[{"destinationIso":"uk","visaSlug":"skilled-worker","typicalMinDays":15,"typicalMaxDays":21,"summary":"GOV.UK publishes 3 weeks as the typical decision window for Skilled Worker visa applications made outside the UK.","note":"Priority service (where available) aims for 5 working days; super-priority aims for next working day. Defined Certificate of Sponsorship delays can push real-world timelines.","sourceName":"GOV.UK — Visa decision waiting times","sourceUrl":"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visa-decision-waiting-times-applications-outside-the-uk","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"uk","visaSlug":"health-and-care-worker","typicalMinDays":15,"typicalMaxDays":21,"summary":"The Health and Care Worker visa runs on the same 3-week (about 15 working days) decision track as the Skilled Worker visa when you apply from outside the UK; in-country switches are usually quoted at up to 8 weeks. In practice, straightforward applications backed by a solid sponsor are often decided well inside three weeks.","note":"The Immigration Health Surcharge is waived on this route, which removes a common payment hold-up. The most frequent real-world delay isn’t the Home Office – it is the sponsor side, where a Certificate of Sponsorship is issued late or with errors. Priority (5 working days) and super-priority (next working day) services are available on many applications for an extra fee where the route offers them.","sourceName":"GOV.UK — Health and Care Worker visa","sourceUrl":"https://www.gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"uk","visaSlug":"global-talent","typicalMinDays":21,"typicalMaxDays":56,"summary":"Endorsement stage varies by endorsing body (Tech Nation, Royal Society, British Academy, Arts Council, etc.); visa stage is then 3 weeks outside the UK.","note":"Prize-route applicants skip endorsement. Realistic end-to-end: 8 weeks is common.","sourceName":"GOV.UK — Global Talent visa","sourceUrl":"https://www.gov.uk/global-talent","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"uk","visaSlug":"graduate","typicalMinDays":42,"typicalMaxDays":56,"summary":"GOV.UK publishes an 8-week target for Graduate route applications; applicants must apply from inside the UK before their Student visa expires.","sourceName":"GOV.UK — Graduate visa","sourceUrl":"https://www.gov.uk/graduate-visa","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"uk","visaSlug":"high-potential-individual","typicalMinDays":21,"typicalMaxDays":28,"summary":"Applied from outside the UK: 3 weeks. From inside the UK (switching): 8 weeks.","sourceName":"GOV.UK — High Potential Individual visa","sourceUrl":"https://www.gov.uk/high-potential-individual-visa","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"uk","visaSlug":"innovator-founder","typicalMinDays":21,"typicalMaxDays":56,"summary":"Endorsement by an approved body is a pre-requisite; visa decision is 3 weeks outside the UK or 8 weeks inside.","sourceName":"GOV.UK — Innovator Founder visa","sourceUrl":"https://www.gov.uk/innovator-founder-visa","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"uk","visaSlug":"scale-up","typicalMinDays":21,"typicalMaxDays":56,"summary":"3 weeks outside the UK, 8 weeks inside.","sourceName":"GOV.UK — Scale-up visa","sourceUrl":"https://www.gov.uk/scale-up-worker-visa","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"uk","visaSlug":"youth-mobility-scheme","typicalMinDays":15,"typicalMaxDays":21,"summary":"Applied from outside the UK in the applicant’s country of citizenship: 3 weeks after biometrics.","note":"Annual ballots for some nationalities (Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India) gate eligibility before this window applies.","sourceName":"GOV.UK — Youth Mobility Scheme visa","sourceUrl":"https://www.gov.uk/youth-mobility","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"uk","visaSlug":"student","typicalMinDays":15,"typicalMaxDays":21,"summary":"3 weeks outside the UK, 8 weeks inside. CAS from a licensed sponsor is a pre-requisite.","sourceName":"GOV.UK — Student visa","sourceUrl":"https://www.gov.uk/student-visa","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"uk","visaSlug":"family-spouse","typicalMinDays":84,"typicalMaxDays":168,"summary":"GOV.UK publishes 12 weeks outside the UK and up to 6 months during peak periods for spouse/partner visas.","note":"Priority service available for an additional fee in most countries, reducing to 30 working days.","sourceName":"GOV.UK — Family visas","sourceUrl":"https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"uk","visaSlug":"visit-visa-standard","typicalMinDays":15,"typicalMaxDays":21,"summary":"Standard Visitor visa: 3 weeks. Priority service (where offered): 5 working days.","sourceName":"GOV.UK — Standard Visitor visa","sourceUrl":"https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ie","visaSlug":"critical-skills-employment-permit","typicalMinDays":21,"typicalMaxDays":42,"summary":"DETE