Costa Rica's Digital Nomad Visa for Families (2026): Income, Kids Up to 25 and the 180-Day Rule

🦜 Can Kids Come? The Short Answer

Toucans in the garden, monkeys on the power lines and a volcano on the horizon. It’s easy to see why Costa Rica sits on so many family wishlists. For our boys, a place where wildlife is part of everyday life sounds like the best classroom there is.

The good news? Costa Rica’s digital nomad visa is one of the most family-friendly we’ve researched. It doesn’t just cover partners and young kids. Children up to 24 and grandparents who live with you can come too.

Officially, it isn’t called a visa. Costa Rica’s law calls it a stay for a “remote worker or remote service provider” (Trabajador o Prestador Remoto de Servicios). Everyone calls it the digital nomad visa, though, so we will too.

The Short Version (checked 02-10-2026)

• Can kids come? Yes. Children under 25, children of any age with a disability, and older adults who live with you are all part of the family group.
• Income: US$3,000 a month on your own, or US$4,000 a month for the whole family. Partners can add their incomes together to reach it.
• Length: 1 year, extendable once for 1 more year, but only if you’ve spent at least 180 days in Costa Rica.
• Work: remote work only, for employers or clients outside Costa Rica. Nobody in the family can take a local job.
• Tax: the remote worker pays no Costa Rican income tax on that foreign income.

Checked against Costa Rica’s law (Ley 10008) and its regulation (Decreto 43619) on 02-10-2026. Visa rules change, so check current details before you apply.

📋 Costa Rica’s Nomad Visa at a Glance

Euro figures are a rough guide at mid-2026 exchange rates. The official amounts are in US dollars.

Comparing countries? Our digital nomad visas by country tracker shows which visas let the whole family come, and our family visa guide explains where to start.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Who Counts as Family in Costa Rica

This is where Costa Rica really shines. The law defines the family group as:

• A spouse or de facto partner. You don’t have to be married.
• Children under 25. That covers teenagers and young adults still travelling with you, which most countries don’t.
• Children of any age with a disability.
• Older adults who live with you. If grandparents are part of your household, they can come too.

Proof: passport photos for each family member, birth certificates for the children, and any other document that shows the relationship. Each family member also pays their own one-time visa fee.

⚠️ The Rule That Matters for Travelling Families: 180 Days

The visa lasts one year. You can extend it once, for one more year, but only if you’ve spent at least 180 days in Costa Rica during that first year.

For worldschooling families, that changes how you plan. Want two years? Treat Costa Rica as your main base in year one, and keep side trips short. If you’re only after one year of slow travel around Central America, the rule doesn’t matter.

Before the visa runs out, you can also ask to switch to a different immigration category if you want to stay longer.

💵 How Much Income a Family Needs

Unlike most countries, Costa Rica doesn’t add an amount for each child. It uses a flat figure for the whole family.

Two parents working? Here’s the good bit. The law lets you make up the US$4,000 with your income plus your partner’s, or another family member’s. So two parents earning US$2,000 each can qualify together.

Irregular income? The law accepts a stable monthly salary, a fixed income, or an average monthly income over the last year. That helps freelancers with up-and-down months. The income has to keep coming in while you’re in Costa Rica.

For a sense of what a family actually spends there, see our Costa Rica with kids guide and our guide to what it really costs to live abroad with kids.

📄 Documents You’ll Need

A 2022 change to the law made this simpler. Apart from the specific items below, families only have to meet the same entry requirements as tourists.

For the Working Parent

• Proof that you work remotely for people or companies outside Costa Rica, and are paid from abroad
• Proof of income: US$3,000 a month, or US$4,000 if your family is coming
• Medical insurance covering you and every family member for the whole stay
• Proof you’ve paid the one-time visa fee

For Each Family Member

• Passport photos
• Birth certificates for the children
• Any other proof of the family relationship
• Proof of their own one-time visa fee

Documents in another language need a Spanish translation. Our remote work guide for families covers how parents set up location-independent work.

