Moving abroad with family in 2026: where your spouse and children get residence with you
Spain, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Norway, Thailand, Malaysia, Mexico, Argentina, Japan and residence by investment: who in the family is included, how much income a family needs, fees and timelines.
In short
- In most programs a spouse and children receive residence together with the main applicant and for the same term.
- The income bar rises with each family member: in Spain a family of four shows €4,630 a month, in Malta the bar of €42,000 a year stays the same for any family size.
- Each family member pays their own fee: €150 in Greece, 540 ringgit, about $140, in Malaysia, 10,000 baht, about $299, in Thailand.
- Residence by investment covers the widest family: in Greece the parents of both spouses join with no extra investment, in the United Arab Emirates children of any age and parents.
- Marriage and birth certificates with an apostille and a translation are the key family documents everywhere.
In detail
Moving abroad with family in 2026 is easiest through programs where the spouse and children receive residence together with the main applicant: digital nomad visas in Spain, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus and Malta, long-stay visas in Thailand and Malaysia, residence in Mexico and Argentina, and residence by investment in Greece, the United Arab Emirates and Costa Rica. Below is who in the family is included, how much income a family needs, what the fees are and how long it takes.
How residence for the whole family works
The main applicant meets the program's conditions: income, savings or an investment. The spouse and children apply as family members, receive residence for the same term and renew it together with the main applicant. In most countries this works in one of three ways:
- the income bar rises for each family member: Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Mexico;
- the bar stays the same and each person pays only their own fee: Malta, Malaysia;
- one investment covers the whole family: Greece, the United Arab Emirates, Costa Rica.
The family link is proven with marriage and birth certificates carrying an apostille and a translation, and every family member has their own health insurance.
Digital nomad visas with family in Europe
Europe offers six routes where a family moves together: five nomad visas for remote employees and freelancers, and the Norwegian permit for those who run their own business in Norway. The income bar is for the main applicant before the family top-up.
| Country | Income bar | For the family | Fees and timelines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | €2,849 a month, ~$3,200 | +€1,068 for the first family member, +€356 for each further one; a family of four shows €4,630 a month | visa decision in 10 working days, permit inside Spain in 20 working days, fee €73.26 |
| Portugal | $4,200 a month, 4 minimum wages | funds for the family: the second adult 50%, each child 30%; children and a spouse who shares a minor child join at once | visa decision within 60 days, ~$280 per person for the permit |
| Greece | €3,500 a month net, ~$3,930 | +20% for a spouse, +15% of the base amount per child; a couple with a child shows €4,725 a month | €1,000 for the applicant and €150 per family member, card in 2-6 months |
| Cyprus | €3,500 a month net | +20% for a spouse, +15% of the base amount per child; a couple with a child shows €4,725 a month | €70 + €70, ~$160; processing in 5-7 weeks |
| Malta | €42,000 a year, ~$47,080 | the same bar for any family size | ~$340 per person at application and at each renewal |
| Norway | a permit for your own business in Norway: 341,372 kroner a year, ~$36,000 | for a family 436,957 kroner a year, ~$46,000 | 11,900 kroner per family member, ~$1,300, children under 18 pay half |
In Spain the family can include a spouse or registered partner, children under 18, adult children who depend on you financially and dependent parents. In Greece and Cyprus the spouse and children receive permits for the same term as the main applicant. In Malta the income bar of €42,000 a year is the same for a single applicant and for a family, which makes it one of the best options for a large family.
In Portugal children and a spouse who shares a minor child with you join at once, and a partner you lived with for 18 months before the move joins once you have held your permit for 15 months. After the move family members take Portuguese courses, and children go to school.
In Norway the self-employed permit covers the family too: the spouse and children under 18 apply for family immigration, the income bar for the family is 3.2 times the national insurance basic amount, and the spouse may work and run a business anywhere in the country. On Svalbard a family lives with no visa or permits at all, with the means for housing and living for everyone.