publishes current processing dates weekly; Critical Skills Employment Permits are consistently prioritised over General permits, typically 3–6 weeks for trusted-partner employers.","sourceName":"DETE — Employment permits current processing dates","sourceUrl":"https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/what-we-do/workplace-and-skills/employment-permits/current-application-processing-dates/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ie","visaSlug":"general-employment-permit","typicalMinDays":42,"typicalMaxDays":91,"summary":"DETE typically processes General Employment Permits in 6–13 weeks; non-trusted-partner applications sit at the longer end.","sourceName":"DETE — Employment permits current processing dates","sourceUrl":"https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/what-we-do/workplace-and-skills/employment-permits/current-application-processing-dates/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ie","visaSlug":"step-startup-visa","typicalMinDays":42,"typicalMaxDays":84,"summary":"Business-plan assessment by the STEP evaluation panel runs 6–12 weeks. Immigration permission stage is separate.","sourceName":"Irish Immigration Service — STEP","sourceUrl":"https://www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-work-in-ireland/what-are-my-options-for-working-in-ireland/coming-to-set-up-a-business-or-invest/startup-entrepreneur-programme-step/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ie","visaSlug":"stamp-4","notPublished":true,"summary":"Stamp 4 is granted on arrival or at registration for eligible permit-holders; there is no separate consular decision period.","guidance":"Check the specific pathway (e.g. after 21 months on a Critical Skills permit) for the immigration permission rules that apply.","sourceName":"Irish Immigration Service — Registration Office","sourceUrl":"https://www.irishimmigration.ie/registering-your-immigration-permission/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ie","visaSlug":"student-visa","typicalMinDays":28,"typicalMaxDays":56,"summary":"Consular Irish Study Visa processing typically runs 4–8 weeks; Dublin Visa Office publishes rolling queue dates.","sourceName":"Irish Immigration Service — Visa Decisions","sourceUrl":"https://www.irishimmigration.ie/visa-decisions/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ie","visaSlug":"join-family-of-irish-national","typicalMinDays":180,"typicalMaxDays":365,"summary":"De Facto Partnership and Join Family cases commonly take 6–12 months; policy target is 6 months for straightforward applications.","sourceName":"Irish Immigration Service — Join Family","sourceUrl":"https://www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-join-family-in-ireland/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ie","visaSlug":"iip-closed","notPublished":true,"summary":"The Immigrant Investor Programme closed to new applications on 15 February 2023. No new processing times apply.","guidance":"Existing applicants should contact the IIP Unit at Department of Justice. New investor migration to Ireland should consider the STEP route.","sourceName":"Department of Justice — IIP","sourceUrl":"https://www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-ireland/preclearance/immigrant-investor-programme-iip/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"de","visaSlug":"eu-blue-card","typicalMinDays":30,"typicalMaxDays":90,"summary":"EU Directive 2021/1883 sets a 90-day statutory maximum for an EU Blue Card decision. In practice, Make-it-in-Germany publishes 1–3 months for consular processing from abroad and 4–6 weeks for in-country conversions at the Ausländerbehörde. Vorabzustimmung (pre-approval) by the Foreigners’ Authority shortens consular timelines materially.","note":"Slowest missions are Delhi, Mumbai, Manila, Lagos, and Tehran (8–12 weeks). Fastest in-country conversions complete in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, and Cologne (3–5 weeks). The Federal Employment Agency (BA) consultation step adds time only where the salary band requires it.","sourceName":"Make-it-in-Germany — EU Blue Card","sourceUrl":"https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/types/eu-blue-card","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"de","visaSlug":"chancenkarte","typicalMinDays":30,"typicalMaxDays":90,"summary":"Consular Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) processing typically runs 1–3 months depending on the Auswärtiges Amt mission. Applications filed completely on digital.diplo.de average 6–8 weeks.","note":"Slowest missions (Tehran, Lagos, Manila, Delhi) sit at the upper end of the range. In-country conversions for visa-free nationals applying directly at the Ausländerbehörde average 3–5 weeks.","sourceName":"Make-it-in-Germany — Opportunity