In this article
For most clients, international mobility is a family decision rather than an individual one.
Who can be included
Programs differ in how they define dependants — spouses, children of various ages, parents and sometimes grandparents or siblings. Definitions and conditions vary and change over time, so they must be confirmed for the specific program.
Children: age limits differ widely
Some programmes stop at 18; others accept older children who are studying or financially dependent. St Kitts and Nevis accepts children under 18, older children in full-time education who are fully supported by the main applicant, and adult children with a disability. Saint Lucia's official FAQ, which is partly out of date, lists children aged 21 or under and children up to 30 who are fully supported by the applicant; the current programme page does not restate these ages, so confirm them with the Unit. Türkiye covers children under 18 and children of any age living with disabilities. Check each child's age on the date the application will be filed, not today.
Parents and grandparents
Parents are included far less consistently. St Kitts and Nevis accepts parents of the applicant or spouse aged 55 or over who live with and are fully supported by the main applicant. Saint Lucia accepts fully supported parents over 55, and parents of any age with a disability who are fully supported. Grenada's official fee table lists siblings, parents and grandparents as family members, with separate terms for those aged 55 and under. Greece includes the parents of both spouses.
Siblings and other relatives
A few programmes go further. Saint Lucia accepts an unmarried brother or sister under 18 with the consent of their parent or guardian, and Grenada charges a separate contribution for each additional sibling.
What each extra person costs
Many contributions cover a family of up to four, after which each extra dependant adds a fixed amount, usually higher for adults than for children. Due diligence fees are charged per person above an age threshold: Grenada charges nothing for children up to 16 and a fee for each person aged 17 and over, and St Kitts and Nevis charges for each dependant aged 16 and over. Our Family Investment Calculator adds these up for your family wherever the official fee is published.
Who can be included, programme by programme
The table shows each open programme's dependant rules as recorded on its programme page.
| Programme | Type | Who can be included |
|---|---|---|
| Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment | Citizenship | Spouse; children under 30 who are financially dependent on the main applicant; children aged 18+ with a physical or mental disability who are fully supported; parents and grandparents of the main applicant or spouse aged 55+ who are financially dependent; unmarried siblings of the main applicant or spouse. Spouse, dependent children and dependent parents over 55 may be included with no additional NDF contribution; fees apply per person. |
| Dominica Citizenship by Investment | Citizenship | Dependants are people who rely on the main applicant as their primary source of income, such as a spouse, children, parents and grandparents. No age limits are published; reports list children under 31 and parents and grandparents aged 65+. |
| Egypt Citizenship by Investment | Citizenship | All spouses and children must be declared in the application with supporting documents. |
| Grenada Citizenship by Investment | Citizenship | Spouse, children under 30, unmarried siblings 18+, parents and grandparents of the applicant and spouse. |
| Jordan Citizenship Through Investment | Citizenship | Spouse, dependent daughters, unmarried sons under 24 and dependent parents. Above JD 2 million, unmarried sons up to 30 and their families can also be included. |
| Nauru Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship | Citizenship | Spouse, dependent children, parents and siblings, each with an extra fee. |
| Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment | Citizenship | Spouse, qualifying children, parents of applicant or spouse over 55 who are fully supported, parents of any age with disabilities, and unmarried siblings under 18 with parental consent. |
| Samoa Citizenship by Investment | Citizenship | Spouse and dependent children. |
| St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment | Citizenship | Spouse; children under 18; children aged 18–30 in recognised full-time education and fully supported by the main applicant; children aged 18+ with a physical or mental disability; parents of the applicant or spouse aged 55+ who live with and are fully supported by the main applicant. There is no limit on the number of dependants. |
| Türkiye Citizenship by Investment | Citizenship | Spouse, children under 18, and children of any age living with disabilities. |
| Austria Settlement Permit (Private Means) | Residency | Spouse and dependent children; the required liquid funds rise with family size. |
| Bahrain Golden Residency | Residency | Spouse, children and parents can be sponsored on the holder's Golden Residency; age limits are not stated. |
| Bulgaria Permanent Residence by Investment | Residency | Spouse, unmarried children under 18 (or older if unable to support themselves) and parents of the applicant or spouse. |
| Cayman Islands Residence by Investment | Residency | Spouse and financially dependent children. |
