Many digital nomad visas let a spouse join, and few say clearly what happens to an unmarried partner. The eight programs below name unmarried or common law partners in official wording or in national law. Each entry covers who counts, what proof is needed, and how much more income two adults must show. Information is current as of October 29, 2026.
What This List Checks
Each entry was checked on three points. The first is whether an official source or national law names an unmarried partner. The second is the proof of the relationship, and the third is how the income rule changes for two adults.
Entries run from the clearest official wording on unmarried partners to the least clear. Programs that need a formal partnership document come last.
The partner rules belong to each program. Eligibility of the main applicant depends on nationality and was not checked country by country, so readers should confirm the official list for their passport. The guide to visas for non-Western passport holders covers that question. For children and other dependents, see digital nomad visas with family provisions.
The Best Digital Nomad Visas for Unmarried Couples
1. Croatia: Temporary Stay for Digital Nomads
The Croatia digital nomad visa has one of the clearest unmarried partner rules on this list. The Ministry of the Interior names informal life partners and sets a time test.
- Who counts: Life partners and informal life partners. An informal partnership means an unmarried couple living together for at least three years, or for less time if the couple has a child together.
- Proof: Statements from both partners, witness statements, and proof of a shared household for three years before applying. A single status certificate or a child’s birth record can also help.
- Income for two: The main applicant needs €3,622.50 per month. Each life partner adds 10% of the average monthly net salary, about €145, so a couple needs about €3,767.
- Length: The stay lasts up to 18 months.
- Official sources: the ministry page on digital nomads and the family reunification page.
The partner files a separate family reunification application, and only after the nomad’s stay is approved. The ministry rejects applications filed earlier. Couples together for under three years have no listed shortcut unless they have a child or marry.
Best for: Couples who have lived together for three years or more and can show it on paper.
2. Spain: Digital Nomad Visa
The Spanish consulate in London says the Spain digital nomad visa can also go to a spouse or an unmarried partner. Sources disagree on how strict the proof must be.
- Who counts: A spouse or unmarried partner, plus dependent children and dependent parents who form part of the family unit.
- Proof: A certificate of registration as an unmarried couple, or any other document showing an unregistered partnership. Foreign documents need an apostille and a Spanish translation.
- Income for two: 200% of the monthly minimum wage for the main applicant, plus 75% for the first family member. With the 2026 minimum wage of €1,221 in 14 payments, that is €2,442 plus €915.75, or €3,357.75 per month.
- Length: The visa lasts up to one year, after which holders apply for a residence card.
- Official source: the consulate page.
The consulate page is dated May 2024. A law firm article on the newer 2024 regulation takes a stricter view. It says an unmarried partner must be registered as a pareja de hecho in Spain or another EU state. Registering the partnership where local rules allow may lower the risk of a refusal.
Some guides spread the minimum wage over 12 payments, about €1,425, which raises the couple total to about €3,917. The consulate does not say which figure it uses. One law firm also reports that family members on this visa may work in Spain, which needs confirming.
Best for: Couples who can register as a pareja de hecho or who hold strong proof of a shared life.
3. Portugal: D8 Digital Nomad Visa
The Portugal D8 visa has a partner path on paper, and the timing rules around it changed in 2026.
- Who counts: Spouses and unmarried partners in a stable union (união de facto). A legal summary of the foreigners law describes the test as two years of living together in conditions like marriage, and says same-sex partners can qualify.
- Proof: One visa guide reports that a certificate from the local parish council (junta de freguesia) is the usual proof.
- Income for two: €3,680 per month for the main applicant, which is four times the 2026 minimum wage of €920. The consular checklist adds 50% of the minimum wage for a second adult, or €460, so a couple needs €4,140.
- Routes: A partner can apply together as an accompanying family member, or later through family reunification.
- Official source: the consular checklist for accompanying family members.
A May 2026 law firm note says family reunification now generally requires the sponsor to hold a residence permit for two years. Sources differ on the details, and the rule has moved since 2025. Applying together may avoid the wait, but the consulate should confirm it.
Best for: Couples with two years of shared address history who plan to apply at the same time.
4. Costa Rica: Remote Worker Stay
Costa Rica writes unmarried partners into the law behind its Costa Rica digital nomad visa. Law 10008 defines the family group.
- Who counts: A spouse or common law partner (pareja de hecho), children under 25, children of any age with a disability, and certain older adults. According to EY, same-sex spouses and common law partners qualify.
- Proof: A marriage certificate or an equivalent document confirming a de facto union, with translations where needed.
- Income for two: $3,000 per month for one applicant and $4,000 for a household with family members. A visa guide says the law allows the applicant’s income and a family member’s income to be combined.
- Length: An initial period of up to one year, with a renewal for a second period.
- Official source: the text of Law 10008.
Family members may not earn money from Costa Rican sources. The tax exemption in the law goes to the remote worker only. The $4,000 figure appears to be a flat amount, so a couple and a larger family face the same threshold. Costa Rica has its own legal process for de facto unions, so the immigration directorate can say which document it accepts from a foreign couple.
Best for: Couples where both partners work remotely and can show combined foreign income.
5. Colombia: Visa V for Digital Nomads
The Colombia digital nomad visa lets the main holder request visas for beneficiaries. The foreign ministry’s rules for another visa name a permanent partner (compañero permanente) as a possible beneficiary.
- Who counts: The ministry’s page for the Visa M lists a spouse or permanent partner who is financially dependent. Law firms say the nomad visa also allows beneficiaries. The exact Visa V wording was not confirmed on an official page.
- Proof: The sources checked do not list partner documents, so the ministry is the place to confirm what it accepts.