Card","sourceUrl":"https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/opportunity-card","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"de","visaSlug":"skilled-worker-de","typicalMinDays":30,"typicalMaxDays":90,"summary":"Consular decisions on Germany’s skilled-worker visa (§ 18a/18b AufenthG) typically take 1–3 months once you have an appointment. For most applicants the larger variable is everything that happens beforehand: securing a German employment contract and, in regulated professions, having your foreign qualification formally recognised.","note":"Recognition of your qualification – via the anabin database for university degrees, or a profession-specific recognition (Anerkennung) for regulated jobs such as nursing, teaching, or engineering – usually has to be settled before you apply, and it is the step that most often adds months. The busiest German missions (for example Delhi, Lagos, and Manila) also carry longer appointment queues than the consular decision itself.","sourceName":"Make-it-in-Germany — Skilled Worker visa","sourceUrl":"https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/types/skilled-workers","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"de","visaSlug":"recognition-partnership","typicalMinDays":60,"typicalMaxDays":120,"summary":"2–4 months typical; the recognition-partnership route bundles qualification recognition with residence processing.","sourceName":"Make-it-in-Germany — Recognition Partnership","sourceUrl":"https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/types/recognition-partnership","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"de","visaSlug":"freelancer-visa","typicalMinDays":60,"typicalMaxDays":120,"summary":"A German freelance residence permit (the Freiberufler route under § 21 AufenthG) typically takes about 2–4 months at a consulate. If you enter visa-free and apply in-country, the wait depends largely on your local Ausländerbehörde, which varies a lot by city – Berlin has historically run 3–6 months just to secure an appointment.","note":"The decision itself is rarely the slow part. Securing an appointment and assembling a convincing file – a financing plan, letters of intent from prospective clients, and, for the regulated liberal professions such as doctors or lawyers, any professional licence – is what takes the time. Building that portfolio before you apply is the main lever you control.","sourceName":"Make-it-in-Germany — Freelance residence permit","sourceUrl":"https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/types/self-employment","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"de","visaSlug":"job-seeker-visa","typicalMinDays":30,"typicalMaxDays":90,"summary":"1–3 months consular processing for the 6-month Job Seeker visa.","sourceName":"Make-it-in-Germany — Job-seeker visa","sourceUrl":"https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/types/job-seeker-visa","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"de","visaSlug":"student-de","typicalMinDays":30,"typicalMaxDays":90,"summary":"1–3 months typical consular processing; applicants must show Sperrkonto balance and admission confirmation.","sourceName":"DAAD — Student visa information","sourceUrl":"https://www.daad.de/en/study-and-research-in-germany/plan-your-studies/applying-for-a-visa/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"de","visaSlug":"family-reunion-de","typicalMinDays":90,"typicalMaxDays":365,"summary":"German family-reunion visas range from around 3 months – for example, a spouse joining an EU Blue Card holder on the fast-track – to more than a year at consulates with long appointment backlogs. For most families the deciding factor is how quickly you can get an appointment at your local German mission, not the decision itself.","note":"Most spouses must show basic German (A1) before the visa is issued, though there are exemptions – notably for the families of EU Blue Card and many skilled-worker holders – so check whether the certificate applies to you before booking. Joining a Blue Card or skilled-worker holder is generally the quickest category. Once in Germany, the residence card is issued by the local Ausländerbehörde, which can add its own appointment wait.","sourceName":"Auswärtiges Amt — Family reunion","sourceUrl":"https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/visa-service/family-reunification","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"pt","visaSlug":"d7-passive-income","typicalMinDays":60,"typicalMaxDays":180,"summary":"2–6 months consular processing; AIMA residence-card appointment after arrival adds a further 6–12 months in backlog.","note":"AIMA replaced SEF in late 2023; appointment backlogs are the binding constraint, not the visa decision itself.","sourceName":"Portuguese Consulate network — D7","sourceUrl":"https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/en/national-visas/general-information/necessary-documents","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"pt","visaSlug":"d8-digital-nomad","typicalMinDays":60,"typicalMaxDays":120,"summary":"2–4 months consular processing; like the D7, the AIMA residence-card appointment is the post-arrival bottleneck.","sourceName":"Portuguese Consulate network — National visas","sourceUrl":"https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/en/national-visas/general-information/necessary-documents","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"pt","visaSlug":"d2-entrepreneur","typicalMinDays":60,"typicalMaxDays":180,"summary":"2–6 months consular; business-plan review adds variance.","sourceName":"Portuguese Consulate network — D2","sourceUrl":"https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/en/national-visas/general-information/necessary-documents","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"pt","visaSlug":"golden-visa","typicalMinDays":180,"typicalMaxDays":540,"summary":"Post-2023 reform: fund/investment subscription + AIMA review typically runs 6–18 months. Real-estate routes were removed.","sourceName":"AIMA — Residence for investment activity","sourceUrl":"https://aima.gov.pt/en/residency-permit-for-investment-activity","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"pt","visaSlug":"d3-highly-qualified","typicalMinDays":60,"typicalMaxDays":120,"summary":"2–4 months consular.","sourceName":"Portuguese Consulate network — National visas","sourceUrl":"https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/en/national-visas/general-information/necessary-documents","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"pt","visaSlug":"student-pt","typicalMinDays":60,"typicalMaxDays":90,"summary":"2–3 months consular.","sourceName":"Portuguese Consulate network — Student visas","sourceUrl":"https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/en/national-visas/general-information/necessary-documents","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"pt","visaSlug":"family-reunification-pt","typicalMinDays":90,"typicalMaxDays":365,"summary":"Portuguese family reunification combines a consular stage and an AIMA appointment stage that together commonly run anywhere from 3–12 months. AIMA – the agency that replaced SEF – has been working through a large appointment backlog, so timelines have been unusually variable.","note":"The biggest swing factor is AIMA appointment availability, not the decision itself. The reliable way to avoid a setback is to have every civil-status document apostilled and officially translated before you file, so a missing stamp doesn’t send you back to the end of the queue.","sourceName":"AIMA — Family reunification","sourceUrl":"https://aima.gov.pt/en/residency-permit-for-family-reunification","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"es","visaSlug":"digital-nomad-visa","typicalMinDays":20,"typicalMaxDays":45,"summary":"The 2022 Startup Law gives UGE-CE a 20-working-day decision target for in-country Digital Nomad applications. Consular applications from abroad commonly run 4–8 weeks.","sourceName":"UGE-CE (Unidad de Grandes Empresas) — Startup Law visas","sourceUrl":"https://www.inclusion.gob.es/web/unidadgrandesempresas/en","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"es","visaSlug":"non-lucrative-visa","typicalMinDays":30,"typicalMaxDays":90,"summary":"1–3 months consular. Consulate-specific variance is large (Madrid 1–2 months; some Latin American posts 2–4 months).","sourceName":"Portal de Inmigración — Non-lucrative residence","sourceUrl":"https://extranjeros.inclusion.gob.es/en/InformacionInteres/InformacionProcedimientos/Ciudadanosnocomunitarios/hoja015/index.html","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"es","visaSlug":"highly-qualified-professional","typicalMinDays":20,"typicalMaxDays":45,"summary":"UGE-CE publishes a 20-working-day decision target under the Startup Law for in-country HQP applications. Consular applications typically run 4–8 weeks.","sourceName":"UGE-CE — Highly Qualified Professional","sourceUrl":"https://www.inclusion.gob.es/web/unidadgrandesempresas/en","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"es","visaSlug":"entrepreneur-visa","typicalMinDays":20,"typicalMaxDays":60,"summary":"20-working-day target in-country; 4–8 weeks consular. ENISA business-interest report is a pre-requisite.","sourceName":"UGE-CE — Entrepreneur residence","sourceUrl":"https://www.inclusion.gob.es/web/unidadgrandesempresas/en","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"es","visaSlug":"golden-visa-ending","notPublished":true,"summary":"Spain’s Golden Visa real-estate route was abolished by Organic Law 1/2025 effective 3 April 2025. No new processing times apply.","guidance":"Existing Golden Visa holders keep their permits. Investor migration to Spain should consider the Entrepreneur or Highly Qualified Professional