| Colombia Investor Visa | Residency | Spouse or permanent partner, and financially dependent children under 25. |
| Costa Rica Investor Residence | Residency | Spouse, children under 18 and single dependent children under 25. |
| Cyprus Permanent Residence by Investment | Residency | Spouse and children under 18. Unmarried children aged 18–25 who study abroad and are financially dependent may apply separately, with EUR 10,000 more annual income required for each. |
| Dominican Republic Investor Residence | Residency | Spouse and minor children. |
| France Talent Residence Permit, Direct Economic Investment | Residency | Spouse and minor children, who receive talent-family residence cards. |
| Greece Golden Visa | Residency | Spouse, children under 21 and parents of the applicant and spouse. |
| Hong Kong New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme | Residency | Spouse and unmarried dependent children under 18. |
| Hungary Guest Investor Programme | Residency | Spouse or registered partner, children under 18 of the applicant or spouse, and dependent adult children in specific circumstances. |
| Italy Investor Visa | Residency | Spouse, children and dependent parents may apply without additional investment. |
| Japan Business Manager Status of Residence | Residency | Spouse and children can be granted Dependent status of residence; parents are not covered by that status. |
| Latvia Investor Residence Permit | Residency | Spouse and children under 18. |
| Luxembourg Investor Residence Permit | Residency | Spouse and dependent children. |
| Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) | Residency | Spouse, dependent children and dependent parents. |
| Malta Permanent Residence Programme | Residency | Spouse or partner, children under 18, unmarried children up to 28 who are principally dependent, and financially dependent parents and grandparents of either spouse. |
| Mauritius Golden Visa | Residency | Immediate dependants: spouse and children. |
| Mauritius Residence through Property or Investment | Residency | Spouse or partner, parents and dependent children up to age 24. |
| Mexico Temporary Residence (Economic Solvency) | Residency | Spouse, children under 18 and dependent parents. |
| Monaco Residence Card | Residency | Spouse or partner and financially dependent children. |
| New Zealand Active Investor Plus | Residency | Partner and dependent children up to age 24. |
| New Zealand Business Investor Work Visa | Residency | Partner and dependent children can be included in the application. |
| Oman Golden Residency | Residency | Spouse and children, with no age limit; up to three domestic workers. |
| Panama Qualified Investor Residency | Residency | Children and a spouse can be included; children and a spouse married after approval can be added later. |
| Paraguay Investor Permanent Residence | Residency | Spouse, children under 18 and eligible unmarried adult children. |
| Portugal Golden Visa | Residency | Spouse, dependent children and dependent parents. |
| Quebec Investor Program (Canada) | Residency | Spouse or common-law partner and dependent children. |
| Saudi Arabia Premium Residency | Residency | Spouse, children under 25 and parents; unmarried daughters over 25 and children with special needs may also qualify. |
| Singapore Global Investor Programme | Residency | Spouse and unmarried children under 21 at the date of application. Parents and unmarried children aged 21 or over cannot be included for permanent residence; they can apply for a long-term visit pass tied to the investor's re-entry permit. |
| Switzerland Lump-Sum Taxation Residence | Residency | Spouse and dependent children; dependent parents only in special circumstances. |
| Thailand Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa, Wealthy Global Citizen | Residency | Spouse and children under 20, up to four dependants in total; partners are not eligible. |
| Thailand Privilege Visa | Residency | Spouse, children and parents on most Privilege tiers; Bronze and Gold cards cover the holder only. |
| The Bahamas Permanent Residence | Residency | Spouse and dependent children. |
| Türkiye Residence Permit through Property | Residency | Spouse and children under 18. |
| UAE Golden Visa | Residency | Golden Residency holders can obtain residence permits for their spouse, their children regardless of age, and their parents (ICP). |
| UK Innovator Founder Visa | Residency | Partner and children can apply as dependants. |
| United States EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program | Residency | Spouse and unmarried children under 21. |
Education and future plans
Families often weigh access to schooling and universities, and the ability of children to make their own choices later in life.
Documentation
Every dependant typically undergoes due diligence. Preparing civil documents early helps avoid delays later. No documents are needed for an initial conversation.
A family checklist
Write down each family member's date of birth, marital status, studies and financial dependence. Check each person against the programme's rule on the date you plan to file. Prepare civil documents for everyone, including relatives who may join later.
Reviewed by Martin Albers, Head of ResearchSample profile
Programmes in this article
General information only — not legal, tax or financial advice.
