# Family Members and Dependants in Investment Migration

Who qualifies as a dependant, age limits, marriage and civil partnership rules, newborn children, and programme-specific differences for residence and citizenship by investment.

Updated 2026-11-01. Also on the [web page](https://goldenvisas.fyi/guides/family-members-and-dependants).

**Dependant definitions vary by programme.** Always check the current legislation or official FAQ. The table below summarises typical rules as of 2026-11-01.

## Who counts as a dependant

| Category | Typical inclusion | Typical age limit | Key conditions |
|----------|-------------------|-------------------|----------------|
| **Spouse** | All programmes | No limit | Legal marriage certificate; some accept civil partnership |
| **Children (biological/adopted)** | All programmes | 18–30 | Unmarried, financially dependent, often full-time student if 18+ |
| **Parents (main applicant's)** | Most CBI; some golden visas | 55+ or 65+ | Financially dependent; proof of support; extra fees |
| **Parents (spouse's)** | Some CBI (Antigua, St Lucia, Dominica, Grenada) | 55+ or 65+ | Financially dependent; extra fees |
| **Grandparents** | Very few (Antigua, Saint Lucia) | 55+ or 65+ | Financially dependent; extra fees |
| **Siblings** | Antigua, Saint Lucia only | Under 18 or 30 | Unmarried, dependent, no children of their own |
| **Newborn (post-approval)** | All programmes | N/A | Register within 12 months (usually); fees + DD |

## Programme-specific dependant rules (citizenship by investment)

| Programme | Spouse | Children | Parents | Grandparents | Siblings | Newborn registration |
|-----------|--------|----------|---------|--------------|----------|---------------------|
| **St Kitts and Nevis** | ✓ | <30 (if dependent, student) | >55 (dependent) | ✗ | ✗ | Within 12 months |
| **Dominica** | ✓ | <30 (if dependent, student) | >65 (dependent) | ✗ | ✗ | Within 12 months |
| **Grenada** | ✓ | <30 (if dependent, student) | >55 (dependent) | ✗ | ✗ | Within 12 months |
| **Antigua and Barbuda** | ✓ | <30 (if dependent, student) | >55 (dependent) | >55 (dependent) | <30 (unmarried, dependent) | Within 12 months |
| **Saint Lucia** | ✓ | <30 (if dependent, student) | >55 (dependent) | >55 (dependent) | <18 (unmarried, dependent) | Within 12 months |
| **Malta (MEIN)** | Closed | Scheme repealed July 2025 | — | — | — | — |
| **Türkiye** | ✓ | <18 (or any age if disabled) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Automatic with parent |
| **Vanuatu** | ✓ | <25 (if dependent, student) | >50 (dependent) | ✗ | ✗ | Within 12 months |

**Sources**: ciu.gov.kn (St Kitts), cbiu.gov.dm (Dominica), imagrenada.gd (Grenada), cip.gov.ag (Antigua), cipsaintlucia.com (Saint Lucia), invest.gov.tr (Türkiye), vancitizenship.gov.vu (Vanuatu), all accessed 2026-11-01.

## Programme-specific dependant rules (residence by investment)

| Programme | Spouse | Children | Parents | Other | Notes |
|-----------|--------|----------|---------|-------|-------|
| **Greece** | ✓ | <21 (unmarried) | ✓ (main & spouse) | ✗ | Parents no age limit if dependent |
| **Spain** | Closed to new applicants since April 2025 | — | — | — | Existing permits keep family rights |
| **Portugal (ARI)** | ✓ | <18 (or <26 if student) | ✓ (>65, dependent) | ✗ | De facto unions recognised |
| **Italy** | ✓ | <18 (or dependent student) | ✓ (dependent) | ✗ | Civil unions = marriage |
| **Malta (MPRP)** | ✓ | <29 (if dependent) | ✓ (dependent) | ✗ | Up to 4 generations in one application |
| **UAE** | ✓ | <18 (or <25 if student) | ✓ (dependent) | ✓ (domestic staff) | No upper age for disabled children |
| **USA (EB-5)** | ✓ | <21 (CSPA may freeze age) | ✗ | ✗ | Child Status Protection Act may apply |
| **Cyprus (PR 6(2))** | ✓ | <18 (or dependent student) | ✗ | ✗ | Spouse and children included in the same application |
| **Hungary** | ✓ | <18 | ✓ (dependent parents) | ✗ | Guest investor permit, oif.gov.hu |

