Czech Digital Nomad Visa for Families (2026): Who Qualifies, Kids and the School Rule
🇨🇿 Can Kids Come? The Short Answer
Czechia has a way of surprising families. Castles you can actually walk around, trams the kids want to ride all day, forests full of mushrooms in autumn, and a capital that’s easy to get around without a car.
But can a remote-working family actually live there for a year? We dug into the official rules to find out.
The good news? Yes, your spouse and kids can come. Czechia’s Digital Nomad Program lets your husband, wife or registered partner and your children join you, and it fast-tracks the whole family’s visas: decisions within 45 days.
The catches? It’s only for IT and marketing specialists from a list of 13 countries. Your family has to apply at the same time as you. And here’s the one most guides skip: once your kids are in Czechia for more than 90 days, Czech compulsory schooling applies to them.
The Short Version (checked 03-10-2026)
- Can kids come? Yes. Minor children, and adult children who still depend on you, can be included, as long as they apply at the same time as you.
- Who qualifies: IT and marketing specialists who work for a foreign employer, run a company managed from abroad, or freelance with a Czech trade licence.
- Passports: Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, the UK and the USA.
- Income: at least 1.5 times Czechia’s average gross annual wage. From 01-05-2026 that works out to CZK 73,822.50 a month gross, about €3,050 (our calculation from the official figures). No extra amount per family member.
- Length: a long-term visa for up to 1 year, then a residence permit if you want to stay longer.
- The catches: narrow job list, apply-together rule, your partner needs a work permit to work locally, and compulsory school after 90 days.
Checked against the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade, CzechInvest, the Ministry of the Interior’s Information Portal for Foreigners and Czech consulate pages on 03-10-2026. Visa rules change, so check the latest with the Ministry of Industry and Trade before you apply.
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📋 Czechia’s Digital Nomad Program at a Glance
| What it is | A government programme run by the Ministry of Industry and Trade that fast-tracks normal Czech long-term visas. It isn’t a separate visa type |
| Who it’s for | Highly qualified IT and marketing specialists working remotely |
| Passports | Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, UK, USA |
| Income | At least 1.5x the average gross annual wage. 01-05-2026 to 30-04-2027: CZK 885,870 a year, CZK 73,822.50 a month gross (about €3,050). No add-on for family |
| Family | Spouse, registered partner, and minor or dependent adult children of you or your spouse or partner, if they apply at the same time |
| Processing | Within 45 days of applying at the embassy |
| Length | Long-term visa up to 1 year; longer stays move to a residence permit |
| Visa fee | CZK 2,500 (about €105) per person. Free for children under 6 |
| Can your partner work? | Only with a Czech work permit |
| School | Compulsory schooling applies to children staying more than 90 days |
Euro amounts are our conversions at about 24.2 Czech koruna (CZK) to the euro (mid-2026). They move with exchange rates; the official amounts are in koruna.
Comparing countries? Our digital nomad visas by country tracker shows which visas let the whole family come, and our family visa guide lets you check every passport in your family side by side.
🧑💻 Who Qualifies
This is where most families fall at the first hurdle, so check it before anything else.
Your job has to be IT or marketing. The programme is for highly qualified IT specialists and marketing specialists who work remotely in one of three ways:
- Employee of a foreign employer: you keep working for your overseas company and don’t sign a Czech employment contract. Your employer must have at least 50 staff worldwide.
- Owner of a company managed from outside Czechia.
- Freelancer: you hold (or will hold) a Czech trade licence for IT-related business or marketing services.
You need the qualifications to match. The Ministry’s programme document asks IT specialists for a STEM degree or higher vocational qualification, or at least 3 years of IT experience. Marketing specialists need completed higher education of at least 3 years in marketing, advertising or a related field.
Your passport has to be on the list: Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, the UK or the USA.
Indian passports have a quota. India was added on 01-07-2025, with room for 24 business visas and 24 employee visas a year at the Czech embassy in New Delhi. Apply early.
What that means for our family: a remote developer, data analyst or digital marketer is a good fit. A remote teacher, writer or virtual assistant probably isn’t, however good the income. And if you work for a small start-up with under 50 people, the employee route is closed.
👨👩👧👦 Who Counts as Family
The Ministry of Industry and Trade lets your closest family members join the programme:
- Your husband or wife.
- Your registered partner.
- Your children, and your spouse’s or partner’s children, if they’re minors or adult children who still depend on you.
