I have not seen anyone using this method to investigate undocumented migrants in a country.This RDS approach sounds good and unique. However, using it to investigate undocumented migrants in a country will pose some difficulty, especially migrants to a developed country. This is because migrants with such status will hardly want to reveal such to anyone in the name of helping a researcher in his work.Nevertheless, this approach could really work in countries, especially developing countries, where there are less stringent laws as regards foreign immigrants. The question is how many times have you heard that Europeans or Americans have been depoted to their countries because their visa have expired?But the reverse is the case for these developed countries. The reason is simply because the migrants believe that better fortunes are available in the developed countries, but they are not legitimate inhabitants, and that means if their undocumented status is being revealed, their is every tendency that they'll be depoted. This would make them not to tell anyone about it, in spite of the promises that the researcher might give by not revealing their status. The fear of whether it would be used to hunt them abounds. It would have worked with drug dealers and HIV victims, but I am very sceptical about this one working in developed countries like America,UK etc, except in developing countries. My stand is contestable, no doubt, and I await other responses to this.

I have used RDS in undocumented migrants. Numerous surveys among migrants are being conducted now.

Hi Lisa Johnston,

Thank you for your reply and sorry for my delay. I am now conducting my survey using smart survey. I am having a difficulties , however, to track IP of respondents, in order to know who recruited who. Is it possible to have your e-mail address, so we can discuss the matter please? Mine is [email protected]. This is for my PhD and I am know feeling lost as it is very innovative methodology.

I'm a PhD student studying food poverty amongst undocumented migrant children in the UK, and am exploring using RDS as a research method. I'd be really interested in hearing more about your research using RDS with undocumented migrants, Lisa - Do you have any references?

I have used RDS and the survey to recruit respondants. I couldn't use the program on the RDS website.

Dear Latefa (and Andy), I have just now seen your second email that you sent and I am sorry I did not respond. I have a manual on conducting RDS which gives step by step instructions. Please see: www.lisagjohnston.com. It is for more common hard to reach pops like sex workers and people who inject drugs but it is useful for any networked population.  Most important questions are: is your population networked? and do they recognize each other as part of that network?  I just co-edited a book which focuses directly on sampling migrants (why do RDS on documented migrants since if they are documented, you have a sampling frame? Although RDS could be cheaper and easier than a random household survey). This is the book: Applying Respondent Driven Samping to Migrant Populations: Lessons from the Field.  Found at: http://www.palgrave.com/page/detail/applying-respondent-driven-sampling-to-migrant-populations-guri-tyldum/?K=9781137363602

On my website you can also find the report of a survey I did on Sub-Saharan migrants in Morocco. In the book you will see citations to surveys conducted among migrants in the USA. I am currently assisting in a survey of Mexican migrants in San Diego. I hope this helps.  If you have specific questions my email is [email protected]

That's great, thank you Lisa, I have ordered your book - it looks like it will be really useful in exploring some of the practical issues around using RDS.

I have done my survey on Algerian women leaving in the diaspora.180 responded, which I think it's great. It was a webbased recruitment, but i think i will not go on using the RdS tools and program. thanks Lisa.very useful