DTV Family Visa 2026: Moving to Thailand with Kids
DTV3 dependent rules, the unmarried partner trap, international school tuition by tier, and the real monthly delta from solo to family of four.
Updated September 24, 2026
The visa is the easy part. Moving to Thailand as a couple costs roughly 40% more than moving solo, and adding school-age kids in international school triples or quadruples the budget before you have rented an apartment. The DTV3 dependent stamp itself is procedural. The real planning is school selection, apostilled paperwork, and a housing market where a 2 to 3 bedroom condo in central Bangkok is three times the price of a Nimman studio.
Key Takeaways
- ✓DTV3 dependents (legal spouse, children under 20) receive their own 5 year visa and pay the full fee separately (~10,000 THB / £300 / $400)
- ✓Unmarried partners are not recognized as DTV3 dependents. Workaround: both apply independently, or the non-primary applies on an METV
- ✓International school tuition runs 150,000 to 1,000,000 THB per year per child. School choice, not visa, is the largest cost in the family budget
- ✓A family of four with one child in mid-tier school needs about $3,900 to $6,800 per month in Bangkok, or $2,700 to $4,600 in Chiang Mai, before medical cover
- ✓Thailand's Apostille Convention accession takes effect on 28 February 2027. Until then, follow the authentication chain required by your mission
This is general information based on profiles similar to yours. Not legal or immigration advice for your specific situation.
DTV3 dependent mechanics
DTV3 is the dependent category. Legal spouse and unmarried children under 20 get the same 5 year multiple entry visa with 180 day stays as the primary, according to the Royal Thai Embassy London and Washington DC DTV pages.
Each dependent files separately on thaievisa.go.th and pays the full fee individually (~10,000 THB / £300 from London / $400 from US posts). No family bundle. A family of four pays four full fees: ~£1,200 / $1,600 before anything else. The primary must be approved first; dependents then submit using the primary's visa reference number. Each application needs its own financial evidence under the rules of the responsible mission. London publishes £12,000 per application; Washington and Los Angeles can accept a family statement when accompanied by proof of relationship.
Documents per dependent: passport biodata page, recent photo, proof of relationship, the primary's approved DTV reference number, qualifying residence evidence, financial evidence, and a police clearance certificate. A dependent under 16 can use the primary holder's police certificate for London and US applications.
Each dependent receives their own 180-day permission to stay from their own entry date. Family members entering together should receive matching dates, but a dependent who enters later gets a separate 180-day period. Each person is responsible for their own re-entries afterwards.
Thailand deposited its accession to the Hague Apostille Convention on 30 June 2026, and it enters into force on 28 February 2027. Until 27 February 2027, use the authentication or legalisation chain required by your mission. For US state documents, that means the issuing state's Secretary of State, the US Department of State, and the Thai Embassy or Consulate. From 28 February 2027, the competent authority's apostille replaces that consular chain. Verify the current process at the HCCH status table.
For the full DTV requirements, processing times, and rejection patterns, see our DTV visa guide. The dependent track inherits all the same financial scrutiny applied to the primary.
The unmarried partner trap
DTV3 recognizes only legal spouses. Cohabitation, civil partnerships, registered domestic partnerships, and common-law marriages from any US state are not accepted as the basis for a dependent visa, according to forum reports on ASEANNOW and embassy guidance summarized by visa advisory services. The Royal Thai Embassy London and US posts apply this consistently. UK civil partnerships under the Civil Partnership Act 2004 do not move the needle.
Two workable paths:
Option 1: both apply independently as primary. If your partner has their own remote income and qualifying financial evidence, they apply for DTV1 separately. Two applications, two fees, two 5 year visas. Do not assume a joint or family statement will work for two unrelated primary applications; follow the financial-evidence rule published by each mission.
Option 2: primary on DTV, partner on METV. If the partner does not qualify in their own right, the METV bridges. It has 6 months validity with 60-day stays extendable by 30 days. The partner can re-enter while the METV remains valid, but a new visa application must go through the mission covering their nationality or qualifying residence. This is not a long-term answer, but it buys time to marry or build the partner's own DTV evidence.
The clean fix is marriage. The friction of legalizing the marriage certificate is less than running a partner on rolling METVs for 5 years.
