Croatia
Croatian digital nomad residence permit
The Croatian digital nomad permit is for people who work remotely for a foreign company or for their own business abroad.
- spouse : yes
- child under 18 : yes
- parent : no
Onboard Family
What you have achieved, your family can enjoy too
Onboard Family is for people who already live abroad – or are about to set off – and would like their spouse and children with them. It is not about one country: for every programme we offer, we tell you who can come, when and on what conditions, and we see the family members' applications through to the end.
The situation it answers: You are already abroad – working, running a business, studying or having invested – and your family is at home, waiting to hear when they can come. Or you are planning the move now, and the question is which programme lets your family come from day one. Family reunification provides the lawful route: family members receive their own residence permits instead of travelling back and forth as tourists.
What the programmes have in common: a family member's permit always follows from the sponsor's residence purpose. So the first question is which permit you live on abroad, or which one you are starting with – this decides whether family reunification can be requested, for how long, and whether your family member will be able to work. In the residence programmes, the family members who can be included are the spouse and children under 18. Parents, adult children and siblings cannot be included in the residence programmes; where a programme's legislation differs, the programme page says so.
How to choose: if you live on, or are starting with, one of our programmes – in Hungary, Croatia, Spain or Malta – we handle your family member's application under the family rules of that same programme. If you are just starting and including your family matters, we choose your own programme with you so that it allows family members – the White Card and study in Malta, for example, do not.
Programmes
Onboard Family
Programmes you can start with your family
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- Spain
Spanish digital nomad visa
The Spanish permit for international teleworkers is issued for 3 years and can be renewed for 2 years at a time; your family can come with you and work too.
- spouse : yes
- child under 18 : yes
- parent : no
- Spain
Spanish non-lucrative visa (NLV)
Non-lucrative residence is for people who want to live in Spain but not work there: retirees, investors, people living on passive income.
- spouse : yes
- child under 18 : yes
- parent : no
- Malta
Malta Startup Residence Programme
The Malta Startup Residence Programme is for people who found an innovative company in Malta or move one there, investing at least EUR 25,000.
- spouse : yes
- child under 18 : yes
- parent : no
- Hungary
Hungarian guest investor programme
Hungary's guest investor programme grants a 10-year residence permit for investments starting at EUR 250,000, renewable for another 10 years.
- spouse : yes
- child under 18 : yes
- parent : no
- United Arab Emirates
UAE Golden Visa
The Golden Visa gives 10 years of renewable residence in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – with no employer or sponsor, with your family, and with no personal income tax.
- spouse : yes
- child under 18 : yes
- parent : yes
- Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia citizenship by investment
The Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment Programme grants full citizenship to you and your family from a contribution of USD 240,000, with no need to move.
- spouse : yes
- child under 18 : yes
- parent : yes
Guide
Which one suits you?
| Your situation | Recommended route | Who can come |
|---|---|---|
| Living in Hungary as a guest investor, or starting now with the guest investor programme | The family member's permit under the guest investor programme – with the main application, for 10 years, with unrestricted access to work | Spouse and child under 18 |
| Living in Hungary for several years and wanting to make settlement permanent together with your family | Long-term residence – family members' permits linked to your card | Spouse and child under 18 |
| Living in Hungary with a guest worker permit or a White Card | Family reunification cannot be requested, and you cannot switch to another residence purpose within Hungary – at least 2–3 months before expiry, we apply for a programme in another country that allows family members | – |
| Living in Croatia as a digital nomad | The family member's permit under the Croatian programme, submitted after your permit has been approved | Spouse and child under 18 |
| Living in Spain as a digital nomad | The family member's permit under the Spanish programme – the family member can also work | Spouse and child under 18 |
| Moving to Spain without working, on passive income | Spanish non-lucrative visa (NLV), with EUR 600 more per month in funds for each family member | Spouse and child under 18 |
| Starting a business in Malta | Malta Startup Residence Programme – the family must be named in the first application | Spouse and child under 18 |
| Investing and securing long-term residence for your family too | Hungarian guest investor programme (10 years) or UAE Golden Visa (10 years) | Spouse and child under 18; a wider circle in the UAE |
| A second passport for the whole family | Saint Lucia citizenship by investment – in one application | As set out on the programme page |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can my family member work?
It varies by country. In Hungary, a guest investor's family member can work without restriction; under other Hungarian residence purposes, the right to work is requested separately. In Spain, a digital nomad's family member's permit includes the right to work. In Croatia and Malta, we clarify the family member's right to work at pre-screening.
Can I bring my parents?
Not in the residence programmes: the family members who can be included are the spouse and children under 18. Where a programme's legislation allows a wider circle – for example the UAE Golden Visa or Saint Lucia citizenship – the programme page says so.
Me first, then my family – or together?
It depends on the programme. In the Hungarian guest investor programme and in Spain, family members can apply with you or later. In Croatia, a family member can apply only after your permit is approved. In Malta, the Startup Residence Programme requires the family to be named in the first application. We plan this order at pre-screening too.
How long until my family can come?
In the Hungarian guest investor programme, family members' applications run in parallel with the main application. Elsewhere, too, the family member's application runs in the same procedure as the main applicant's, so plan with the time shown on the programme page.
What documents do family members need?
Everywhere: marriage and birth certificates, legalised, with a certified translation; the family member's passport, police clearance certificate (adults) and health insurance; for a child under 18, the other parent's consent. We give the exact list country by country in the document checklist.