There  exists  a  basic,  and  too  often  overlooked,  condition  in  current migration management policies, which intimately connects any person who  returns  home  from  abroad,  regardless  of  the  place  of  origin,  social  background,  motivations,  prospects,  skills  and  occupational status. Beyond the plurality of return migrants’ experiences there is a primary  element  that  needs  to  be  taken  into  consideration:  return preparedness. Return  preparedness  refers  to  a  process  which,  by  definition,  takes  place  in  real  life,  through  time,  and  is  shaped  by changing  circumstances  (i.e.  personal  experiences,  contextual  factors in  sending  and  receiving  countries)  in  their  broadest  sense.  It  is  not only  about  preparing  for  return.  It  is  about  having  the  ability,  although  not  always  the  opportunity,  to  gather  the  tangible  and  intangible  resources  needed  to  secure  one’s  own  return  home.  This thematic  issue  of  the  IJMS  on  the  conditions  of  modern  return  migrants  asks  two  main  questions.  Why  do  some  migrants  have  a  stronger  degree  of  preparedness  than  others?  How  is  the  issue  of return  preparedness  dealt  with  or  taken  into  consideration  in  the  framework  of  contemporary  migration  management  policies?  The  contributors address these questions across various disciplines.