Where Can Our Mixed-Passport Family Actually Go?

🌍 Before 30, the World Felt Wide Open

Working holiday visas were my ticket out. Pick a country, pack a bag, find some work and figure out the rest when I got there. It felt like the whole world was saying yes.

Then I turned 30. And just like that, those doors closed.

Travelling was still possible. Marty and I spent two incredible years exploring the world. But travelling somewhere and actually living there are two very different things.

After those two years, I wanted somewhere warm. Marty wanted to stay in the EU, close to his family. Could we have both?

The answer came from a colleague back in Milford Sound. His brother lived in La Línea, just over the border from Gibraltar, and worked in Gibraltar. Earn in pounds, live cheaper in Spain. It sounded perfect.

So we went for it. I lined up a job on a permanent cruise ship with an old boss. A friend in La Línea offered us a place to stay until we found our own apartment. Everything was falling into place.

Then I walked into the Gibraltar visa office.

It was a bit of a nightmare. They didn’t want to know me. It felt like there was a queue for jobs, Gibraltarians first, then the English, then the Spanish. As an Aussie, there was simply no space for me. This was before Brexit, and I’d understood that EU partners could live and work anywhere in the EU. On paper, maybe. In that office, no.

Two weeks later, we were back in the Netherlands.

So we did what you’re supposed to do. We settled into a house. Louie arrived. We tried the “normal” life.

And it was lovely in so many ways. But there was always a heavy heart sitting underneath it all. I missed travelling. I missed exploring. I missed that feeling of waking up somewhere new.

We tried to fill the gap with holidays. France, Germany, Belgium. Beautiful places, good memories. But a week or two away never really hit the spot. Do you know that feeling? You come home, unpack the suitcase, and the restlessness is still there.

That restlessness is why I started Worldly Tribe. 🌍

And when I started digging into visas again, I couldn’t believe what I found. Countries are now creating visas for people who work remotely. And many of them don’t just put up with families. They welcome them. Partners, kids, sometimes even children up to 25.

It honestly felt like being handed a present. 🎁

So where can our family actually go? And for how long? That’s what this post is all about. Spoiler: the answer depends on which one of us you ask.

🛂 One Family, Four Passports

Here’s the thing most visa guides skip: a family isn’t one passport. Ours certainly isn’t.

• Marty is Dutch.
• I’m Australian, living in the Netherlands on a Dutch residence permit. I’m about to apply for EU long-term residence (more on why later!).
• Louie is Dutch and Australian.
• Leo is Dutch, and we’re applying for his Australian citizenship soon.

So when we ask “how long can we stay?”, we’re really asking four questions. And the answer for the whole family is always the shortest one.

The boys rarely set that limit. With both passports, they can line up with either Marty or me. So in practice, it comes down to the two of us, and which one of us sets the limit changes from country to country.

In Europe, it’s me. Marty can come and go freely as an EU citizen. With my Dutch residence permit, I can spend up to 90 days in any 180 in the other Schengen countries.

In Barbados, it’s Marty. My Aussie passport gets six months visa-free. His Dutch one gets three months in any six.

Sometimes it even changes the price. In Rwanda, Commonwealth passports get a free visa on arrival, so Louie and I would walk in on our Aussie passports (and Leo too, once his comes through). 🇷🇼

Same family, same trip, completely different rules. Fun, right? 😅 If your family has more than one passport too, our passport tool lets you check each family member side by side.

One thing we checked before applying for Leo’s Australian citizenship: could he lose his Dutch nationality? According to the IND, a child who takes on the nationality of one parent keeps their Dutch nationality if the other parent is Dutch. Marty is, so Leo stays Dutch. If your family is in a similar spot, check it for your own situation first.

✈️ Where We Can Go Right Now

Let’s start with the honest version: what’s possible for us today, on my current Dutch residence permit.

My permit comes with one big rule. According to the IND, I can’t be outside the Netherlands for more than 6 continuous months in a calendar year. So for now, six months is our ceiling, however long a country would let us stay.