**Sources**: migration.gov.gr (Greece), lamoncloa.gob.es (Spain), aima.gov.pt (Portugal), mimit.gov.it (Italy), residencymalta.gov.mt (Malta), u.ae (UAE), uscis.gov (USA), oif.gov.hu (Hungary), gov.cy (Cyprus), all accessed 2026-11-01.

## Key definitions

**Financially dependent**: The dependant relies on the main applicant for substantial financial support. Evidence: bank transfers, shared household expenses, no independent income, tax returns showing dependency.

**Full-time student**: Enrolled in a recognised educational institution for ≥20 hours/week or equivalent. Evidence: enrolment letter, tuition receipts, student ID.

**Unmarried**: Never married, not in a civil partnership, not in a de facto union (unless the programme recognises de facto unions as equivalent to marriage).

**Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) — USA EB-5 only**: The child's age is "frozen" at the date the I-526 petition is filed. If the child turns 21 before visa issuance, CSPA may still protect them if the petition was pending long enough. Consult a US immigration attorney.

## Fees per dependant (checked 2026-11-01)

"Included" means the dependant adds nothing to the base contribution. DD = due diligence fee. Confirm every figure on the official page before you budget; governments change fees without notice.

| Programme | Spouse | Child | Parent | Sibling/Grandparent | Source |
|-----------|--------|-------|--------|---------------------|--------|
| **St Kitts (SISC)** | Included in US$250k (main + up to 3 dependants) | +US$25k (<18) / +US$50k (18+) per dependant after the third | +US$50k | N/A | [ciu.gov.kn/sustainable-island-state-contribution](https://ciu.gov.kn/sustainable-island-state-contribution/) |
| **Dominica (EDF)** | Included in US$250k (main + up to 3 dependants) | Additional dependants per the CBIU schedule | Per the CBIU schedule | N/A | [cbiu.gov.dm](https://www.cbiu.gov.dm/investment-options/economic-diversification-fund/) |
| **Grenada (NTF)** | Included in US$235k (family of 4) | Included (family of 4); +US$25k–50k per dependant after the third | Included if 55+ in a family of 4; otherwise counted as an extra dependant | Sibling +US$75k | [imagrenada.gd](https://imagrenada.gd/becoming-a-citizen/) |
| **Antigua (NDF)** | Included in US$230k (no extra contribution for any dependant) | Included | Included (55+) | Included; processing US$20k for a family of 4, +US$10k per dependant from the fifth | [cip.gov.ag/investment-options/ndf](https://cip.gov.ag/investment-options/ndf/) |
| **Saint Lucia (NEF)** | Included in US$240k (applicant + up to 3 dependants) | +US$10k (<18) / +US$20k (18+) per dependant after the third | +US$20k | +US$20k | [cipsaintlucia.com](https://www.cipsaintlucia.com/citizenship-by-investment) |
| **Malta MPRP** | Included (spouse exempt) | €7,500 per adult dependant | €7,500 per adult dependant | N/A | [residencymalta.gov.mt](https://residencymalta.gov.mt/legal-framework-mprp-2/) |
| **Türkiye** | Included | Included (<18) | N/A | N/A | [invest.gov.tr](https://www.invest.gov.tr/) |
| **Vanuatu (DSP)** | US$150k couple / US$165k couple + 1 child / US$180k couple + 2 children | Priced into the family tiers; +US$10k per additional applicant | +US$10k (additional applicant) | N/A | [vancitizenship.gov.vu](https://vancitizenship.gov.vu/index.php/citizenship/fees-and-charges) |
| **Greece** | No extra investment; the main applicant pays a €2,000 e-fee (art. 132 Law 4251/2014) plus a €16 card fee | Permit and card fees apply per person — check the official page for the dependant amount | Same — check the official page | N/A | [migration.gov.gr/en/golden-visa](https://migration.gov.gr/en/golden-visa/) |
| **Portugal (ARI)** | No extra investment; AIMA application and card fees apply per person — check the AIMA fee schedule | Same per person | Same per person | N/A | [aima.gov.pt](https://aima.gov.pt/) |