routes under the Startup Law.","sourceName":"BOE — Ley Orgánica 1/2025","sourceUrl":"https://www.boe.es/eli/es/lo/2025/01/02/1","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"es","visaSlug":"student-es","typicalMinDays":30,"typicalMaxDays":60,"summary":"1–2 months consular.","sourceName":"Portal de Inmigración — Student residence","sourceUrl":"https://extranjeros.inclusion.gob.es/en/InformacionInteres/InformacionProcedimientos/Ciudadanosnocomunitarios/hoja017/index.html","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"es","visaSlug":"family-reunification-es","typicalMinDays":90,"typicalMaxDays":180,"summary":"Spanish family reunification runs in two stages that together commonly take 3–6 months: first the Oficina de Extranjería in Spain approves the sponsor’s authorisation (roughly 45 days), then the relative applies for the visa at their local Spanish consulate. Consular appointment availability is often the real bottleneck rather than the decision.","note":"The clock effectively starts with the sponsor’s application inside Spain, so the relative abroad can’t speed up the first stage. The most common cause of delay is paperwork: marriage and birth certificates that still need an apostille and an official sworn translation. Getting those legalised before you file avoids being sent back for a correction.","sourceName":"Portal de Inmigración — Family reunification","sourceUrl":"https://extranjeros.inclusion.gob.es/en/InformacionInteres/InformacionProcedimientos/Ciudadanosnocomunitarios/hoja041/index.html","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"nl","visaSlug":"highly-skilled-migrant","typicalMinDays":14,"typicalMaxDays":90,"summary":"IND legal decision period for Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant) is 90 days; recognised sponsors commonly see decisions in 2–4 weeks.","sourceName":"IND — Decision periods","sourceUrl":"https://ind.nl/en/after-your-application/decision-periods","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"nl","visaSlug":"orientation-year","typicalMinDays":14,"typicalMaxDays":90,"summary":"IND legal decision period is 90 days; common 2–6 week outcomes for complete applications.","sourceName":"IND — Orientation year","sourceUrl":"https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/work/orientation-year-highly-educated-persons","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"nl","visaSlug":"eu-blue-card-nl","typicalMinDays":14,"typicalMaxDays":90,"summary":"IND publishes a 90-day legal decision period; recognised-sponsor applications often resolve in 4–8 weeks.","sourceName":"IND — EU Blue Card","sourceUrl":"https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/work/european-blue-card","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"nl","visaSlug":"daft","typicalMinDays":30,"typicalMaxDays":90,"summary":"DAFT (Dutch-American Friendship Treaty) applications commonly resolve in 4–12 weeks; the IND legal decision period is 90 days.","sourceName":"IND — Self-employed residence (DAFT)","sourceUrl":"https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/work/work-as-a-self-employed-person/self-employed-person-on-the-basis-of-an-international-agreement","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"nl","visaSlug":"startup-visa-nl","typicalMinDays":30,"typicalMaxDays":90,"summary":"IND decision period is 90 days; facilitator-endorsed applications tend to resolve in 4–8 weeks.","sourceName":"IND — Startup residence permit","sourceUrl":"https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/work/start-up","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"nl","visaSlug":"student-nl","typicalMinDays":14,"typicalMaxDays":60,"summary":"Recognised sponsor (higher-education institution) applications typically resolve in 2–8 weeks.","sourceName":"IND — Study permit","sourceUrl":"https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/study","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"nl","visaSlug":"partner-visa-nl","typicalMinDays":60,"typicalMaxDays":180,"summary":"IND legal decision period is 90 days; real-world processing runs 2–6 months for complete applications.","sourceName":"IND — Family reunification","sourceUrl":"https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/family-and-partner","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ae","visaSlug":"golden-visa","typicalMinDays":15,"typicalMaxDays":30,"summary":"Golden Visa applications via ICP and GDRFA Dubai typically resolve in 2–4 weeks including medical and Emirates ID stages.","sourceName":"UAE Government Portal — Long-term residence visa (Golden Visa)","sourceUrl":"https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/residence-visas/golden-visa","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ae","visaSlug":"green-visa","typicalMinDays":5,"typicalMaxDays":15,"summary":"Green Visa self-sponsored residence typically 5–15 