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This thesis suggests the utility of the concept of migration diplomacy to explain de facto states’ use of diplomatic tools and procedures to manage cross-border mobility in the pursuit of de facto recognition. It empirically demonstrates this framework through an analysis of Northeastern Syria and Somaliland’s use of migration diplomacy towards internationally recognized and independent states. Migration diplomacy constitutes an area where de facto states can signal responsibility and willingness to share the costs of a transnational issue. At the same time, migration diplomacy is largely a case of short-term crisis management rather than the basis for long-term and diversified engagement. Thus, de facto states have incentives to expand the links to the international community to more long-term and stable issue areas such as formal diplomatic recognition. Despite a recent resurgence in research on the politicization of international migration, scholars and foreign policy analysts have yet to approach how de facto states can use migration diplomacy as leverage to get a role in the international system. Consequently, scant work has theorized the interplay between migration and de facto states’ bargaining strategies as a distinct field of inquiry. The results indicate that de facto states, just like internationally recognized states, can be successful in using migration diplomacy to achieve influence over stronger states. This thesis fills an important gap but should be viewed as a stepping stone towards more comprehensive efforts at understanding the use of migration diplomacy in foreign policymaking by de facto states.