Outside Europe, in the sun
Asia and Latin America have the simplest family routes: a fixed fee per person and a short review.
| Country | Condition for the main applicant | Who in the family | Fees and timelines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand | 500,000 baht in savings, ~$14,910 | spouse and unmarried children under 20 | 10,000 baht, ~$299, per person; review in 1-3 weeks; a visa for 5 years |
| Malaysia | from $24,000 a year for digital professions | spouse and children under 18 | 540 ringgit, ~$140, per family member; review in 6-8 weeks |
| Mexico | from $4,510–4,630 a month depending on the consulate, or an average balance of $75,950–78,025 | spouse, children and other family members | ~$1,400–1,500 more per family member, consular fee $56 |
| Argentina | 5 minimum wages, ~$1,300 a month of foreign income or pension, for each family member who applies on this basis | the whole family in one application; a spouse and children can also join through family reunification with a resident | ~$80 per adult, children under 18 pay nothing; 3-5 months |
| Japan | $64,000 a year | spouse and children | the same six-month status for the family |
Thailand gives the longest status among the nomad visas: a 5-year visa with stays of up to 180 days per entry, extendable for another 180 days. Some consulates ask each family member to show 500,000 baht in savings, so the manager checks the list for your consulate before filing. Children usually go to international schools in Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phuket, and in Malaysia to English-language international schools in Kuala Lumpur and Penang.
In Argentina the whole family goes into one application under the migration service's March 2026 guide, and a passport becomes possible after 2 years in the country. The income of 5 minimum wages is shown by each family member who applies on the same basis, or the spouse and children join through family reunification with a resident: the manager picks the route for your family. In Mexico children attend local or international schools, and a place is best booked before the move.
We will move your whole family together
A family move works best when everyone's documents are ready from the start. We match a country to your income and family, calculate the family bar, prepare marriage and birth certificates, file the applications for the spouse and children together with yours and support the renewals.
Details and the cost of support are with a manager in the chat: everything depends on the country and the size of the family.
Residence by investment for the whole family
One investment gives residence to the investor and the family, and the circle of relatives is the widest here.
| Country | Investment | Who in the family | Term and timelines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greece | from €250,000, ~$280,000 | spouse, dependent children up to 21 and the parents of both spouses, with no extra investment | 5 years, renewable; 4-6 months; €2,000 for the investor, €150 per adult family member, children under 18 pay nothing |
| United Arab Emirates | from $550,000 | spouse, children of any age (sons and daughters over 18 must be unmarried) and parents | 10 years, renewable; 7-10 working days; ~$2,700 for the investor and ~$1,700 per family member |
| Costa Rica | from $150,000 | spouse and unmarried children under 25 | 2 years, renewable, permanent residence after 3 years; 4-8 months |
In Greece the permit is renewed every 5 years, with no requirement to live in the country. In the United Arab Emirates the family applies after the main applicant, and the residents pay no personal income tax.
How much income a family needs
For a family with one working adult the bar is calculated on the main applicant's income. Examples from the 2026 rules:
- Spain: a couple €3,917 a month, a couple with one child €4,274, a family of four €4,630, about $5,190;
- Greece: a couple with a child €4,725 a month net, about $5,300;
- Cyprus: a couple with a child €4,725 a month net, about $5,300;
- Malta: €42,000 a year for any family size;
- Mexico: from $4,510–4,630 a month depending on the consulate, plus about $1,400–1,500 for each family member;
- Argentina: about $1,300 a month for each family member who applies on the same basis.
When the spouse also works remotely and meets the bar, they can apply for their own nomad visa: in Malaysia, Thailand, Greece and Cyprus that gives the spouse their own right to work remotely.
Documents for the family
- passports of every family member;
- a marriage certificate and children's birth certificates with an apostille and a translation;
- health insurance for each person for the whole term;
- the consent of the other parent when a child moves with one parent;
- proof of the main applicant's income or savings for the family bar.
The apostille and translations take the longest, so they are prepared first, before the main application.
How Murblz helps
We compare countries for your family: income, the ages of the children, schools, the spouse's work and taxes. We prepare the documents for every family member, file the applications together and support the renewals. Other routes are in our guides to dual citizenship for a child and taxes by country.
FAQ
What is the best country to move to with a family?
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Which countries give residence to the whole family at once?
How much income do you need to move abroad with a family?
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Can children go to school abroad on a family residence permit?
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Don’t want to figure this out alone?
We handle the whole process end to end: we check your documents, match a program to your situation and give you honest timelines and costs. Ask your question in the chat: the free consultation starts right here. Legal representation before authorities and courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with locally licensed partners.
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