days end-to-end where documentation is complete.","sourceName":"UAE Government Portal — Green Visa","sourceUrl":"https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/residence-visas/green-residence-visa","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ae","visaSlug":"employment-visa","typicalMinDays":3,"typicalMaxDays":10,"summary":"Employer-sponsored employment entry permits: 3–10 working days for the entry permit stage, plus medical + Emirates ID.","sourceName":"UAE Government Portal — Work visas","sourceUrl":"https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/working-in-uae","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ae","visaSlug":"remote-work-visa","typicalMinDays":5,"typicalMaxDays":14,"summary":"1-year remote-work (virtual working programme) residence is typically issued within 2 weeks.","sourceName":"UAE Government Portal — Virtual working programme","sourceUrl":"https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/residence-visas/virtual-working-programme","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ae","visaSlug":"investor-visa-ae","typicalMinDays":10,"typicalMaxDays":30,"summary":"Investor / partner entry visas issue in 2–4 weeks where the commercial licence and share structure are in place.","sourceName":"UAE Government Portal — Investor residence","sourceUrl":"https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/residence-visas/investor-visa","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ae","visaSlug":"freelance-permit","typicalMinDays":5,"typicalMaxDays":15,"summary":"Freelance permits via free zones (e.g. GoFreelance, Fujairah Creative City) commonly issue in 1–3 weeks.","sourceName":"UAE Government Portal — Freelancing","sourceUrl":"https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/self-employment","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ca","visaSlug":"express-entry-cec","typicalMinDays":150,"typicalMaxDays":210,"summary":"IRCC’s service standard for Canadian Experience Class under Express Entry is 5 months from AOR, though the posted estimate moved out to about 7 months (≈210 days) in early 2026.","sourceName":"IRCC — Check processing times","sourceUrl":"https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ca","visaSlug":"express-entry-fsw","typicalMinDays":150,"typicalMaxDays":240,"summary":"IRCC service standard for Federal Skilled Worker under Express Entry is 5–8 months from AOR.","sourceName":"IRCC — Check processing times","sourceUrl":"https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ca","visaSlug":"express-entry-fst","typicalMinDays":150,"typicalMaxDays":240,"summary":"5–8 months from AOR under the Express Entry service standard.","sourceName":"IRCC — Check processing times","sourceUrl":"https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ca","visaSlug":"pnp","typicalMinDays":330,"typicalMaxDays":540,"summary":"Non-Express-Entry PNP federal-stage processing commonly runs 11–18 months; the preceding provincial nomination stage is separate and varies by province.","sourceName":"IRCC — Check processing times","sourceUrl":"https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ca","visaSlug":"pgwp","typicalMinDays":60,"typicalMaxDays":180,"summary":"PGWP processing: 60 days (online in-Canada) up to 6 months for paper / at-port-of-entry applications.","sourceName":"IRCC — PGWP processing times","sourceUrl":"https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation.html","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ca","visaSlug":"start-up-visa","typicalMinDays":1200,"typicalMaxDays":1560,"summary":"The Start-Up Visa closed to new applications on 31 December 2025 (PR applications already in the queue are accepted until 30 June 2026). IRCC’s posted processing window for queued applications has stretched to around 40–52 months; short-term work permits can be issued in the meantime.","sourceName":"IRCC — Start-up Visa","sourceUrl":"https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/start-visa.html","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ca","visaSlug":"study-permit-ca","typicalMinDays":21,"typicalMaxDays":112,"summary":"Study permit processing varies widely by country; typical range 3–16 weeks. SDS applications generally faster.","sourceName":"IRCC — Study permit processing times","sourceUrl":"https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit/get-quick.html","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"ca","visaSlug":"spousal-sponsorship","typicalMinDays":450,"typicalMaxDays":630,"summary":"IRCC’s 12-month service standard no longer reflects posted times: in early 2026 outland spousal sponsorship was quoted at about 15 months (≈450 days) and inland at about 21 months (≈630 days).","sourceName":"IRCC — Sponsor your