the entire nuclear family moved together, each person's line will carry the symbol. The year and country can be annotated once for clarity, with a note indicating the family migrated as a unit.