The big rule: apply together. Family members are included only if they apply for their visas at the same time as you, and come to the embassy with you. Each person still files their own family visa application.
What that means for a family: plan it as one family application from day one. If your partner or kids apply later, they lose the fast lane and go through the normal family visa process, which can take 90 to 120 days at some embassies.
Not married? Unmarried partners aren’t on the Ministry’s list. The Interior Ministry’s family visa page mentions spouses and same-sex partners from a former registered partnership. If you’re in a de facto relationship, ask the Ministry of Industry and Trade before you apply.
A note for mixed EU families like ours: Vanessa is Australian, while Marty, Louie and Leo are Dutch. When one of you holds an EU passport, the family usually uses EU free movement instead, and Czech long-term visas aren’t meant for family members of EU citizens who hold EU family residence cards. This programme is for families where nobody has an EU passport.
💶 How Much Income a Family Needs
The government sets the rule as a formula, not a fixed amount: at least 1.5 times the average gross annual wage announced by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
That figure is updated every year. The Ministry’s announcement of 20-03-2026 set the average gross annual wage at CZK 590,580 for 01-05-2026 to 30-04-2027.
| Amount | About in euros | |
|---|---|---|
| Per year (1.5 x CZK 590,580) | CZK 885,870 gross | About €36,600 |
| Per month | CZK 73,822.50 gross | About €3,050 |
These are our calculations from the government formula. For comparison, the Ministry of Industry and Trade uses the same base to set CZK 73,823 a month for Blue Card applicants from 01-05-2026.
For a family of four: the programme rules don’t add anything for a spouse or children. On the published rules, a family needs the same CZK 73,822.50 a month gross. You’ll also need to show separate proof of funds for each visa (next section).
How you prove it:
- Employees: your employment contract must show pay of at least 1.5x the average gross annual wage.
- Freelancers: a promise of a service contract, or a statutory declaration from your client, showing an IT or marketing project, how long it runs and payment of at least the same amount.
Watch the date. The figure resets every 1 May. If you apply in April, check whether the new figure is about to kick in. You’ll still see the old CZK 60,530 a month on some websites: it’s from 2023 and well out of date.
🏦 Proof of Funds (on Top of Income)
Every Czech long-term visa applicant also has to show money for their stay. The Interior Ministry sets it as:
- 15 times the subsistence minimum (CZK 3,130 a month), plus 2 times it for every whole month after the first.
- Half that amount for anyone under 18.
- Business visas (the freelancer route) use a flat 50 times the subsistence minimum: CZK 156,500.
| 12-month stay | Amount | About in euros |
|---|---|---|
| Each adult (employee or family visa) | CZK 115,810 | About €4,790 |
| Each child under 18 | CZK 57,905 | About €2,390 |
| Freelancer (business visa) | CZK 156,500 | About €6,470 |
| Family of four, employee route | CZK 347,430 | About €14,360 |
| Family of four, freelancer route | CZK 388,120 | About €16,040 |
Our calculations from the Interior Ministry’s formula, for a 12-month stay. A shorter visa needs less.
What we don’t know yet: whether each family member’s funds can sit in the working parent’s bank account. The Interior Ministry’s page doesn’t say. Ask the embassy when you book your appointment.
🎒 School and Homeschooling: The 90-Day Rule
This is the part that matters most for worldschoolers, and it’s easy to miss.
The Czech government says compulsory education applies to foreigners who have lived in Czechia for more than 90 days. Compulsory schooling covers 9 years, usually from age 6. A long-term visa means your stay is longer than 90 days, so this applies to your kids.
Your options under Czech law:
- A Czech school. Children can be enrolled during the school year, not only at the usual January to February enrolment.
- A foreign or international school operating in Czechia under section 38 of the Education Act. Children are also registered with a Czech school.
- Individual education (home education) under section 41 of the Education Act.
What that means for our family: you can’t simply keep worldschooling under the radar for a year. Before you go, decide which option you’ll use and contact a local school early. If you plan to homeschool, ask exactly how individual education works for foreign children: we couldn’t confirm the details on an official page.
Our international school directory, worldschooling legal guide and online homeschool programs can help you weigh it up.
💳 Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Long-term visa, each person | CZK 2,500 (about €105) |
| Children under 6 (family visa) | Free |
| Extending a long-term visa inside Czechia | CZK 1,000 (about €40) |
| Business visa (freelancer route) | CZK 5,000 at the Shanghai consulate; not confirmed elsewhere |
Example: a family of four on the employee route, with both kids aged 6 or over, would pay CZK 10,000, about €410, in visa fees (our calculation from the official fees). We didn’t find a fee for joining the programme itself.
