If your family is choosing between a UK rishta and a USA rishta, the visa is often the deciding factor. It decides how long you wait, how much you pay, and what life looks like when your son or daughter arrives. This guide compares the UK spouse visa and the USA CR-1 spouse visa.
Important note: immigration rules change, and fees and requirements can move at short notice. Every figure in this article should be confirmed on the official government website before you apply — GOV.UK for the UK, and USCIS and travel.state.gov for the USA. If this article and the official website disagree, the official website is right. This article is general information, not legal advice.
The Two Routes in Brief
The UK spouse visa is part of the family visa route. The partner living in the UK sponsors their husband or wife, usually through an online application from outside the UK. If it succeeds, the partner arrives with permission to live and work for two years and nine months, extends it, and can usually apply for settlement after five years.
The USA CR-1 visa is an immigrant visa for the spouse of a US citizen. The US citizen files Form I-130, with Form I-130A for the spouse, with USCIS. Once approved, the case moves to the National Visa Center, then to the US embassy for an interview. If the visa is issued, the spouse enters as a permanent resident and receives a green card. If the couple has been married for less than two years, the status is conditional (CR-1) and the couple later files Form I-751; if married for two years or more, the visa is IR-1 with a full ten-year card.
There is also the K-1 fiancé visa, for engaged couples. The US citizen files Form I-129F, the fiancé travels to the USA, and the couple must marry within 90 days. After the wedding, the spouse applies for a green card inside the USA — a second stage that adds time and cost. Our USA K-1 Fiancé Visa Guide covers that route.
Cost Comparison
Cost is where the two routes differ most sharply, and it surprises many families. The UK route is expensive upfront. The application fee from outside the UK is £2,064, and on top of that the applicant pays the Immigration Health Surcharge — £1,035 per year for an adult — which comes to £3,105 for the first grant of two years and nine months. That is £5,169 before the English language test, document translations, and any optional priority service. The priority service, where available, costs around £500. Fees are paid again at extension and again at settlement, so the total cost over five years is substantial.
The USA CR-1 route is cheaper in government fees. The I-130 petition costs $675 on paper or $625 online. The immigrant visa application fee is $325 per person, the affidavit of support review fee is $120 per case, and the USCIS immigrant fee — paid after the visa is issued, to produce the green card — is $235. Added together, the government fees for one spouse come to roughly $1,355 if the I-130 is filed on paper, or $1,305 if filed online, plus the medical examination and translations. The K-1 route costs more overall, because it adds the I-485 green card application fee of $1,440 after the wedding.
| Cost item | UK spouse visa | USA CR-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Main petition / application fee | £2,064 (from outside the UK) | $675 paper / $625 online (Form I-130) |
| Health / immigrant fees | £3,105 health surcharge (first grant) | $325 visa fee + $120 support review + $235 immigrant fee |
| Approximate government total | £5,169 before extras | Roughly $1,355 (paper) / $1,305 (online) |
| English test | Required; fee set by test provider | No English test required |
| Medical examination | TB test required in some countries | Medical exam with a panel physician required |
| Priority / faster service | Priority service around £500 where available | No premium processing for these petitions |
The UK route costs several times more in government fees — but speed, the financial test, and life on arrival matter just as much.
Speed: Which Is Faster?
The UK spouse visa is more predictable. GOV.UK says that applications made from outside the UK usually receive a decision within 12 weeks. Some cases take longer, especially if documents are missing or the case is complex, and the priority service can shorten the wait where it is available. But families can generally plan around a wait of about three months.
The USA CR-1 route is harder to predict. The I-130 petition is processed by USCIS, and processing times are republished every month and vary by service centre. After approval, the National Visa Center stage and the embassy interview add further months, and the wait depends heavily on which embassy will interview your spouse. There is no fixed timeline you can rely on, and no premium processing for the I-130 or I-129F. Many families wait a year or more from filing to arrival, and the K-1 route adds further months after arrival for the green card.
If speed and predictability matter most to your family, the UK route usually wins. If your family can accept a longer, less certain wait in exchange for lower fees and permanent residence on arrival, the USA route may suit you better. Either way, check the current processing times before you plan — the USCIS processing times tool for the USA, and GOV.UK for the UK.
The Financial Test
Both countries ask the sponsoring partner to show they can support the couple, but they test it differently. The UK test is a fixed number. For most new applicants, the couple must show a combined income of at least £29,000 a year, or cash savings of £88,500, or a combination of the two. The rules about which income counts, and what evidence is needed, are detailed — payslips, bank statements, and employment letters must follow a precise format, and many refusals happen because the evidence does not match the rules, even when the income itself is enough. Our UK Spouse Visa Requirements guide explains this in plain English.
The USA test is the affidavit of support, Form I-864. The US sponsor promises to support the spouse and must show income at or above a threshold set by the federal poverty guidelines — the exact figure depends on household size, so check the official website for the current requirement. The test is less rigid than the UK’s fixed figure, but the paperwork is still detailed.
In practice, the UK’s £29,000 threshold is a hard line that some families cannot meet, even with a good job — especially if the sponsor is self-employed, recently changed jobs, or earns just below the line. The USA route is more flexible for families whose income is modest but steady. On the other hand, the UK test is at least a clear number you can plan around, while the USA process has more stages where delays can happen.