📝 How to Apply

1. Apply online to Costa Rica’s immigration agency, the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME).
2. Include your family and their documents with the application.
3. Wait for the decision. By law, it should come within 15 calendar days.
4. Keep track of your days in Costa Rica if you plan to extend into a second year.

💳 Fees

Every family member pays a one-time visa fee. The amount is set by regulation, and US$100 per person is the figure widely reported. We couldn’t confirm it on an official page, so check the current amount with DGME before you pay.

🎒 Kids: Insurance, Documents and School

• Insurance for everyone: the policy has to cover every family member for the whole stay. Immigration sets the minimum cover, and we couldn’t confirm the amount officially. Our health insurance guide for nomad families compares family options.
• Teenagers and young adults: children under 25 count as family, so an older teen or a 20-something can come on your visa.
• No local jobs: nobody on the visa can take paid work in Costa Rica. That includes older kids who’d like a summer job.
• School: the law doesn’t say anything about school access. Check with the school directly, and read our international school directory and worldschooling legal guide.
• Travelling with only one parent? Carry a consent letter from the other parent. Our solo parenting guide explains what to include.

Costa Rica is also a brilliant place to learn from nature. Our post on why wildlife travel is the best worldschooling explains why. 🐒

🧾 Tax and Perks

• Income tax: the remote worker is fully exempt from Costa Rican income tax on their foreign income. The exemption doesn’t extend to family members, so if your partner earns too, get tax advice.
• Work equipment: no import duties on the basic computer and telecoms equipment you need for work.
• Driving: your valid home driving licence works in Costa Rica.
• Banking: you can open a savings account at a Costa Rican bank.

Your home country may still tax you, so speak to a tax adviser before you go.

🧭 Is Costa Rica’s Visa Right for Your Family?

It suits families who:

• Earn around US$4,000 a month or more between both parents
• Have teenagers, young adults or grandparents travelling with them
• Want a one or two-year base with wildlife on the doorstep

Think twice if:

• You plan to travel a lot in year one but still want a second year, because of the 180-day rule
• Your partner or older kids want to work locally
• You need a guaranteed route to permanent residence. We couldn’t confirm one for this visa.

Weighing up the region? Our guide to Central and South America with kids compares the options, and our 50-destination cost comparison shows how Costa Rica stacks up.

❓ Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa for Families: FAQs

Can my kids come on Costa Rica’s digital nomad visa?

Yes. Children under 25 are part of the family group, and so are children of any age with a disability.

How much income does a family of four need?

US$4,000 a month in total, and you can combine both parents’ incomes to reach it.

Can grandparents come too?

Yes, if they’re older adults who live with you. They’re included in the law’s definition of the family group.

Can we stay longer than one year?

You can extend once, for one more year, if you’ve spent at least 180 days in Costa Rica during the first year.

Do we pay tax in Costa Rica?

The remote worker pays no Costa Rican income tax on their foreign income. The exemption doesn’t cover other family members, so get advice if your partner also earns.

Can my partner work in Costa Rica?

Only remotely, for people or companies abroad. Nobody on this visa can take paid work in Costa Rica.

How much does it cost?

Each family member pays a one-time visa fee. US$100 per person is widely reported, but we couldn’t confirm it officially, so check with DGME.

🌴 Our Takeaways

Costa Rica gets the family part right. A flat US$4,000 for the whole family, combined incomes, kids up to 24 and even grandparents. Few countries are this generous.

The catch is the 180-day rule. If you want two years, Costa Rica has to be home base, not a stopover. And a few details, like the fee and the insurance minimum, are worth confirming with immigration before you apply.

Planning the rest of the move? Start with our Costa Rica with kids guide.

🔗 Official Sources

• La Gaceta No. 168: Ley 10008 (law for remote workers and service providers)
• Procuraduría General de la República: Decreto 43619 (regulation to Ley 10008)

Last checked 02-10-2026. Visa rules, fees and requirements change, so check current details with DGME before you apply.