Six months is still a lot of adventure, though!

Up to 6 months, no visa application needed

These are the countries where all four of us can stay around six months on visitor entry:

• Georgia: a full visa-free year for both our passports (capped at six months by my permit). Health insurance is compulsory from 2026.
• Colombia: 90 days, extendable inside the country for another 90. (Our Colombia family visa guide covers the longer nomad visa too.)
• Ecuador: 90 days, plus one 90-day extension.
• Mexico and Costa Rica: up to 180 days, but the officer at the airport decides how long you actually get.
• Armenia: up to 180 days a year.
• Mauritius: visa-free, with extensions up to six months a year.
• Bahamas: up to eight months for visitors, set by the officer (so six for me).
• Kenya: 90 days on an eTA (every family member needs one, babies included), extendable by another 90.

One big caveat: visitor entry isn’t always meant for remote work. Some countries allow it, many don’t say. Always check before you open the laptop.

Up to 6 months with a nomad visa

Another 13 countries have long-stay routes that include families, like Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Barbados, Dominica, Curaçao and the UAE. These need an application, and most have an income requirement. Many would let us stay a year or more, but my permit keeps us to six months for now. You’ll find them all in our digital nomad visa tracker.

Around 3 months

Panama, Turkey, South Africa, Argentina, Uruguay, Moldova, Vietnam, Guadeloupe and New Zealand. (NZ is a funny one: I can live there indefinitely as an Aussie, but Marty gets three months.)

And Europe?

The Netherlands is home. In the other Schengen countries, I get 90 days in any 180 with my residence permit. Marty and the boys have no limit. So Europe works for us in three-month chunks.

💡 Our tip: the IND counts the six months per calendar year. A trip from November to June doesn’t break the rule, because the months are split across two years.

🇪🇺 What Changes With EU Long-Term Residence

So why am I applying? One word: freedom.

EU long-term residence plays by much friendlier rules. According to the IND, I’d only lose it if I’m outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland for more than 12 continuous months. And that clock restarts after a stay of just a few days back in Europe.

In real life, that means a year away is fine, as long as we pop back to Europe before it’s up. With Marty’s family in the Netherlands, that’s a visit we’d want to make anyway. 💛

There’s one more rule: no more than six continuous years outside the Netherlands. Not something we’re planning on any time soon!

Until it’s granted, my current permit’s rules still apply. So no counting chickens just yet.

The countries that open up to a full year

Once it comes through, these become proper 12-month options for our family:

• Georgia: a whole year, visa-free. No application at all.
• Costa Rica: 1 year plus 1 more, and kids under 25 can come.
• Mexico: temporary residence for up to 4 years.
• Colombia: nomad visa for up to 2 years.
• Ecuador: nomad visa for up to 2 years.
• Brazil: 1 year, renewable.
• Dominica: up to 18 months, with one family fee.
• Barbados: a 12-month Welcome Stamp for the whole family.
• Bahamas: 12 months, renewable up to 3 years.
• Curaçao: 6 months plus 6 more.
• Thailand: up to 180 days per entry, plus a 180-day extension.
• Malaysia: up to 12 months, renewable once.
• South Korea: 1 year, extendable up to 3.
• Sri Lanka: 1 year, renewable.
• Mauritius: 1 year, renewable.
• Kazakhstan: 1 year plus 1 more.
• UAE: 1 year, extendable. (Note: Australia’s travel advice currently says to reconsider your need to travel to the UAE.)

That’s 17 countries where we could genuinely settle in for a year. From six months to twelve, just by changing my paperwork. 🙌

Most of these need a nomad visa with an income requirement, so a full year isn’t automatic. But the door is open, and that’s what matters.

💛 Our Shortlist

We could have picked twenty. These are the seven that keep pulling at us.

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

Sloths, toucans, rainforest so green it almost hurts your eyes. For a family that loves wildlife, Costa Rica is pretty much a dream classroom. 🦥

Costa Rica’s remote worker stay runs for a year, with one more year possible if you spend at least 180 days in the country in year one. With family, the income bar is US$4,000 a month, and couples can combine their incomes to reach it. The best bit for families? Children under 25 can come. Without a visa, visitors can stay up to 180 days, but the officer at the airport decides.

