Nomad Visas With Kids: How Family and Dependant Rules Work
Where Can Our Whole Family Legally Live and Work Remotely? 🌍
That’s the question behind every move we plan. And it’s never just one question, because a family isn’t one passport.
Ours is a good example. Vanessa travels on an Australian passport, while Marty, Louie and Leo are Dutch. Inside the EU, that makes life simple for three of us and paperwork for one. Outside Europe, we each follow our own passport’s rules. Same trip, four different answers.
Then there’s the visa itself. Some nomad visas include your partner and kids from day one, some make them apply only after you’re approved, and some don’t cover them at all. Thailand’s DTV covers children under 20, Croatia asks family to apply after the main applicant is approved, and Ecuador adds US$250 a month to the income requirement for each family member.
Most visa guides skip that part. They tell you what one adult earning one income needs. This page starts with everyone in your family: the passports you hold, who can come with the working parent, and what the government sources actually say.
Here’s how to use it:
- Check entry rules for each family member’s passport, side by side, in our passport tool.
- Read a full country guide where we’ve built one, with the family income maths and the paperwork.
- Compare every nomad visa in our digital nomad visa tracker, sorted by whether the whole family can come.
We check every fact here against government websites, embassies or official gazettes. Last full check of this page: 02-10-2026. Rules change often, so always confirm with the embassy before you apply.
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How Family Visas Actually Work
It’s easy to think of “the visa” as one permission. For a family, it’s usually several, and they don’t always line up.
Five questions, asked for every person
- Entry: can this person arrive? This depends on their own passport, so it can differ inside one family.
- Remote work: does their permission to be there allow the working parent to work for overseas employers or clients? Tourist entry often doesn’t. New Zealand and Canada are exceptions: visitors there may work remotely for overseas employers.
- Residence: some nomad visas are residence permits. Others are long visits with no residence rights at all.
- Tax: a separate question from the visa. Spending around 183 days somewhere can make you tax resident, visa or not.
- School: a family visa doesn’t always let children attend local school. Thailand’s DTV, for example, doesn’t cover Thai school.
Four ways a nomad visa treats your family
- ✅ Family included: your partner and children apply with you or as your dependants (Spain, Portugal, Costa Rica, Malaysia).
- 🕐 Family joins later: you apply first, and your family applies only after you’re approved (Croatia, Moldova).
- ❌ No family route: the visa is for the main applicant only (Hungary’s White Card). Others, like Panama’s, Argentina’s and Uruguay’s, simply don’t mention family, which is a reason to check before you plan.
- ℹ️ No nomad visa: the country has no dedicated route, so families use visitor stays or another residence permit (Mexico, Vietnam, New Zealand).
Your passport can decide whether you can apply at all
The visa rules themselves rarely change by nationality, but who’s allowed to apply sometimes does. Belize’s Long Stay Permit is only for EU, UK, US and Canadian citizens or residents. Iceland’s remote work visa needs a passport that doesn’t require a Schengen visa, and that includes every family member. Colombia and Argentina only accept passports that are visa-exempt for their country. Turkey’s programme is open to 36 nationalities, which don’t include Australia, New Zealand or India.
So check the working parent’s passport for the visa, and every family member’s passport for entry. That second part is what our tool below is for.
Check Every Passport in Your Family 🛂
Our Family Visa Guides by Country 📚
🇵🇹 PortugalThe D8 visa, with set add-ons for a partner and each child. Apply together from abroad.✅ Family includedRead the guide
🇪🇸 SpainFamily members can work in Spain, and the residence route runs up to 3 years.✅ Family includedRead the guide
🇭🇷 CroatiaUp to 18 months. Your family applies only after you're approved.🕐 Family joins laterRead the guide
🇨🇿 Czech RepublicDigital Nomad Program: your spouse and kids are included if they apply with you. The catch: after 90 days, Czech compulsory schooling applies.✅ Family includedRead the guide
🇪🇪 EstoniaUp to 1 year. Family members apply for their own visas.✅ Family includedRead the guide
🇬🇷 GreeceUp to 12 months. Your partner and children get their own visas, ending when yours does.✅ Family includedRead the guide
🇲🇹 MaltaUp to 4 years in yearly renewals. Put your whole family in your first application, as they can't be added later.✅ Family includedRead the guide
🇬🇪 GeorgiaA full year visa-free for most passports, so no family application at all. Check the 2026 work rules first.ℹ️ No nomad visaRead the guide
🇨🇷 Costa RicaOne family income figure, and children under 25 count as family.✅ Family includedRead the guide
🇨🇴 ColombiaUp to 2 years. Partners (married or not) and children under 25 can join you once your visa is granted.✅ Family includedRead the guide
🇧🇧 BarbadosOne family application for a year in the Caribbean, and kids can be placed in local schools where there's space.✅ Family includedRead the guide
🇲🇽 MexicoNo nomad visa, but temporary residence can lead to permanent residence after 4 years.ℹ️ No nomad visaRead the guide
🇹🇭 ThailandThe DTV is valid for 5 years, with spouses and children under 20 included.✅ Family includedRead the guide
🇲🇾 MalaysiaDE Rantau: your partner, kids under 18 and even your parents can come, and homeschooled kids don't need a Student Pass.✅ Family includedRead the guide
🇯🇵 JapanEach family member gets their own matching visa. Up to 6 months, with an income of JPY 10 million a year.✅ Family includedRead the guide
🇰🇷 South KoreaYour spouse and minor children can come, with a lower income bar if you live outside Seoul.✅ Family includedRead the guide
🇱🇰 Sri LankaA free 30-day ETA for most Western passports, and a nomad visa with the whole family on one application.✅ Family includedRead the guide
🇮🇩 Bali (Indonesia)Remote worker visa (E33G). Family rules aren't confirmed officially yet.⚠️ Check firstRead the guide
🇦🇪 UAEOne income figure for the whole family (US$3,500 a month), and a 1-year residence you can apply for from home.✅ Family includedRead the guide
🇳🇿 New ZealandVisitors may work remotely for overseas employers, and Australians can live there indefinitely. Our nine months at Milford Sound, plus costs and visas.ℹ️ No nomad visaRead the guide🌍 Every other countryMore guides are on the way. Until then, our tracker shows every nomad visa we've checked, with its family verdict and official source.Open the tracker
Family Visas by Region 🗺️
A quick feel for each region. Every country, with its family verdict and official source, is in our digital nomad visa tracker.