English Language and Other Requirements
The UK requires the applicant to show English language ability, usually by passing an approved test at a basic level for the first application, with a higher level needed at extension and settlement. The test must be taken with an approved provider, and the result must be included with the application. There are exemptions for nationals of certain English-speaking countries and for people with a degree taught in English, but most applicants from Pakistan will need to take the test.
The USA has no English language test for a spouse visa. The interview at the embassy is conducted in English, and the officer will want to be satisfied that the marriage is genuine, but there is no formal language exam. For families worried about the English test, this is a real advantage of the USA route.
Both countries require proof that the marriage is genuine — photos, messages, evidence of meeting, and a consistent story about the relationship. Both require a medical examination: a tuberculosis test for the UK in some countries, including Pakistan, and a medical exam with a panel physician for the USA. Both require police certificates in some circumstances. And both will refuse an application if documents are missing or inconsistent, so careful preparation matters on either route.
Life on Arrival
What happens when your son or daughter arrives is another important difference. A UK spouse visa holder arrives with permission to live and work and can use the NHS. But the permission is temporary — two years and nine months — and the family must apply and pay again to extend it, and again for settlement after five years.
A CR-1 visa holder arrives as a permanent resident, with a green card. There is no extension to apply for after two years unless the status is conditional, in which case the couple files Form I-751 in the 90 days before the two-year card expires. A permanent resident can work, travel, and live in the USA without further visa applications, and may apply for US citizenship after three years as the spouse of a US citizen, if eligible. For many families, that permanence is the USA route’s greatest strength.
The K-1 route is different again: the fiancé arrives without work permission, must marry within 90 days, and then waits for a green card while unable to work or travel freely. Families choosing the K-1 route should plan financially for that gap, and understand that the total time to a green card is longer than the CR-1 route, even if the couple is reunited sooner.
Common Reasons for Refusal
Both routes refuse applications, and the reasons are often avoidable. In the UK, the most common problems are the financial requirement and missing documents. In the USA, they are incomplete petitions, missing documents, and doubts about whether the marriage is genuine. In both countries, inconsistencies in the couple’s story can cause serious trouble.
The best protection is preparation. Use the official checklists, keep copies of everything, and answer honestly and consistently. If your case is complicated, consider speaking to a qualified adviser before you apply — a refusal costs time and money, and a second application is harder than a careful first one.
Which Route Is Faster and Easier?
There is no single winner, but the trade-offs are clear. The UK spouse visa is faster and more predictable, with a decision usually in around 12 weeks, but it costs much more upfront and has a strict income test and an English test. The USA CR-1 visa is cheaper in government fees and gives permanent residence on arrival, but it is slower, less predictable, and has more stages. The K-1 fiancé visa can reunite a couple sooner, but the total journey to a green card is longer and more expensive.
Choose based on what matters most to you: speed, cost, the financial test, or permanence on arrival.
| UK spouse visa | USA CR-1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Usually around 12 weeks | Often many months; varies widely |
| Government fees | About £5,169 upfront | Roughly $1,355 |
| Financial test | Fixed £29,000 income or £88,500 savings | Affidavit of support; threshold varies |
| English test | Yes | No |
| Status on arrival | Temporary, 2 years 9 months | Permanent residence (conditional if married under 2 years) |
| Settlement | Usually after 5 years | Green card on arrival |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is faster, the UK spouse visa or the USA CR-1?
The UK spouse visa is usually faster and more predictable, with decisions from outside the UK usually in around 12 weeks. The USA CR-1 route often takes many months, and the time varies by service centre and embassy. Check the USCIS processing times tool for the current USA picture.
Which is cheaper, the UK spouse visa or the USA CR-1?
The USA CR-1 is cheaper in government fees — roughly $1,355 for one spouse, compared with about £5,169 upfront for the UK route including the health surcharge. But the UK route has fewer stages, and the total cost over five years depends on extensions and settlement fees in the UK and the I-751 process in the USA.
Do I need an English test for a USA spouse visa?
No. The USA has no formal English language test for a spouse visa. The UK requires an approved English test for the spouse visa, with a higher level needed at extension and settlement.
What is the UK spouse visa income requirement?
For most new applicants, the couple must show a combined income of at least £29,000 a year, or cash savings of £88,500, or a combination. Check the official website for the current requirement, because the threshold can change.
What is the difference between CR-1 and IR-1?
Both are immigrant visas for the spouse of a US citizen. CR-1 applies when the couple has been married for less than two years when the spouse becomes a resident, and the green card is conditional for two years. IR-1 applies when they have been married for two years or more, and the green card is a full ten-year card.
Is the K-1 fiancé visa faster than the CR-1?
The K-1 can sometimes reunite a couple sooner, because the petition stage is similar but there is no need to wait for a marriage abroad. However, the total journey to a green card is usually longer, because the spouse must apply for adjustment of status after the wedding, and cannot work until that is approved. For most couples, the CR-1 is the simpler overall route.
Conclusion
The UK spouse visa and the USA CR-1 are both serious, well-established routes — but they suit different families. If you need speed and predictability and can meet the income test and the fees, the UK route is the stronger choice. If lower fees, permanent residence on arrival, and no English test matter more, and you can accept a longer wait, the CR-1 is the stronger choice. Neither is “easier” in every way; each is easier in some ways and harder in others.
Whatever you choose, start from the official sources and prepare your documents carefully. A well-prepared application is the fastest application. For the wider comparison, read UK vs USA Rishta: Which Is Better for Your Family? and Life After Marriage: UK vs USA Compared. And remember: immigration rules change, so check the official government website before applying.