- Income for two: At least three monthly minimum wages, shown by bank statements for the last three months. With the 2026 minimum wage of COP 1,750,905, that is COP 5,252,715 per month, or roughly USD 1,200 to 1,250. The sources checked list no added amount for a partner.
- Length: Up to two years, according to the Ministry of Justice’s LegalApp page.
- Official sources: the Ministry of Justice page and the foreign ministry Visa M page.
The threshold is lower than in most European programs. Fee figures differ between the Ministry of Justice and other sources, so the fee is left out here. A couple may ask the consulate whether the partner should file as a beneficiary or as a separate applicant.
Best for: Couples who want a lower income threshold and are ready to confirm partner paperwork directly.
6. Brazil: Digital Nomad Visa (VITEM XIV)
The Brazil digital nomad visa sits on a migration law that names a companheiro (partner) among relatives who can join. The consulate pages for this visa were not available when this article was researched. The figures below come from legal summaries that cite them.
- Who counts: Article 37 of Law 13.445/2017 lists a spouse or companheiro among those eligible for family reunification. Brazil recognizes a stable unmarried union as união estável.
- Proof: Not confirmed. Consulates set the documents, so a consulate can say which one shows a união estável for a foreign couple.
- Income for two: Guides citing Brazil’s foreign ministry give USD 1,500 per month or USD 18,000 in savings. None of them list an added amount for a partner.
- Length: 12 months, renewable once for another 12 months.
Guides say spouses and dependent children can apply as dependents, each with a separate application and fee. Whether a companheiro counts as a dependent of a nomad visa holder depends on how each consulate reads the rule. Two partners could also apply separately, since each would show USD 1,500 per month.
Best for: Couples with flexible timelines who can ask a Brazilian consulate before applying.
7. Greece: Digital Nomad Visa
Greece lets family members join, and some sources say partners with a cohabitation agreement count. The Greece digital nomad visa falls under Law 5038/2023.
- Who counts: A spouse or registered partner, including partners with a cohabitation agreement, according to a visa guide. One adviser says the agreement is signed in Greece, but other sources do not confirm that.
- Proof: A cohabitation agreement or a marriage certificate. Official Greek wording on partners was not found.
- Income for two: €3,500 per month net for the main applicant, plus 20% for a spouse, or €700. A couple would need €4,200 if the same rate applies to a partner, which the sources checked do not confirm.
- Work and length: Family members receive an individual visa or permit that ends with the nomad’s, and they cannot work in Greece. The visa lasts up to one year, followed by a two-year residence permit.
Because the proof is a formal agreement, couples need to arrange that document before they apply. A Greek consulate or lawyer can confirm the rules for partners. The Legal 500 summary covers the visa and permit lengths.
Best for: Couples willing to sign a cohabitation agreement who can meet a higher income level.
8. Mexico: Temporary Resident Visa for Family Unity
Mexico has no dedicated nomad visa, so remote workers use the temporary resident visa. The Mexico temporary resident visa has a family unity route that covers a common-law partner or equivalent figure.
- Who counts: The spouse, common-law partner, or equivalent figure of someone holding a temporary resident visa.
- Proof: A marriage certificate or a document proving the common-law relationship, issued under the law of the country where it was formalized. Documents from outside Belgium, Luxembourg, and Mexico need an apostille, according to the Mexican embassy in Belgium.
- Income for two: The partner must show money to support each family member. The embassy sets the benchmark at 220 days of the UMA, about €1,230 per month. A Mexican law firm reports new financial requirements for the main applicant in 2026.
- Length: More than 180 days and up to four years.
- Official source: the Mexican embassy page on family unity.
The partner must attend the consular appointment with the family member who holds residence. The route therefore fits a partner who joins after the main applicant already has temporary resident status. The same law firm reports a 50% fee discount for family unity cases.
Best for: Couples where one partner is already settled in Mexico, or who can document a formal union.
Programs That Leave Out Unmarried Partners
Three popular programs were checked and left off the ranking. Thailand’s Destination Thailand Visa covers a legal spouse and unmarried children under 20. The Japan digital nomad visa covers a spouse and children. The Estonia digital nomad visa is described as covering a spouse or registered partner, and the e-Residency FAQ confirms same-sex partners can apply.
Couples in these programs can each apply as a main applicant. The guide to countries with official nomad visa programs lists more options.
What to Do If Your Partner Does Not Qualify
When a program does not count unmarried partners, each partner applies on their own income. Two main applications raise the total a couple must show, as the worked examples below show.
- Croatia: €3,767.40 per month as a couple, or €7,245 if each partner applies alone.
- Spain: €3,357.75 as a couple, or €4,884 for two main applicants (14-payment figure).
- Portugal: €4,140 as a couple, or €7,360 for two main applicants.
- Greece: €4,200 as a couple, or €7,000 for two main applicants.
- Costa Rica: $4,000 as a household, or $6,000 for two main applicants.
Two main applicants avoid the proof of relationship, and each partner keeps full work rights where the visa allows them. Each also needs separate coverage, and the guide to health insurance plans for digital nomads compares providers.
Relationship documents often need an apostille and translation, covered in the guide to getting documents apostilled. Two remote workers can also read how digital nomad couples share work and travel planning.
Plan the Trip Together
Once you and your partner have picked a country and confirmed the paperwork, the trip itself comes next. If Croatia, Portugal, or Costa Rica fits your situation, search flights for two on FlyBibe and compare routes that suit both work schedules. Booking tickets after the visa decision helps avoid paying for dates that a consulate appointment could change.
The article gives general information and is not legal advice. Immigration and tax rules change, and officials may read partner rules differently. Readers should confirm current requirements with the relevant embassy or a qualified immigration professional before making plans. All details reflect information as of October 29, 2026.