Long distance relationships run on sacrifice, patience, and video calls. But when the time comes to close the gap for good, couples hit an unexpected reality: being together is financially complex too.
We analysed the total cost of obtaining a partner visa across five countries popular with international couples: the USA, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand. Compiling every mandatory cost from application fees to medical examinations, police certificates, and biometrics, we converted everything into USD and ranked each country on cost, processing speed, and bureaucratic complexity to create our Price of Long Distance Love Index.
The results show just how different the path to love can look depending on where you choose to land.
Key takeaways
- Upfront cost: Australia is $5,732 more expensive than the USA
- Total cost (incl. permanent residency): The UK is $10,142 more expensive than the USA
- Processing time: Australia takes 15 months longer than the UK
- Cost perception vs reality: Canada is only $221 cheaper than the USA, despite being seen as much more affordable
- Best overall option: New Zealand ranks #1 overall, offering the best balance of cost, speed, and lower bureaucracy
- Fastest route: The UK is the fastest option at just 3 months, but comes with the highest total cost
- Cheapest entry point: Canada is the lowest-cost option upfront, closely followed by the USA
- Most complex processes: The USA, Australia, and Canada are joint highest for bureaucracy (9.5/10), requiring the most documentation
The Overall Rankings: New Zealand Wins, Australia Lags
When all three factors (cost, processing time, and bureaucracy) are averaged out equally, here is how the five countries stack up:
1st: New Zealand - Total cost of $2,687 USD, processing time of just 5 months, and the lowest bureaucracy score of all five countries at 8/10. The best all-round option for international couples.
2nd: Canada - The cheapest country on the list at $1,147 USD, though its 15-month processing time holds it back from the top spot.
3rd: USA - A reasonable $1,368 USD, but the process is notably complex, requiring applicants to navigate three separate stages: the USCIS I-130 petition, the NVC stage, and consular processing.
4th: United Kingdom - The fastest processing time of just 3 months, but its $11,510 USD total makes it the most expensive destination by a significant margin, driven almost entirely by the Immigration Health Surcharge.
5th: Australia - At $7,100 USD and an 18-month processing window, Australia is both one of the pricier and slowest options on the list.
The True Cost Breakdown: More Than Just an Application Fee
The visa application fee itself is rarely the whole story. Every country layers in additional mandatory costs that can significantly inflate the total. Here is what each country's fees actually include:
United Kingdom - $11,510 USD total
- Family Visa entry clearance fee: $2,636
- Immigration Health Surcharge (2.5 years): $4,223
- Biometrics: $26
- TB/medical test: $238
- Indefinite Leave to Remain after 5 years: $4,387 (note: without permanent residency, the cost is a more manageable $7,123)
Australia - $7,100 USD total
- Partner Visa subclass 309 application fee: $6,743
- Medical examination (HAP panel physician): $193
- Police certificates (Australia + home country): $66
- NAATI-certified translation (3 documents): $98
New Zealand - $2,687 USD total
- Partnership-based Resident Visa application fee: $2,166
- Biometrics: $221
- Medical examination: $246
- Police certificates: $54
- Resident Visa upgrade after 2 years: no additional cost
United States - $1,368 USD total
- I-130 petition filing fee: $675
- DS-260 immigrant visa application fee: $325
- Medical examination: $350
- Police certificates: $18
- Biometrics: included in the main filing fee since 2024
Canada - $1,147 USD total
- Sponsorship, processing, and permanent residence fee: $892
- Biometrics: $63
- Medical examination: $133
- Police certificates: $59
The Speed Factor: 15 Months Between the Fastest and Slowest
Processing time is one of the most emotionally significant variables for couples living apart. Every month of waiting has a human cost that doesn't show up in any spreadsheet. Ranked fastest to slowest:
United Kingdom - 3 months
- The clear winner on speed for offshore applicants applying for the Family Visa (Partner) entry clearance.
New Zealand - 5 months
- A strong runner-up, making it one of the best options for couples who want to reunite quickly without the UK's high price tag.
USA - 14 months
- Sits in the middle, covering the full combined CR-1/IR-1 spousal visa end-to-end process.
Canada - 15 months
- Just one month behind the USA for its Spousal Sponsorship Outland route.
Australia - 18 months
- The slowest of all five countries for its Partner Visa subclass 309/100 offshore process. The gap between the UK and Australia is 15 months, over a year of additional waiting determined simply by which country a couple chooses.
The Bureaucracy Index: Paperwork Across the Board
We assessed ten categories of mandatory documentation across all five countries, scoring each as fully required (1), conditionally required (0.5), or not required (0), with a maximum possible score of 10. Higher scores indicate a more document-heavy and complex process.
- USA - 9.5/10 - Among the most demanding, with strict financial requirements via the I-864 Affidavit of Support (income floor of 125% of the Federal Poverty Level) and police certificates required from all countries of prior residence.
- Australia - 9.5/10 - Equally demanding, particularly rigorous on relationship evidence and police certificates from all countries where the applicant has lived for 5+ years.
- Canada - 9.5/10 - Tied at the top, with detailed requirements across almost every documentation category and thorough relationship evidence standards.
- UK - 9/10 - Marginally lighter due to slightly less extensive requirements around police certificates from prior countries of residence.
- New Zealand - 8/10 - The most straightforward of the five. Financial evidence is conditional rather than mandatory, cohabitation requirements are lighter, and police certificate demands are more limited.
What This Means for Couples
No country is the right answer for everyone. Each involves a different set of trade-offs between cost, time, and administrative burden:
- Prioritising speed? The UK's 3-month processing time is unmatched, though couples should be prepared for the highest overall cost on the list.
- Watching your budget? Canada and the USA offer the most accessible entry points, both under $1,400 USD.
- Want the best overall balance? New Zealand offers a compelling combination of low cost, fast processing, and lighter paperwork that is often overlooked by couples.
- Considering Australia? Go in with a clear understanding of the commitment involved: it is the most expensive option outside the UK and carries the longest wait of any country assessed.
For couples not yet ready to commit to the full partner visa process, the UK also offers shorter-stay options worth knowing about. Citizens of the EU, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and a range of other eligible nationalities can apply for a UK ETA, a quick online authorisation processed in as little as 72 hours, which allows multiple-entry visits for up to 6 months.
Those whose nationality isn’t covered by the ETA may still be able to visit on a Standard Visitor Visa, which offers the same 6-month maximum stay: Neither option permits the holder to work in the UK, so all the financial and documentation requirements covered in this article still apply when the time comes to make the move permanent.
Get Expert Help Navigating the Process
Understanding the costs and timelines is just the beginning. The actual application process, from choosing the right visa type to preparing documentation to the required standard and managing communication with immigration authorities, is where things can get complicated fast. Even small errors can cause delays, additional costs, or refusals.
Partner visa applications are complex, and the cost of getting it wrong goes beyond money. Delays, rejections, and refusals can mean months more time apart.
ImmiAssist is a licensed visa and migration agency with country-specific credentials across all five destinations in this index.
With over 100,000 visas processed, a 99.7% approval rate, and expert support available 24/7, ImmiAssist handles your application from start to finish, reviewing every detail to give you the best possible chance of approval first time. Start your application here.
Methodology
Total visa costs were calculated by compiling all mandatory government fees from official immigration websites, including application fees, biometrics, medical examinations, and police certificates. All fees were converted to USD using current exchange rates. Processing times were sourced from each country's official immigration department website and reflect the time within which the majority of applications are processed. Bureaucracy scores were calculated by assessing ten categories of mandatory documentation, scored on a 0 to 1 scale, with a maximum possible score of 10.