🩺 Insurance
You show insurance after your visa is approved, before it goes into your passport. The Interior Ministry accepts either:
- travel medical insurance for the first 90 days plus comprehensive medical insurance for the rest of your stay, or
- comprehensive medical insurance for the whole stay.
The Czech consulate in Los Angeles says the comprehensive plan has to be with an insurance company authorised to provide it in Czechia. A standard international nomad policy may not qualify, so check before you buy.
The good news for kids: children under 18 only need travel medical insurance for the first 90 days. The Interior Ministry says that after collecting long-term residence, they automatically join the Czech public health insurance system by law. Ask the insurer how to register them when you arrive.
Our health insurance guide for nomad families compares options for the travel part.
📄 Documents You’ll Need
For Each Family Member’s Visa
- The long-term visa application form and a valid passport
- Proof of accommodation in Czechia
- Proof of funds (see above)
- The original proof of family relationship: marriage certificate, birth certificates
- Parental consent for anyone under 18
- A criminal record certificate from your country of citizenship, but not for children under 15. The embassy can also ask for one from other countries you’ve lived in for 6+ months over the last 3 years
- A medical report, if requested
For the Working Parent
- The Ministry of Industry and Trade’s approval for the programme
- Your employment contract (employees) or client contracts or declarations (freelancers) showing the income
- Proof of your qualifications or experience
Family tip: foreign certificates usually need an apostille or legalisation and a certified Czech translation. Check the Interior Ministry’s formal requirements, and start early: birth certificates are the documents that slow families down.
📝 How to Apply
- Apply to join the programme by emailing the Ministry of Industry and Trade at digitalnomad@mpo.gov.cz, with the forms and documents listed on its website.
- Book your embassy appointment. Long-term visas are applied for in person at the Czech embassy in your passport country, or in a country where you’ve held long-term or permanent residence for at least 2 years.
- Apply together. You file the long-term visa for your purpose (employee: “other”; freelancer: “business”), and your family files family visas at the same time.
- Wait up to 45 days for a decision on programme applications.
- Show insurance and collect your visas at the same embassy.
- Register with the Foreign Police within 3 business days of arriving in Czechia.
What that means for a nomad family on the road: you usually can’t apply from whichever country you’re in. Plan a trip home (or to your country of residence) for the appointment. In mixed-passport families, check which embassy each person must use.
⏳ How Long You Can Stay
- Year one: a Czech long-term visa can last up to 1 year, including any extensions.
- Employees: your place in the programme lasts up to 1 year. To stay longer, apply to the Ministry of Industry and Trade to extend it before your visa expires, then apply inside Czechia for a long-term residence permit for the same purpose. Your family applies for long-term residence permits for family purposes.
- Freelancers: your place in the programme has no time limit, but the visa and permit rules still apply.
- Travel: with a valid long-term visa you can leave and come back, and travel around the Schengen Area without another visa.
Heads-up for employees: the Ministry’s 2023 programme document asked for a certificate of Czech tax domicile to extend. In plain terms, staying beyond the first year meant becoming a Czech tax resident. We couldn’t confirm whether the current version still asks for it.
Permanent residence: Czechia offers permanent residence after 5 years of continuous residence, with a Czech language exam. Whether time on this programme counts towards it isn’t confirmed.
💻 Work and Tax
- Employees: you stay employed by your foreign employer and don’t sign a Czech employment contract.
- Freelancers: you need a Czech trade licence, so you’ll have Czech registration duties.
- Your partner: on a family visa, they need a Czech work permit to work in Czechia.
- Tax residence: you’re a Czech tax resident if you have your home in Czechia, or spend 183 days or more there in a calendar year. Czech tax residents are taxed on their worldwide income.
What that means for our family: a year in Czechia almost certainly makes you Czech tax residents. There’s no special nomad tax break in the rules we found. Talk to a tax adviser in your home country and in Czechia before you go. Our remote work guide for families covers setting up location-independent work.
🔍 What We Couldn’t Confirm
We only use official government sources, so we’d rather tell you what’s missing than guess:
- Which passports, exactly. The Ministry of Industry and Trade lists India; CzechInvest’s English page doesn’t. We follow the Ministry, which runs the programme.
