No joke. Most of the world is more open to immigrants these days. The US seems to have completely forgotten its roots.
In the EU "human rights" extends to the right to respect for private and family life[1], meaning that there are much different rules on unmarried partners than in the US.
[1]: http://echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/77A6BD48-CD95-4CFF-BAB4-ECB...