📖 Read our full Costa Rica remote worker visa guide for families.

Now: up to 6 months. Later: up to 2 years.

🇲🇽 Mexico

Honestly? The food. And the diversity. From beaches to colonial towns to jungle, it feels like several countries in one.

No nomad visa, but temporary residence lasts up to 4 years, with spouse and kids as dependants. The income rule is set in Mexican pesos (about MXN 79,771 a month in 2026), and it varies by consulate, so check yours. After 4 years, you can apply for permanent residence.

📖 Read our full Mexico temporary residency guide for families.

Now: up to 6 months. Later: up to 4 years.

🇹🇭 Thailand

This one’s not a dream, it’s a plan! We’re heading there soon, and we already know it works for us: tropical weather, elephants and food we can’t stop thinking about. 🐘

Visa-free entry has dropped to 30 days, tourism only. The Destination Thailand Visa is the family route: valid for 5 years, up to 180 days per entry, plus one 180-day extension. Spouses and kids under 20 apply as dependants. The catch: a bank balance of THB 500,000, and at least one Thai embassy asks for that per dependant, while others only ask for the main applicant’s funds. If your kids will attend a Thai school, they need a different visa.

📖 Read our full Thailand visa guide for families.

Now: up to 6 months. Later: up to a year per entry.

🇳🇦 Namibia

We’d love to experience more of Africa, and Namibia feels like something completely different from anything we’ve done before. That’s exactly why it’s on the list.

Namibia’s nomad visa is refreshingly clear about families: US$2,000 a month, plus US$1,000 for a spouse and US$500 per child. For us, that’s US$4,000 a month (our calculation from the government formula). It lasts 6 months and can’t be renewed: you reapply 12 months after it ends. Bring each child’s full birth certificate.

Now and later: 6 months.

🇩🇲 Dominica

Full confession: this one’s here because our own destination quiz picked it for us. Who are we to argue? 😂

The Work In Nature visa covers up to 18 months, and the whole family goes on one application with one family fee (US$100 plus US$1,200). The income guide is US$50,000 over 12 months. Kids can attend public, private or online school. Worth knowing: school is compulsory from 5 to 16, so check how that fits your worldschooling plans.

📖 Read our full Dominica guide for families.

Now: up to 6 months. Later: up to 18 months.

🇬🇪 Georgia (but not in winter 😉)

Georgia has been on our list forever. It’s so underrated, and the nature around it looks incredible. My only worry: finding enough veggie food. Tips welcome!

The simplest of the lot: a full year visa-free for both our passports. No application, no income test. Since January 2026, everyone needs health and accident insurance for their whole stay. One thing still unclear: whether remote work for an overseas employer needs a Georgian work permit.

📖 Read our full Georgia guide for families.

Now: up to 6 months. Later: up to a year.

🇲🇺 Mauritius

Turquoise water, a vibrant multicultural heritage and rare wildlife you won’t find anywhere else. It’s stunning, and I want to see it with my own eyes. 🏝️

Visitors can stay up to six months a year with extensions. For longer, the Premium Visa runs for a year, is renewable, and is designed for people coming with their families. It’s free, and you can apply while you’re already in Mauritius on a tourist stay. The income figure isn’t confirmed on a government page yet.

Now: up to 6 months. Later: up to a year, renewable.

💶 What It Really Costs

Here’s something nobody told me: “family-friendly” visas can get expensive fast, because many costs multiply per person.

There are three kinds of money to plan for:

• Income requirements: what you need to earn each month.
• Proof of funds: savings you need to show (and keep) in the bank.
• Fees: what you actually pay to apply.

When we looked into Thailand’s DTV, we found the bank balance requirement is THB 500,000, around €13,000. At least one Thai embassy asks for that per applicant, while others only ask for the main applicant’s funds. For Marty and me, doable. For all four of us? That’s a lot of money to have sitting still. 😬 So check with the embassy you’ll apply through.