- Home education for foreign children. Czech law allows individual education, but we couldn’t confirm how it works for kids on this visa.
- Extension requirements today. The tax domicile rule comes from the 2023 programme document; we couldn’t read the current version in full.
- Unmarried partners. Not on the Ministry’s family list.
- Whose bank account counts for family members’ proof of funds.
- The freelancer visa fee. CZK 5,000 appears on one consulate page only.
- Permanent residence. Whether programme time counts towards the 5 years.
🧭 Is the Czech Digital Nomad Program Right for Your Family?
It suits families who:
- Have a parent in IT or marketing, with a big enough employer or solid freelance contracts
- Hold one of the 13 listed passports, and no EU passport
- Want a year in Central Europe with easy Schengen travel
- Are happy to use a Czech or international school, or sort out home education properly
Think twice if:
- Your work isn’t IT or marketing
- You work for a company with fewer than 50 people
- Your partner needs to work locally straight away
- You want to worldschool without any school registration
- You can’t easily get back to your passport country for the embassy appointment
Weighing up the cost? Our 50-destination cost comparison shows how Czechia stacks up, and our guides to life in the Czech Republic and Prague for nomad families cover where to base yourselves.
❓ Czech Digital Nomad Visa for Families: FAQs
Can my kids come on Czechia’s digital nomad visa?
Yes. Minor children, and adult children who still depend on you, can be included in the Digital Nomad Program. So can your spouse or registered partner. They must apply at the same time as you.
How much income does a family need for the Czech digital nomad visa?
At least 1.5 times Czechia’s average gross annual wage. From 01-05-2026 to 30-04-2027 that’s CZK 885,870 a year, or CZK 73,822.50 a month gross, about €3,050 (our calculation). The programme doesn’t add an amount for family members.
Which passports can apply?
Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, the UK and the USA. India has a yearly quota at the New Delhi embassy.
Who qualifies for the Czech Digital Nomad Program?
Highly qualified IT and marketing specialists who work for a foreign employer with 50+ staff, run a company managed from outside Czechia, or freelance with a Czech trade licence.
Can we homeschool in Czechia?
Compulsory schooling applies to children who live in Czechia for more than 90 days. Czech law offers a Czech school, a foreign school in Czechia, or individual education. We couldn’t confirm how individual education works for foreign children on this visa.
How long can we stay in Czechia?
The long-term visa lasts up to 1 year. To stay longer, employees extend their programme place with the Ministry of Industry and Trade before the visa expires, then apply for a long-term residence permit in Czechia.
Can my partner work in Czechia?
Only with a Czech work permit. Family visa holders need one to work in Czechia.
How long does the Czech digital nomad visa take?
Long-term visa applications under the programme are processed within 45 days of being submitted at the embassy.
We have one EU parent. Do we need this programme?
Probably not. Families with an EU citizen usually use EU free movement instead, and Czech long-term visas aren’t meant for family members of EU citizens holding EU family residence cards.
🌍 Our Takeaways
For the right family, Czechia’s Digital Nomad Program is a quiet winner: family included, a 45-day decision and a year in the heart of Europe.
But it’s narrow. Check your job, your employer’s size and your passport first. Plan to apply as a whole family, at the same time. And sort out school before you land, because Czech compulsory schooling kicks in after 90 days.
If it fits, it’s a brilliant base for exploring Europe by train with kids. 🇨🇿
🔗 Official Sources
- Ministry of Industry and Trade: Digital Nomad Program
- Ministry of Industry and Trade: Program digitální nomád (Czech, country list incl. India)
- Ministry of Industry and Trade: Digital Nomad Program document, effective 01-01-2025 (Czech, PDF)
- Ministry of Industry and Trade: programme changes from 01-07-2025 (India added)
- Ministry of Industry and Trade: average gross annual wage from 01-05-2026 (CZK 590,580)
- CzechInvest: Digital Nomad Program
- Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles: Digital Nomad Program (13-03-2026)
- Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles: family visas and insurance
- Ministry of the Interior: Long-term Visa for Family Purposes
- Ministry of the Interior: Proof of Funds for the Stay
- Public Administration Portal: Application for a long-term visa
- Public Administration Portal: Primary education (compulsory schooling for foreigners)
- Public Administration Portal: Personal income taxes (tax residence)
- Ministry of the Interior: Czech Language Exam Certificate (permanent residence)
Last checked 03-10-2026. Visa rules, income figures and fees change, so check the latest with the Ministry of Industry and Trade before you apply.
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