International migration is a suitable scenario for the study of the changes and continuities of patriarchal gender relations in the perspective of those who migrate. This article aims to move towards a better understanding of the impact of border crossing for men and women from a relational interpretation of gender. Social inequality systems, at the origin and destination, are related with gender aspects when describing transitions. They change either to more democratic relations or to greater subordination in the society of destiny. The elements that explain those trends are related to micro-level social factors such as the type of couple relationship predominant before migrating, the people's social capital and other macro-level aspects such asthe working and legal conditions that immigrants find in the destination environment. Broadly speaking, migration is seen, at the same time, as an opportunity to change on a small scale and a way to give continuity to traditional customs of gender between immigrants. Differences in each case are related to the accumulated impact of migration which links micro-level and structural factors.