🇪🇺 Europe
The most nomad visas in one place, and the widest spread of family rules. Croatia’s family applies after approval, Malta’s must be in your first application, and Hungary’s White Card has no family route at all. Iceland’s remote work visa even asks how children aged 6 to 16 will be schooled, and homeschooling counts. EU passport holders don’t need a nomad visa inside the EU. Just outside it, Georgia gives most passports a full year visa-free, Armenia allows up to 180 days a year for most passports in our tool, and Moldova’s new nomad residence runs up to 2 years, with family joining through reunification.
🌏 Asia
Some of the longest family stays around. Thailand’s DTV is valid for 5 years, and Malaysia’s DE Rantau Pass lets homeschooled children stay without a Student Pass. Japan includes families but stops at 6 months, and Sri Lanka‘s new nomad visa puts the whole family on one application. South Korea’s Workation visa welcomes a spouse and children, with a lower income bar if you live outside Seoul. Kazakhstan’s Neo Nomad Visa gives your family visas for the same period as yours, up to 2 years in total. Taiwan’s Digital Nomad Visitor Visa is open to visa-free passports, but its family rules aren’t confirmed. The Philippines created a nomad visa in 2025, but we haven’t confirmed it’s open yet.
🌎 Latin America
Costa Rica and Colombia both count children under 25 as family, and Brazil’s family apply alongside you on a family reunion visa. Ecuador adds a set US$250 a month for each family member, while the simple, low-cost nomad routes in Argentina and Uruguay don’t mention family at all. Panama’s remote worker visa lasts up to 18 months but doesn’t mention dependants either. Belize’s Long Stay Permit brings your dependants for up to 6 months, but only if the main applicant holds EU, UK, US or Canadian citizenship or residence. Since April 2025, Australian, US and Canadian passports need an e-visa just to visit Brazil. Mexico has no nomad visa, but temporary residence can lead to permanent residence. In Guatemala, visa-free days are shared with El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, so hopping across a border doesn’t reset the clock.
See Latin America in the tracker or read our Central and South America guide.
🌴 Caribbean
Small islands with some big family perks. Barbados places Welcome Stamp children in schools where there’s space, and Dominica’s WIN visa covers the whole family for up to 18 months on one fee, with children welcome in local schools. The Bahamas’ BEATS permit adds each dependant for US$500 a year and can be renewed up to 3 years, while visitors there can stay up to 8 months. In the Dutch Caribbean, @HOME in Curaçao lets families stay up to a year, and Dutch and US citizens can already spend 6 months on Curaçao as tourists while working remotely. Saint Lucia has no nomad visa and gives visitors a maximum of 6 weeks, although EU passports may get 90 days under an EU agreement. Grenada and Montserrat both have remote work permits in law that include families, but we haven’t confirmed either is taking applications, and Grenada’s bars children from public schools. Antigua and Barbuda’s and Bermuda’s programmes have closed.
🕌 Middle East
The UAE’s remote work residence lets you sponsor your family. Jordan and Oman have no nomad visa, so families rely on short visitor stays. Turkey’s nomad visa doesn’t mention family, and it’s only open to 36 nationalities, which don’t include Australia or New Zealand.
See Middle East in the tracker or read our Middle East family guide.
🌍 Africa
Namibia publishes one of the clearest family formulas: an extra amount for a spouse and for each child. Since April 2025, though, most Western passports need a paid visa just to visit. Mauritius’s free Premium Visa is built for long stays with your family. Cabo Verde’s family joins through reunification. South Africa’s remote work visa doesn’t state a family route, and Kenya’s new nomad permit isn’t detailed on an official page yet. In Kenya, every visitor needs an eTA before travel, babies included. Rwanda gives Australian, UK, Canadian, New Zealand, French and Indian passports a free 30-day visa on arrival.