How our shortlist compares:

• Costa Rica: US$4,000 a month income for the whole family, and couples can combine incomes. A flat family amount, which really helps.
• Mexico: about MXN 79,771 a month in income, or a much larger savings balance. Some consulates add extra per dependant.
• Namibia: US$4,000 a month for our family of four, using the government’s per-person formula.
• Dominica: US$50,000 income over 12 months, and one family fee: US$100 plus US$1,200, total.
• Georgia: no visa, no fee, no income test. You do need health insurance for everyone.
• Mauritius: the Premium Visa itself is free. The income figure isn’t confirmed on a government page yet.

💡 Our tip: always check whether a requirement is per family or per person. And with dual-passport kids, check which passport is cheapest for each family member. It can make the difference between “easy” and “not this year”.

Visa costs are only part of the picture. For rent, food, school and everything in between, see our guide to what it really costs to live abroad with kids, and our 50-destination cost comparison.

🧭 What We’ve Learned

Researching all of this taught us a lot. Some of it the hard way (hello, Gibraltar). If you’re a mixed-passport family, here’s what we’d tell you over a coffee:

1. Find out who sets your limit. Your family can only stay as long as the person with the shortest allowance. For us, that’s me in Europe and Marty in Barbados. Work it out per country, per person.
2. Check the rules of the country you live in, not just the ones you’re visiting. This one surprised me most. My Dutch residence permit has its own absence rules, and they limit our travel more than most visas do. If you’re on a residence permit anywhere, look up how long you’re allowed to be away before you book anything long.
3. Watch the small signals. The IND looks at things like deregistering from your local council or renting out your home as signs you’ve moved abroad. Small admin choices can have big consequences.
4. Visitor entry doesn’t always mean you can work. Plenty of countries let you in visa-free, but many don’t say whether remote work is allowed, and some (like Thailand’s 30-day exemption) clearly say it isn’t. Don’t assume. Our remote work guide for families covers the work side.
5. Read the family rules closely. “Family welcome” means different things everywhere. Kids under 18? Under 20? Under 25? Partners included, or only married spouses? Does everyone apply together, or does the family join later? These details decide whether a visa actually works for you.
6. Check before your kids take a second citizenship. Dual nationality is wonderful, but some countries have rules about losing citizenship. We checked the Dutch rules for Leo before applying. Do the same for your family’s countries.
7. Paperwork for kids is its own job. Full birth certificates, parental consent letters, sometimes their own insurance. Start gathering early.
8. Always go to the official source. Rules change fast. Thailand cut its visa-free stay from 60 days to 30 in September 2026. On paper and in practice can also be two different things, as I found out in that Gibraltar visa office. Check the government website, then confirm with the embassy.

🌍 From Stuck to Spoilt for Choice

Remember that visa office in Gibraltar? For years, that moment told me this life wasn’t meant for families like ours.

I was wrong. Or maybe the world just changed.

Today, countries are actively inviting remote-working families to come and stay. Partners welcome. Kids welcome. Sometimes even kids up to 25. And for our mixed-passport family, the options grow with every bit of paperwork we sort out. Six months now. A full year once my EU long-term residence comes through.

Is it simple? Not always. There are income rules, bank balances, forms and fine print. But it’s possible, and that still feels like a present every time I think about it. 🎁

Next stop for us: Thailand. After that? Costa Rica’s wildlife, Mexico’s food, Namibia’s wide-open spaces… we’ll see where the passports (and the paperwork) take us.

Where could your family go? Pop each family member’s passport into our passport tool and compare side by side. Or browse every family-friendly nomad visa in our visa tracker.

And if you’re a mixed-passport family too, I’d love to hear your story in the comments. Who sets your limit? 😉

We check every visa fact in this post against official government sources. Some details are still only partly verified, and rules change often, so always confirm with the embassy before you apply. Last checked: 04-10-2026.