Each family member needs their own health insurance policy
The Spain Digital Nomad Visa allows the main applicant to include their spouse or civil partner and dependent children in the same visa application, meaning they can all move to Spain together under the same legal framework.
However, one requirement applies individually to every person named on the application: each family member must have their own individual health insurance policy and their own insurance certificate.
There is no "family policy" for DNV visa purposes. Each certificate must show:
- The individual's full name
- The policy coverage dates (minimum 12 months)
- Confirmation of zero copayments, zero deductible, full Spain territory
- The insurer's name and policy number
- The certificate must be in Spanish
Some insurers offer family-rate pricing — one premium covering multiple people — but each covered individual still receives their own certificate. This distinction matters: the price can be bundled, but the documentation must be individual.
Who counts as family for the DNV?
The DNV family unit for visa purposes includes:
- Spouse or civil partner — requires proof of legal relationship (marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate, or equivalent). Unmarried partners in a long-term relationship may be able to apply together in some jurisdictions — check with your consulate or an immigration lawyer.
- Dependent children under 18 — requires birth certificate proving the relationship to the main applicant.
- Dependent children up to 26 in full-time education — eligibility for this extension varies by consulate and must be demonstrated with proof of full-time study and continued financial dependency.
The following do not qualify for DNV family inclusion:
- Parents or in-laws of the main applicant
- Non-dependent adult children
- Siblings or other relatives
- Unmarried partners in some jurisdictions (check with your specific consulate)
Typical family cost breakdown
Indicative monthly premiums for a family applying for the Digital Nomad Visa in 2026. All figures assume healthy applicants with no pre-existing conditions and zero-copay visa-grade policies.
| Family composition | Sanitas | Caser | Adeslas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single adult (35) | ~€68/mo | ~€45/mo | ~€70/mo |
| Two adults (35 + 35) | ~€136/mo | ~€90/mo | ~€130/mo |
| Adult + 1 child | ~€90/mo | ~€65/mo | ~€95/mo |
| Two adults + 2 children | ~€175/mo | ~€120/mo | ~€170/mo |
Prices indicative. Children's rates vary significantly by age — very young children (under 5) can be considerably cheaper than teenagers. Adeslas family pricing may appear competitive but note the 36-month non-breakable contract risk. Get personalised quotes →
Adeslas locks all policyholders into a 36-month non-breakable contract. For families, this applies to every covered member. If you want to switch insurer or reduce coverage at any point in years 1 or 2, you cannot without significant financial penalties. Every other major insurer operates on annual terms with normal cancellation rights.
Best insurers for DNV families
Caser — best overall value for families
Caser stands out for families because dental is included in all policies at no additional cost — covering every family member. Most other mainstream insurers do not include dental at any price point on the visa-grade no-copay plan. For a family of four, the dental inclusion across all members is a material benefit worth approximately €20–30/month per person if purchased separately.
Caser also offers family discounting — children are typically added at a reduced premium compared to adult rates. Maximum entry age for Caser is 69, which is not a concern for the typical DNV family demographic.
Sanitas — best for English-speaking families
Sanitas is the premium option for families who prioritise English-speaking GPs and specialists. Through the BUPA international network, Sanitas policyholders in Spain can access doctors who speak English — critical for families with children who are not yet Spanish speakers, and for any medical consultation where nuance and clarity matter most. Sanitas also offers instant certificate issuance, which matters when managing multiple family members' documentation on a timeline.
Adeslas — largest network, but proceed with caution
Adeslas has the largest provider network in Spain, which can be valuable in smaller cities and towns where network breadth matters more. However, the 36-month non-breakable contract is a significant risk for families: if your circumstances change (you leave Spain earlier than planned, your family situation changes, or you find a better insurer after year 1), you cannot exit the contract without penalties. For most families, the network advantage does not outweigh this risk.
Autónomo DNV families: the critical misunderstanding
This is one of the most important points in this guide, and one of the most frequently misunderstood.
If you register as autónomo in Spain and pay the cuota de autónomos, YOUR Social Security covers only YOU — not your family.
The autónomo's Social Security registration is personal. It does not automatically extend to a spouse or dependent children unless they are also independently employed in Spain and paying their own Social Security contributions.
