When I study abroad, can my spouse accompany me?

You can apply for a spouse visa when you study abroad. However, different countries where you study abroad have different spouse visa policies. We have compiled the spouse visa policies of several common countries where you study abroad.

1. The United States - Spouses can accompany students but are not allowed to look for jobs

The visa applied for by international students studying in the United States is called F1 visa, while the visa applied by their spouses to accompany them is F2 visa. Among all non-immigrant visa applications, F2 has a higher approval rate because American culture attaches great importance to the reunion of couples.

In principle, only one condition is required to apply for a U.S. accompanying visa, that is, the spouse is a full-time student or visiting scholar in the United States. The applicant does not need to take any English proficiency or professional tests. As long as his/her spouse can provide proof that he/she is studying legally in the United States, he/she can apply for a companion visa. However, one thing to note is that US law stipulates that F2 visa cannot legally work or study in the United States. Therefore, if the applicant wants to continue their studies or develop their career, they can also apply for school or find a job after arriving in the United States, and convert the F2 visa into a student visa, work visa or immigrant visa.

Relevant materials for application: materials related to student F1 study abroad visa, proof of relationship between the applicant and his/her spouse and/or children (such as marriage certificate and birth certificate), personal passport, invitation letter, etc.

2. Canada - All roads lead to Canada

Every year, many Chinese students go to Canada to study. There are many ways for the spouse of an international student to go to Canada to accompany him to study for a long time. There are three main ways to choose from:

Path 1: When applying for a study visa, the spouse carries a multiple-visit visa

From the immigration law Generally speaking, Canada allows the spouses of international students to apply for a visit visa to accompany the international students to live in Canada. When entering the country, clearly state your intention to accompany your spouse to the customs officials, and they can issue a VISIT

RECORD to your spouse that allows for a long-term stay. Moreover, multiple round trips are possible. However, the spouse holding a visit visa cannot legally work in Canada.

Method 2: Apply for a family visit visa and then convert it to an OWP

This is a method widely used by spouses of international students. As long as the international student himself is studying in a Canadian college or university with a college degree or above and a valid study permit (STUDY

PERMIT), his spouse will convert it to OWP (OPEN WORK

PERMIT) has a very high success rate. However, this method has limitations: 1) Spouses of international students are often younger and have weaknesses in work, assets, savings, exit records, etc.; 2) Once the spouse leaves the country, he or she needs to reapply for a visa when returning to Canada.

Path 3: directly bring OWP with you, or apply for OWP domestically

This means that when applying for a study visa, your spouse directly brings OWP with you, or when the international student is in Canada, The spouse applies for OWP directly in China. Not many people have taken this approach, but there have been some success stories. The advantage is that the spouse gets a work visa and work permit with the same validity period as the international student study permit. He can work in Canada and does not need to reapply for a visa when traveling to and from Canada. However, the success rate of directly applying for OWP in China is not as high as that of converting OWP in Canada.

3. The United Kingdom - Accompanying students must be rich

Studying students in the UK must be wealthy. If one spouse has already come to the UK, the documents that need to be sent by the other spouse include: bank statements, his/her invitation letter to you, proof of accommodation in the UK, phone bills, and a copy of his/her visa. What you should prepare are: marriage certificate, certificate of leave from work, certificate of deposit (if the income from his/her bank statement is not enough to cover the living expenses of the two of you).

4. Australia - accompanying student visa that can work legally

The Australian spouse accompanying visa is a student visa. The Australian student visa is 573, so the visa type applied for by the accompanying reader is also 573. visa. When accompanying students in Australia, the accompanying student can legally work (no more than 20 hours per week); if the student holds a 573 (taught master's degree) or 574 (doctoral program) visa, the accompanying student's working time is unlimited. In addition, accompanying readers can study, but the study time cannot exceed 3 months. If the accompanying readers apply for a course that exceeds 3 months, they must reapply for their own student visa. This visa can be applied for in Australia.

Required conditions for applying for an Australian spouse visa:

1. The applicant must have a husband-wife relationship with his or her spouse, or proof of a cohabitation relationship for more than one year;

2. When the student visa is for longer than 1 year, you can only bring an accompanying student with you;

3. When a student applies for his or her own visa, whether it is an electronic visa or a general visa, the accompanying student must be filled in on the family member form. name.

5. New Zealand - Conditional Accompanying Visa

New Zealand is an immigration country with a small population. It currently provides a very generous immigration policy to the mainland, so it is very suitable for accompanying students. The requirements are not high, but certain conditions are required to apply for a study accompanying work visa.

New Zealand Immigration Bureau regulations: Students studying in New Zealand’s research master’s or doctoral programs can work freely without time restrictions, and their spouses can obtain work visas (children under the age of 18 who are traveling with them can study for free New Zealand public primary and secondary schools).

For spouses to accompany them, the following conditions apply:

1. The student is enrolled in a long-term absolute shortage course, and the course is undergraduate or above;

2. The student is enrolled in The course is for graduate students and above;

6. Japan - Only couples who are accompanying students

Studying in Japan has a policy of accompanying couples, and accompanying students can work in Japan, but please note that cohabitation relationships are Cannot apply.

The application conditions for accompanying students are basically as follows: first, international students must live in Japan for at least half a year, usually more than one year; secondly, international students must be monks or above, and a doctorate is the easiest to be approved. It is more difficult for undergraduate students; thirdly, international students must have a bank deposit of about 2 million yen, and proof of a fixed income of more than 2 million yen per year (generally referring to scholarships and bursaries, research grants, etc. provided by the school); finally, they need Financial Guarantor.