Family reunification routes — spouses, partners, and dependants
Every destination on Visa Atlas has a family or dependant visa. Income floors, relationship evidence rules, and English requirements vary sharply — this guide compares the major family routes and who each is designed for.
Last reviewed 20 April 2026.
Who this is for
People sponsoring a partner, child, or parent to join them, or applicants looking to join a family member already settled in a destination.
Key claims
The UK Spouse / Partner visa requires a minimum income threshold of £29,000 (raised from £18,600 in April 2024, with further increases paused for review in 2025), plus an English language requirement at A1 on entry, A2 at extension, and B1 at settlement.
Canada’s spousal sponsorship has no income threshold and allows the sponsor to submit a combined in-Canada or overseas application, processed in about 12 months.
The US family visa system splits into immediate relative (spouse, minor child, parent of US citizen) with no numerical cap, and preference categories (siblings of citizens, adult children, spouses of LPRs) with multi-year backlogs indexed in the DOS Visa Bulletin.
Australia’s Partner visa (subclass 820/801 onshore, 309/100 offshore) is a two-stage PR pathway with no income threshold but rigorous relationship-evidence rules. Processing typically 20–40 months.
Germany’s family reunification requires the sponsor to hold an eligible residence permit, adequate living space, and sufficient income — but skilled workers under the Blue Card and Skilled Immigration Act can bring dependants immediately.
Portugal’s family reunification (Reagrupamento Familiar) is a statutory right for any legal resident and carries no income threshold for spouses / minor children, though AIMA has a significant appointment backlog in 2025–2026.
Partner visas are the most common refusal category on relationship-evidence grounds. Genuine-relationship tests (joint finances, cohabitation evidence, photos, affidavits) apply universally, and machine-generated or boilerplate evidence is increasingly flagged.
Curated routes
Family visa (partner/spouse)
5-year route to settlement. £29,000 income floor; English at A1 / A2 / B1.
Spousal / common-law sponsorship (Canada)
No income threshold; open work permit available during processing.
Partner visa (subclass 820/801, 309/100)
Two-stage 820/801 onshore or 309/100 offshore. PR on grant of the second stage.
Spouse of US Citizen or Green Card Holder (IR1/CR1 & F2A)
Immediate relative category with no annual cap — but documentation-heavy.
Family reunion residence permit
Combined with Blue Card or Skilled Worker residence, immediate dependant eligibility.
Family reunification (residence)
Statutory right for any legal resident — no income threshold for spouses.
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the lowest income threshold for a spouse visa?
Canada, Australia, Portugal, and Ireland have no statutory income threshold for spouse / partner sponsorship, though sponsors must demonstrate they can support the family without public recourse. The UK has the strictest threshold at £29,000 per year.
How long does a spouse visa typically take?
Canada: ~12 months end-to-end. UK: 12 weeks priority / 24 weeks standard from outside UK. Australia Partner: 20–40 months. US IR-1 for spouse of citizen: 12–18 months. Germany: 3–6 months. Portugal family reunification: currently delayed by AIMA backlog to 12–18 months.
Can I work on a spouse visa?
Yes in the established destinations where route-level family coverage is live. UK Spouse, Canada Spousal (open work permit during processing), Australia 820, US CR/IR-1 (after EAD granted), Germany family reunification, and Portugal family reunification all authorise open employment.