🏝️ Oceania
No dedicated nomad visas here. Since 27-01-2025, New Zealand lets visitors work remotely for overseas employers or clients, and Australian citizens can live and work there indefinitely. Fiji’s visitor permit can stretch to 6 months with one extension, Vanuatu gives every passport in our tool up to 120 days on arrival, and Samoa hands all visitors a free 90-day permit.
See Oceania in the tracker or read our Pacific and Oceania guide.
Before You Apply: Our Family Checklist ✅
Not every visa marketed as family-friendly actually is. Run through this before you commit:
- Every passport, not just one. Check entry rules for each family member, and whether the working parent’s passport is eligible for the nomad visa itself.
- Passport validity for everyone. Kids’ passports expire faster than you think. Malaysia’s DE Rantau asks for 14 months or more, and Portugal and Croatia want 3 months beyond your stay.
- Who counts as family, and when they apply. Together (Czech Republic), only after you’re approved (Croatia) or only in your first application (Malta).
- The family income formula. Find the amount for your whole family, not just the headline figure for one person.
- Children’s documents. Apostilled and translated birth certificates, plus written consent if one parent isn’t travelling or applying. Vanuatu, Bulgaria and Cabo Verde all ask for parental consent in some form, and Namibia asks families to carry each child’s full birth certificate at the border. Order these first, as they’re often the slowest part.
- Health insurance naming every family member and meeting the visa’s minimum cover.
- Schooling. Check whether your visa lets children attend local school, and what homeschooling rules apply. Iceland, for example, asks for written proof of how school-age children will be taught. Our worldschooling legal guide by country helps.
- Day counting, per person. Schengen’s 90 days in any 180 is counted per passport. Some nomad visas also need minimum time in the country, like Costa Rica’s 180 days to extend.
- A final check with the embassy before you book anything you can’t cancel.
FAQs About Family Visas and Passports
Do all our family members need the same visa?
Not for entry. Each person enters on their own passport, so the rules can differ inside one family. For a nomad visa, dependants usually apply as family members of the main applicant, but how and when they apply varies by country.
Our family has different passports. Whose rules apply?
Each person’s own. Use our passport tool to see everyone side by side. If someone in your family holds an EU passport, the EU free movement result applies only to them. EU law can give extra rights to non-EU family members of EU citizens in some situations, so check Your Europe before you plan around it.
Do I need ETIAS for Europe yet?
Not yet. As at 24-09-2026, the EU says ETIAS isn’t operational. It’s due to start in the last quarter of 2026, with a transition period before it becomes mandatory. The only official site is travel-europe.europa.eu.
What’s the EES and does it affect our trip?
The Entry/Exit System records fingerprints and a photo of non-EU travellers at their first entry. It’s been fully operational across Schengen since 10-04-2026, so allow a little more time at the border.
Can I work remotely on a visa-free stay?
Usually not, formally. Thailand’s visa exemption, for example, doesn’t list remote work as a permitted purpose. New Zealand and Canada are exceptions, as visitors may work remotely for overseas employers or clients.
Why isn’t my country or passport in the tool yet?
We only add an entry once we’ve found it on an official government source. Right now that’s 79 countries, with some passports still to check. We add more every month.
How often is this page updated?
We re-check our sources on the first Monday of every month, and each result in the tool shows the date we last verified it.
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Official Sources 🔗
These are the government sources behind the passport tool and the general rules on this page. Country-specific sources are linked on each country guide and in our tracker.
- European Commission: ETIAS official site
- European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs: EES vs ETIAS (28-04-2026)
- EEAS: Coming from a visa-free country and travelling to Europe
- EEAS: Common Information Sheet for Schengen visa applicants in India (2024)
- Council of the EU: Bulgaria and Romania become full Schengen members from 01-01-2025 (12-12-2024)
- Your Europe: Residence rights of EU citizens
- Your Europe: Residence rights of economically inactive EU citizens
- Tourism Authority of Thailand Newsroom: new visa exemption rules (01-09-2026)
- Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs: visa exemption summary (31-08-2026)
- Consulate of Mexico, Montreal: who needs a visa
- Consulate of Mexico, Douglas: visitor visa rules
- UAE Consulate-General Melbourne: Visas
- UAE Embassy The Hague: Visas
- Jordan Pass: FAQ
- Smartraveller (Australian Government): Jordan
- NederlandWereldwijd: Reisadvies Jordanië
- Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs: Jordan travel information
- Immigration New Zealand: Working remotely from New Zealand
- IRCC (Government of Canada): Tech Talent Strategy
We only use government websites, embassies, official gazettes and government agencies as evidence. Where we couldn’t confirm something officially, we say so rather than fill the gap. This page is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Last full check: 02-10-2026.