This is false. Your autónomo Social Security registration covers you individually. Your spouse and dependent children on the DNV still need their own private health insurance policies — zero-copay, full Spain coverage, Spanish-language certificate — for the initial application and at renewal, unless they independently qualify for Spanish Social Security in their own right.
The practical implication for autónomo DNV families at renewal:
- Main applicant (autónomo): can switch from full private policy to Social Security health coverage + optional top-up
- Spouse/partner (not independently employed in Spain): still needs their own full private insurance policy
- Dependent children (not independently employed in Spain): still need their own full private insurance policy
There is one exception: if the spouse also registers as autónomo and pays their own cuota, they can similarly rely on their own Social Security health coverage at renewal. But this requires a separate autónomo registration, a separate cuota, and is a significant cost commitment (~€200+/month per person).
Children born in Spain to DNV holders
Children born in Spain to Digital Nomad Visa holders occupy a different legal position from children who arrive in Spain named on the initial visa application.
A child born in Spain:
- Is typically registered at the local ayuntamiento (town hall) within the first weeks of life
- Can usually be enrolled at the local centro de salud (public GP surgery) and access Spanish public health services
- Does not need to be named on a visa health insurance certificate — they are not on a visa
- May be eligible for Spanish citizenship by birth depending on the parents' nationality (this is a separate legal question)
Many DNV families choose to add newborns to their existing private family policy regardless of this access to public healthcare, because private cover provides paediatric specialists, faster appointments, English-speaking doctors, and dental care that the public system does not include.
Get quotes for your family
Our partner insurers can provide individual certificates for each family member in a single application process, with English-language support throughout:
Frequently asked questions
Yes — every family member included in a Digital Nomad Visa application must have their own individual health insurance policy and their own certificate. There is no family policy for visa purposes. Each person's certificate must show their own name, coverage dates, and the insurer's confirmation that the policy meets visa requirements. This includes the main applicant, spouse or partner, and each dependent child.
Some insurers offer family-rate pricing where one premium covers multiple people, but each person still receives their own individual certificate for the visa application. For example, Caser offers family pricing where children are added at a discounted rate, but each family member still has a named certificate. Confirm with your insurer that each person will receive a separate certificate before purchasing.
The DNV allows the main applicant's spouse or civil partner (requires proof of relationship such as a marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate) and dependent children under 18 to join the application. In some cases, dependent children up to age 26 who are in full-time education and financially dependent on the main applicant may also qualify. Non-dependent adult children and parents of the main applicant do not qualify for family inclusion.
Indicative costs for a family applying for the DNV in 2026: two adults aged 35 can expect to pay approximately €90–136/month combined depending on insurer. A single adult aged 35 plus one child runs approximately €65–90/month. Two adults plus two children typically falls in the €120–175/month range. Caser is usually the most competitive for families thanks to dental inclusion for all covered family members.
No — this is one of the most common misunderstandings about the autónomo and DNV combination. An autónomo's Social Security registration only covers the autónomo themselves. The spouse and dependent children are not automatically covered by the autónomo's Social Security contributions. At renewal, if the autónomo switches to relying on Social Security, the rest of the family still needs their own individual private insurance policies — unless they are also independently employed in Spain and paying their own Social Security contributions.
For families, Caser stands out for value — it includes dental for all family members and offers family pricing with discounts for children. Sanitas is the premium option with English-speaking doctors and the BUPA international network, making it popular with families new to Spain who may not speak Spanish. Adeslas has the largest network in Spain but locks policyholders into a 36-month non-breakable contract, which is a significant disadvantage for families who may want to reassess after the first year.
Children born in Spain to Digital Nomad Visa holders are typically registered at the local ayuntamiento (town hall) and can be enrolled in the Spanish public health system through the centro de salud (GP surgery) in their district. They do not need to be named on a private visa health insurance policy after birth. However, many DNV families choose to add newborns to their private family policy for faster access, paediatric specialists, and English-speaking doctors.
Yes — and this is usually the most straightforward approach. Using one insurer for the whole family simplifies administration, means all certificates come from the same source, and often attracts family or multi-policy discounts. Caser, Sanitas, and Adeslas all offer multi-person family policies. The key requirement remains that each family member has their own named certificate for the visa application — but a single insurer can provide all of them.
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