Shared funding does not expand eligible relationships. Assess the actual spouse or unmarried child under 21 criteria and any independent proposal separately. Current official terms add a US$15,000 processing fee and US$1,000,000 gift for each eligible joining spouse or unmarried child under 21, including corporate cases; confirm individual eligibility and the operative instructions.
Avoid substituting money for eligibility
A relative’s contribution or dependence on the household does not itself establish derivative eligibility under the published family terms.
The FAQ recommends initial inclusion of intended eligible joining relatives; do not rewrite that guidance as either a blanket promise or a permanent bar to later changes. Record each proposed joining person’s identity, relationship, date of birth, marital status, current location, passport, and possible visa-availability issue. Separate travel dates do not necessarily require omitting an eligible spouse from initial planning, so clarify the intended application and arrival sequence. The practical decision is whether to include that person at the initial stage or use another available process later; do not let a shared address obscure separate eligibility and document requirements.