You want to be in the same country
as the people you love.
The process is more specific than most people realise.
Family visas have strict financial requirements, relationship evidence standards and processing timelines that vary significantly by country. VisaGuide tells you exactly where your family situation gives you the strongest pathway before you commit to a route that may not work for you.
Free to start. No card required. Results in under 90 seconds.
Built for people navigating family migration in any direction.
Family migration covers a wide range of situations. You may be trying to join a partner who is already settled abroad. You may be a citizen or resident of one country trying to bring a spouse or children to join you. You may be a couple where both partners are from different countries trying to find a third country that works for both of you simultaneously.
Every situation has different requirements. The sponsor's income, the couple's savings, the length of the relationship, the children's ages and the immigration status of the family member already abroad all affect which pathways are available and which are not. VisaGuide analyses your specific family situation against the requirements in 16 countries and identifies where your circumstances give you the clearest pathway.
Family visas are refused most often because of requirements people did not know existed.
Sponsor income requirements
UK spouse visa requires the sponsoring partner to earn above £29,000 annually from 2024, rising to £38,700 by 2025. Canada requires proof of ability to support an additional family member above the low-income cutoff. Every country sets a financial bar that the sponsoring partner must clear. We check whether your household income meets the threshold for each country.
Relationship evidence standards
Most countries require evidence of a genuine and subsisting relationship going back at least 2 years. This includes shared financial accounts, cohabitation evidence, travel records showing you have spent time together and correspondence demonstrating ongoing contact. We surface what level of evidence each country requires for your specific relationship type.
Children's applications and requirements
Children are rarely included automatically in a spouse or partner visa application. Each child typically requires a separate application with birth certificate evidence, proof of parental responsibility and sometimes consent from the non-applying parent. Some countries have age cutoffs for dependent children. We flag where these apply.
Processing times by country and relationship type
UK spouse visa processing currently takes between 24 weeks for standard applications. Australian partner visa takes 12 to 24 months. Canadian spousal sponsorship takes 12 months for inland applications. These timelines affect your planning significantly especially if one partner is currently on a time-limited visa.
Relationship type recognition
Not all countries recognise the same relationship types for family migration. Some countries recognise de facto or common law partnerships. Others require legal marriage. Some recognise same-sex partnerships. Others do not. We check which countries recognise your specific relationship type.
Combined profile analysis for couples
When both partners have careers, qualifications and savings the combined profile often opens pathways that neither partner could access alone. A couple where one is a healthcare worker and one is in finance may find Ireland or Germany gives them a stronger combined pathway than either would individually. We analyse both profiles together.
The countries with the clearest family reunion and settlement pathways.
United Kingdom
Family Visa, Spouse and Partner Visa
Sponsor must earn above £29,000 annually from 2024. Relationship must be genuine and subsisting with evidence going back at least 2 years in most cases. Five years on a family visa leads to indefinite leave to remain. No language requirement for the sponsor but applicant must pass English language test.
Canada
Spousal Sponsorship, Family Class
Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor a spouse or common-law partner. Processing takes approximately 12 months for inland applications. Sponsor must demonstrate ability to support the applicant above the low-income cutoff. Same-sex partnerships are recognised.
Australia
Partner Visa (820 and 801), Prospective Marriage Visa
Partner visa is a two-stage process. Stage one grants temporary residence. Stage two grants permanent residence after 2 years if the relationship is genuine and ongoing. No minimum income requirement for the sponsor unlike UK and Canada but health and character checks apply.
Ireland
Join Family Member, Stamp 4 Dependant
Family reunification in Ireland is available to Irish citizens and to non-EEA nationals with certain immigration permissions. Processing times vary significantly. No formal minimum income requirement published but financial self-sufficiency evidence is required. Children under 18 are included in most family applications.
Germany
Family Reunification, Spouse Visa
Spouse joining a German resident requires basic German language skills at A1 level before the visa is issued in most cases. The sponsoring partner must have sufficient income and accommodation. EU Blue Card holders can bring a spouse without the language requirement in most cases.
The family visa barriers that cause the most heartbreak when discovered after applying.
The UK income threshold increase caught thousands of couples off guard
In April 2024 the UK minimum income requirement for spouse visas increased from £18,600 to £29,000 with a further increase to £38,700 planned. Couples who had been planning their application based on the old threshold found themselves suddenly ineligible without any changes to their own circumstances. Immigration income thresholds are subject to political change and the threshold you plan around today may not be the threshold that applies when you submit your application.
Processing times are measured in months, not weeks
UK spouse visa standard processing is currently quoted at 24 weeks. Australian partner visa can take 12 to 24 months. During this period the applicant must remain outside the destination country in most cases or is subject to restrictions on their current visa. For couples who are already separated by distance this is one of the most difficult aspects of the process. Planning around realistic timelines is essential.
Relationship evidence requirements are more demanding than most people expect
Many couples assume that showing they are legally married is sufficient evidence of a genuine relationship. It is not. Immigration authorities look for evidence that the relationship is ongoing and genuine including shared finances, shared accommodation history, regular communication records and evidence of time spent together. Couples in long distance relationships often struggle to demonstrate cohabitation evidence which is one of the most weighted factors.
Children from previous relationships add significant complexity
If either partner has children from a previous relationship the family visa application becomes significantly more complex. Parental responsibility documentation is required. In some cases consent from the other biological parent is needed before a child can be included in a visa application. Some countries have age cutoffs for dependent children that parents are not aware of until their application is assessed.
When both partners have careers and savings the combined picture often reveals more options.
Most family migration tools ask about one person. VisaGuide analyses the family unit. When you complete the family pathway assessment you provide information about both partners including careers, qualifications, savings and existing immigration status. This combined analysis often reveals pathways that would not appear if only one partner's profile was considered.
A couple where one partner is a registered nurse and the other is an accountant may find that Ireland's Critical Skills pathway is accessible through the nurse's qualification while the accountant's income provides the financial sponsorship evidence needed. A couple with combined savings of $60,000 may access investment-linked residence pathways in Portugal or Malta that neither could access individually.
The family migration report shows you the strongest country for your situation as a unit, not as two separate individuals.
Combined income and savings analysed against sponsorship thresholds in all 16 countries simultaneously.
Children's situations assessed alongside the couple's profile to identify family-friendly settlement pathways.
Find the country where your family situation gives you the clearest pathway.
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Free report included. No card required. General information only, not regulated immigration advice.