spouse","sourceUrl":"https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/family-sponsorship/sponsor-spouse-partner-children.html","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"au","visaSlug":"subclass-482-tss","typicalMinDays":14,"typicalMaxDays":56,"p80Days":49,"summary":"Home Affairs publishes 50th and 90th percentile windows per stream. Short-term / Medium-term Skills Shortage typically resolves at 2–8 weeks; accredited sponsors see faster outcomes.","sourceName":"Home Affairs — Global visa processing times","sourceUrl":"https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/global-visa-processing-times","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"au","visaSlug":"subclass-189-skilled-independent","typicalMinDays":180,"typicalMaxDays":365,"summary":"Home Affairs publishes a typical decision window of 6–12 months for the subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa, counted from the date you lodge. Because 189 is points-tested and invitation-only, much of the real waiting often happens earlier – in the SkillSelect pool, waiting for an invitation to apply.","note":"There is no paid priority option for the 189. Once lodged, the usual delay drivers are a skills assessment or English result that needs re-verifying, a health or character check that gets referred, and any gap between the points you claimed and the evidence you can show. A fully documented application moves fastest.","sourceName":"Home Affairs — Global visa processing times","sourceUrl":"https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/global-visa-processing-times","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"au","visaSlug":"subclass-190-skilled-nominated","typicalMinDays":180,"typicalMaxDays":365,"summary":"6–12 months typical; state nomination stage is separate.","sourceName":"Home Affairs — Global visa processing times","sourceUrl":"https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/global-visa-processing-times","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"au","visaSlug":"subclass-491-skilled-regional","typicalMinDays":180,"typicalMaxDays":365,"summary":"6–12 months typical for the subclass 491 provisional regional visa.","sourceName":"Home Affairs — Global visa processing times","sourceUrl":"https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/global-visa-processing-times","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"au","visaSlug":"subclass-186-ens","typicalMinDays":180,"typicalMaxDays":420,"summary":"Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) permanent-residence applications are typically decided in about 6–14 months. Where you land in that range depends mostly on the stream you use: the Temporary Residence Transition stream – for people already working for their sponsor on a 482/TSS visa – tends to be quicker than Direct Entry, which carries a fuller skills assessment and document check.","note":"Australia doesn’t sell a paid fast-track for the 186, so every application sits in the same queue. The cases that drift toward the slow end are usually the ones missing a skills assessment, waiting on a health or character check that has been referred for a closer look, or answering a request for more information mid-assessment. The single biggest lever you control is lodging a complete, decision-ready application the first time.","sourceName":"Home Affairs — Global visa processing times","sourceUrl":"https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-processing-times/global-visa-processing-times","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"au","visaSlug":"working-holiday","typicalMinDays":7,"typicalMaxDays":60,"summary":"Working Holiday (417/462) typically resolves in 1–8 weeks; online lodgement is generally fastest.","sourceName":"Home Affairs — Working Holiday Maker","sourceUrl":"https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/work-holiday-417","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"au","visaSlug":"global-talent-au","typicalMinDays":90,"typicalMaxDays":365,"summary":"Global Talent (subclass 858) processing varies by sector; 3–12 months is typical.","sourceName":"Home Affairs — Global Talent visa","sourceUrl":"https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/global-talent-visa-858","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"au","visaSlug":"student-au","typicalMinDays":28,"typicalMaxDays":112,"summary":"Student visa (subclass 500) typically resolves in 4–16 weeks depending on source country and provider risk rating.","sourceName":"Home Affairs — Student visa","sourceUrl":"https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"au","visaSlug":"partner-visa-au","typicalMinDays":450,"typicalMaxDays":900,"summary":"Partner visa (subclass 309/100 and 820/801) processing is among the slowest in the system: 15–30 months is typical.","sourceName":"Home Affairs — Partner visa","sourceUrl":"https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/partner-offshore","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"us","visaSlug":"h-1b","typicalMinDays":60,"typicalMaxDays":240,"summary":"H-1B