Immigration benefits for same-sex couples

Crown Relocations, together with all related departments of the brand, periodically analyzes the trends of the relocation sector, and recently completed a study of the various destinations on the immigration benefits for same-sex couples who have decided to relocate.

Gay-friendly indicates a person, an association, a locality or an economic activity that concretely demonstrates an open, welcoming and non-discriminatory attitude towards gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals.

In the world of Crown Relocations this refers to the choice to move to countries where different rights are recognized compared to those of the country of departure, which can be rights such as marriage and adoption by same-sex couples.

If until not long ago it was mainly traditional families led by the man of the house who left their country for a better job, today things have changed profoundly. More and more women are holding top positions by deciding to go working abroad, relocating the whole family, but the trend also sees unmarried couples and same-sex couples.

It is clear that according to the laws of the country to which one has to move, problems arise for every situation that deviates from the traditional family concept, especially when one moves from a more welcoming country to one with more intransigent laws. This is how Crown Relocations often ends up helping couples and families who deviate from what is defined as “traditional” in the destination countries, supporting them in the management of the move but also in the cultural and social integration of the new arrival destination.

“For these workers, the need is not so much to relocate easily, but rather to be able to completely and adequately relocate the whole family. – explains Andrea Fascetti, Global Director of Immigration Services for Crown Relocations. – As Crown Relocations we try to facilitate this process and to favour the integration into the new reality, also with courses in the language and culture of the country where one is going to live, but in some cases we have to deal with the local laws that regulate the immigration and, more generally, the life of citizens. In particular, in the case of unmarried or same-sex couples, this can be much more complex in some countries. In general, we can say that these transfers are easier for Europe and the Americas, rather than for Asia and the Middle East countries.

If we want to analyze at European level which are the most gay friendly countries and which still present some difficulties in this regard, in Europe we are certainly on the right track with regard to immigration benefits for same-sex couples, but things are progressing very slowly and with strong disparities between states. In some countries there is a greater acceptance of homosexual and unmarried partners. For example, in the UK, the definition of the term "partner" includes married couples and civil or unmarried partners who have lived together for at least two years. In addition, the partner automatically has the right to work in the UK, which is very useful (with some exceptions, such as doctors, dentists or professional sportsmen). 

Among the countries where it is possible to obtain benefits for the immigration of accompanying partners, regardless of gender (but always bearing in mind other factors, such as the category of the work permit, the duration of the relationship, and the type of position) we also find Italy, together with Germany, Belgium, Holland, Malta and the Czech Republic.

More complex is the situation in the Asian countries of the Pacific Coast. Here, a marriage certificate is required in order to obtain the reunification of the partner, and to allow him/her/them to work as an employee or to obtain an employee visa. Even heterosexual couples who have been together for a long time and who have children cannot obtain a dependent residence permit if they are not married. The situation for same-sex couples is therefore not very easy if same-sex marriage is not recognized in the country of arrival, and therefore requires careful care in planning the transfer.

In terms of homosexual rights, as it is well known, the United States of America are among the most advanced countries in the world but moving with one's partner can present problems there too, albeit substantially very different.

In fact, one of the big problems is criminal convictions: even a speeding ticket from another country can be a reason for refusal of access. Often what a person did in their 20s can be a problem, especially in the case of a senior executive. This can make partners ineligible to enter the United States and the only way is to apply for consular waivers, regardless of the partner's gender.

If you too have to move abroad with your partner and you are experiencing one of these difficulties or have doubts about the gay-friendly level of the country you are about to move to, contact now Crown Relocations for personalized assistance on your specific case and be sure to plan your move in the best possible way and without any unpleasant hitches.