Bring your family together, with a file that holds up
Spouse, partner, child, parent and dependant visas for the UK, Canada, USA, Australia and Europe. We check the sponsor’s side and the applicant’s side, and tell you plainly what is missing before you apply.
Westside Visa Consultants is an independent private advisory. We are not affiliated with any government, embassy or visa application centre and cannot influence a visa decision. Our fee is quoted in writing before any work starts.
Four kinds of family visa, one honest checklist for each
Each country decides which relatives qualify, what the sponsor must earn and how long the file takes. Tap a card to ask about your situation on WhatsApp.
MOST REQUESTEDSpouse or partner
Married, civil or unmarried partners of a citizen or settled resident. The relationship evidence and the sponsor’s income decide the case.
UNDER 18Dependent children
Children joining a parent who is applying, already settled or already abroad. Birth records, custody and consent letters must line up.
LIMITED ROUTESParents and grandparents
Canada’s parent sponsorship and Super Visa, Australia’s parent visas, the UK’s narrow adult dependent relative route. We tell you which is realistic.
STUDENTS AND WORKERSDependants of students and workers
Partners and children joining someone on a study or work visa. Rules changed in the UK and Australia in 2024 and 2025; we check what still applies.
Five destinations, and what each one really asks of the sponsor
Figures below are the ones published at the time of writing. Thresholds change; we confirm the current number at your assessment.
APPENDIX FMUnited Kingdom
Partner and child routes leading to settlement. Sponsor income of £29,000 a year, English at A1 for partners, a TB test for applicants from Pakistan, and the health surcharge paid up front per person.
Typical decision: up to 12 weeks
SPONSORSHIPCanada
Spousal and child sponsorship with no minimum income for a spouse, a signed undertaking by the sponsor, and the parent and grandparent programme when it opens. Super Visa as the practical route for parents.
Typical decision: around 12 months for spouses
PETITION FIRSTUnited States
A US citizen or green card holder files the family petition first; the applicant then completes consular processing and an interview in Islamabad. The sponsor signs an affidavit of support at 125 percent of the poverty guideline.
Typical decision: a year or more, by category
PARTNER 309 / 100Australia
Offshore partner visa in two stages, child visas, and contributory or queued parent visas. Relationship evidence across finances, household, social life and commitment is what the case officer reads.
Typical decision: 12 to 24 months for partners
REUNIFICATIONEurope
Family reunification for residents of Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the Netherlands. Stable income, adequate housing, health cover, and for Germany basic A1 German for a joining spouse.
Typical decision: 3 to 9 months, by countryTell us who is sponsoring, and from where.
The sponsor’s status, the country and the relationship decide everything else. Twenty minutes on WhatsApp is usually enough to name the route and the income figure that applies.
Ask on WhatsAppFamily files fail on evidence, not on love. We organise the evidence.
Both sides checked
The sponsor’s status, income and housing abroad, and the applicant’s documents in Pakistan, reviewed together before anyone pays a fee.
Relationship evidence that reads well
Nikah nama, NADRA certificates, photos, call logs, remittances and visits arranged into a timeline a case officer can follow in minutes.
Fees in writing
A written quote after your assessment. Government fees, health surcharges and test fees are separate and paid by you directly.
Honest about timelines
Family visas take months, not days. We tell you the published processing time and what can be done in Pakistan while you wait.
Four steps from your first message to the decision
Free assessment
Who is sponsoring, from which country, on what status, and who is joining. We name the route and the income rule that applies, at no cost.
Evidence plan
A written checklist for both sides: certificates and attestations in Pakistan, payslips, tax returns and tenancy abroad, tests and medicals with dates.
Form and file review
We review the completed application and every document against what it declares. You submit on the official portal and attend biometrics yourself; we prepare you for any interview.
Decision and arrival
We stay in touch through the wait, answer any request for more evidence, and explain what to do on arrival, from registration to the next stage of the visa.
The six things almost every family visa asks for
Exact requirements differ by country and route. Your free assessment ends with a checklist for the sponsor and one for the applicant.
Passports and photos
Current and old passports for everyone applying, plus photos to the embassy’s own specification.
Marriage and birth certificates
NADRA certificates, nikah nama with certified translation, attested where the destination requires it.
Proof the relationship is genuine
Photos over time, chat and call records, remittances, visits, joint accounts or bills where they exist.
Sponsor’s income
Payslips, bank statements, employer letter or business accounts and tax returns for the period each country specifies.
Accommodation
Tenancy or ownership papers and, for some countries, a property inspection or housing size report.
Tests, medicals and clearances
English or language test at the required level, TB test from an approved clinic, police certificates and, for children, custody and consent letters.
Five mistakes we see every month
- 1. Sponsor income counted the wrong way, or from the wrong months.
- 2. A marriage certificate that does not match the passport spelling or dates.
- 3. Relationship evidence that starts at the wedding and stops there.
- 4. Money moved into an account just before the application.
- 5. An English test or TB certificate that expires before the decision.
Studying or working abroad and want your family with you?
The UK now limits dependants to postgraduate research students and sponsored workers; Australia and Canada have tightened their rules too. We check your visa category first, then tell you whether a dependant application is possible now, later, or through a different route.
Check my categoryFamily visa questions we hear every week
Anything else, ask on WhatsApp. A real adviser replies, not a bot.
How much do your services cost?
A written quote after your free assessment, for your route. Government fees, health surcharges and test fees are separate and paid by you directly.
How long does a family visa take?
The UK typically up to 12 weeks, Canada around a year for spouses, Australia 12 to 24 months, the USA a year or more depending on the category, Europe three to nine months. We give you the current published time at the assessment.
Does my spouse abroad need to earn a minimum income?
For the UK yes, £29,000 a year at the time of writing. Canada has no minimum for a spouse. The USA and Australia look at overall financial capacity. Europe asks for stable income above the local social assistance level.
Do you submit the application for me?
No. You or your sponsor submit on the official portal and the applicant attends biometrics in person. We prepare the file with you, review the form before it goes and prepare you for any interview.
We were refused before. Can we apply again?
Usually yes, once the refusal reasons are understood and answered with better evidence. Some countries also allow an appeal or review within a set time; bring the letter to your assessment quickly.
Is my information safe with you?
Your documents are handled by a named adviser and are not shared outside the office.
Family visa guides, route by route
Who qualifies, the income rule, and how the partner and child routes lead to settlement.
Residence, income and housing conditions for joining a spouse in France.
Requirements and timeline for joining a resident in Bulgaria as a spouse or child.
Which married students can still bring a partner to Australia, and which cannot.