I-129 petitions commonly take 2–8 months at USCIS service centers; Premium Processing ($2,965) resolves within 15 business days.","note":"Cap-subject petitions require prior lottery selection; cap-exempt (universities, research) can be filed year-round.","sourceName":"USCIS — Case Processing Times","sourceUrl":"https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"us","visaSlug":"l-1a","typicalMinDays":60,"typicalMaxDays":240,"summary":"2–8 months typical for I-129 L-1A; Premium Processing available.","sourceName":"USCIS — Case Processing Times","sourceUrl":"https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"us","visaSlug":"l-1b","typicalMinDays":60,"typicalMaxDays":270,"summary":"2–9 months typical; Premium Processing available.","sourceName":"USCIS — Case Processing Times","sourceUrl":"https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"us","visaSlug":"o-1","typicalMinDays":60,"typicalMaxDays":180,"summary":"2–6 months typical for I-129 O-1; Premium Processing resolves within 15 business days.","sourceName":"USCIS — Case Processing Times","sourceUrl":"https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"us","visaSlug":"eb-1a","typicalMinDays":180,"typicalMaxDays":540,"summary":"I-140 EB-1A: 6–18 months standard; Premium Processing available. Visa-bulletin final-action dates determine consular / AOS timing for Indian and Chinese nationals.","sourceName":"USCIS — Case Processing Times","sourceUrl":"https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"us","visaSlug":"eb-2-niw","typicalMinDays":180,"typicalMaxDays":900,"summary":"I-140 EB-2 NIW: 6–18 months standard; Premium Processing ($2,965) covers I-140. Priority-date backlog for India and China can add multi-year waits at visa-bulletin stage.","sourceName":"USCIS — Case Processing Times","sourceUrl":"https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"us","visaSlug":"eb-3","typicalMinDays":365,"typicalMaxDays":1200,"summary":"PERM labor certification + I-140 stages typically 12–36 months combined; visa-bulletin backlogs for India add substantial further waits.","sourceName":"USCIS — Case Processing Times","sourceUrl":"https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"us","visaSlug":"eb-5","typicalMinDays":540,"typicalMaxDays":1800,"summary":"I-526/I-526E adjudication: 18–60 months typical. Reserved set-asides (rural, high-unemployment, infrastructure) process faster than unreserved categories.","sourceName":"USCIS — Case Processing Times","sourceUrl":"https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"us","visaSlug":"e-2","typicalMinDays":14,"typicalMaxDays":120,"summary":"E-2 at consulate: 2–16 weeks depending on consular post. In-country change of status via USCIS: 2–8 months.","sourceName":"DOS — E-2 Treaty Investor","sourceUrl":"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/employment/treaty-trader-investor-visa-e.html","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"us","visaSlug":"f-1","typicalMinDays":14,"typicalMaxDays":120,"summary":"F-1 consular processing: 2–16 weeks depending on post and wait time for interview appointment.","sourceName":"DOS — Student visa (F-1)","sourceUrl":"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"us","visaSlug":"j-1","typicalMinDays":14,"typicalMaxDays":90,"summary":"J-1 consular processing: 2–12 weeks. Sponsorship by a DOS-designated J-1 program is a pre-requisite.","sourceName":"DOS — Exchange Visitor (J-1)","sourceUrl":"https://j1visa.state.gov/","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"us","visaSlug":"tn","typicalMinDays":1,"typicalMaxDays":30,"summary":"Canadian citizens: same-day port-of-entry adjudication possible. Mexican citizens: 1–4 weeks consular processing. In-country USCIS change of status: 2–8 months.","sourceName":"USCIS — TN NAFTA Professionals","sourceUrl":"https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/tn-nafta-professionals","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"us","visaSlug":"k-1","typicalMinDays":180,"typicalMaxDays":540,"summary":"I-129F USCIS stage: 6–12 months; NVC + consular stages add a further 2–6 months.","sourceName":"USCIS — Fiancé(e) Visas","sourceUrl":"https://www.uscis.gov/family/family-of-us-citizens/visas-for-fiancees-of-us-citizens","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"},{"destinationIso":"us","visaSlug":"spousal-green-card","typicalMinDays":210,"typicalMaxDays":900,"summary":"I-130 + I-485 adjustment of status commonly runs 10–18 months. I-130 + consular processing (DS-260) varies by post: 12–30 months end-to-end for preference-category spouses of LPRs.","sourceName":"USCIS — Green Card for Family Members of U.S. Citizens","sourceUrl":"https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-eligibility/green-card-for-immediate-relatives-of-us-citizen","lastChecked":"2026-06-01"}]