**Notes**: Due diligence and processing fees are charged per person on top (e.g. St Kitts DD US$7,500 per dependant 16+ — ciu.gov.kn; Saint Lucia processing US$1,000 + DD US$5,000 per dependant, DD from age 16 — cipsaintlucia.com; Grenada DD US$5,000 per person 17+, nil under 17 — imagrenada.gd). "After the third" means dependants beyond the first three in the application. Malta MPRP also charges a €500 residence card fee per person covering five years.

## Documents required for each dependant

| Dependant | Core documents |
|-----------|----------------|
| **Spouse** | Marriage certificate (apostilled/legalised), passport, police certificate, medical, photos |
| **Child <18** | Birth certificate (apostilled), passport, medical, photos; adoption decree if applicable |
| **Child 18+** | Above + proof of enrolment (student), proof of dependency (bank statements, no income), police certificate |
| **Parent** | Birth certificate (showing relationship to main applicant), passport, police certificate, medical, proof of dependency (bank statements, no pension/income), medical insurance |
| **Sibling/Grandparent** | Birth certificates (chain of relationship), passport, police certificate, medical, proof of dependency |
| **Newborn** | Birth certificate (issued within 12 months of approval), passport, photos; parents' approval letters |

## Adding dependants after approval

| Programme | Process |
|-----------|---------|
| **Caribbean CBI** | Apply to CIU/CBIC with new dependant's docs + fees + DD. Usually 1–3 months. |
| **Malta MPRP** | A new dependant may be added on payment of the per-dependant fee plus due diligence. |
| **Türkiye** | New family members apply for residence permit, then citizenship after 3 years (or immediately if property holder). |
| **Golden visas** | Apply for family reunification / dependant residence card. Usually 1–3 months. |
| **USA EB-5** | Derivatives included in I-526. If child born after filing, CSPA may apply. New spouse: file I-824 or new I-526. |

## Practical tips

1. **List all potential dependants at engagement** — even if unsure. Adding later costs more and delays the main application.
2. **Get police certificates for everyone 16+ early** — they expire (usually 6 months). Time them with submission.
3. **Prove dependency with paper trail** — 12+ months of bank transfers, shared bills, tax returns showing dependent status.
4. **Check civil partnership recognition** — Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Malta recognise civil unions; some Caribbean programmes require legal marriage.
5. **Plan for newborns** — If pregnancy is likely during processing, discuss with agent. Most programmes allow registration within 12 months.
6. **Disabled dependants** — Most programmes waive age limits for disabled children/parents with medical certification.

## Official resources

- Each programme's official FAQ/legislation page (linked in tables above)
- OECD Model Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (for dependency definitions in tax context)
- UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (for best-interests principle in dependant processing)

**Disclaimer**: Rules change. Age limits, fees and eligible categories are amended by legislation. Always verify on the official government website before you include a dependant.

## Questions

### Can I add parents?

Most programmes allow parents of the main applicant or spouse, usually with an age threshold (55+ or 65+) and proof of financial dependence. Fees apply.

### What about adult children?

Typically up to age 18–30 if financially dependent, unmarried, and in full-time education. Some programmes (e.g. Portugal, Malta MPRP) allow older children with proof of dependence.

### Can I add a sibling?

Rare. Only a few programmes (e.g. Antigua, Saint Lucia) allow siblings of the main applicant or spouse, usually under 18 or 30, unmarried, and dependent.

### What if a child is born after approval?

Most programmes allow registration of newborns within a defined period (usually 12 months) without re-applying. Fees and due diligence apply.

### Do dependants need separate due diligence?

Yes. All dependants 16+ (sometimes 18+) undergo police certificates and database screening. Fees apply per person.