Multiple posters report that unmarried partners were declined as DTV3 even with shared mortgages, joint accounts, and 10+ years of cohabitation evidence. The embassy position is binary: legal spouse or no dependent stamp.
ASEANNOW forum threads on DTV3 dependents, 2025 to 2026
School-age children: the cost driver
This is the line item that reshapes the family budget. International school in Bangkok ranges from 150,000 THB per year at the budget end to over 1,000,000 THB at the top end, per child, per year. For two children at a top-tier school, you are paying more in tuition than most remote workers spend on everything else combined.
Decision tree for school tier:
- If household income is $200K+ and you want the strongest university pathway → Premium tier (NIST, Patana, ISB, Harrow).
- If household income is $100K to $200K and you want strong academics with manageable fees → Mid tier (Bangkok Prep, KIS International, St. Andrews).
- If household income is under $100K, kids are under 10, and you are open to homeschool blend or smaller programs → Budget tier.
- If you have time and language patience, plus kids under 10 → Local Thai school. Cheaper, but DTV3 acceptance is inconsistent and curriculum is Thai-medium.
Tuition by tier
| Tier | School | Annual tuition (THB) | Annual tuition (~USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | NIST International (Bangkok) | 750,000 to 1,000,000+ | $21,500 to $28,500+ |
| Premium | Bangkok Patana | 600,000 to 950,000 | $17,000 to $27,000 |
| Premium | International School Bangkok (ISB) | 700,000 to 1,000,000 | $20,000 to $28,500 |
| Premium | Harrow Bangkok | 750,000 to 1,000,000+ | $21,500 to $28,500+ |
| Mid | Bangkok Prep | 400,000 to 650,000 | $11,500 to $18,500 |
| Mid | KIS International | 400,000 to 600,000 | $11,500 to $17,000 |
| Mid | St. Andrews International | 450,000 to 700,000 | $13,000 to $20,000 |
| Budget | Smaller international or bilingual programs | 150,000 to 350,000 | $4,300 to $10,000 |
| Local | Thai government school | Effectively free; supplies and uniforms only | Under $500 |
Sources: school admissions pages at nist.ac.th, patana.ac.th, isb.ac.th, harrowschool.ac.th, bangkokprep.ac.th, kis.ac.th, standrews-schools.com. Verify the current academic year tuition at each school's admissions page before budgeting.
Tuition is only part of the bill. Premium schools add one-off application fees (5,000 to 15,000 THB), capital levies or building funds (30,000 to 150,000 THB per child), and annual transport (40,000 to 80,000 THB) if you use the bus. Allow another 15 to 25% on top of headline tuition for the all-in cost.
Application timing
Premium and mid-tier Bangkok schools can admit 6 to 12 months ahead of the August intake, and popular year groups may carry waitlists. Start with the admissions calendar for your target year, then work backwards from assessment, deposit, and enrolment deadlines. Chiang Mai's market is smaller: Prem Tinsulanonda and Lanna International are the two main options in the 400,000 to 700,000 THB range.
Childcare and preschool
For pre-school age children, full-time nannies in Bangkok run 15,000 to 25,000 THB/month live-out, 10,000 to 18,000 THB live-in. International preschool and Montessori programs run 10,000 to 40,000 THB/month (top end like Bangkok Montessori International or Wells International charges full school fees). Chiang Mai equivalents (Panyaden, Lanna Kindergarten) sit at 8,000 to 25,000 THB.
A useful sanity check: a nanny plus a 3-day-a-week preschool blend in Bangkok costs less than a single child's premium international school tuition by a factor of 5 to 10. The cost cliff happens at primary school age, not earlier.
Family healthcare
The DTV does not include health insurance. Arrange cover from the date your family travels. A travel or nomad policy can bridge the first stage if every family member is eligible and its medical limits are sufficient. For a long-term move, compare international and Thai family policies.
Compare inpatient and outpatient cover, dental treatment, maternity, medical underwriting, renewal terms, and the direct-billing network at the hospitals you expect to use. Cigna Global, Allianz Care, and Thai family plans are options to quote, not automatic winners. If you use temporary travel medical cover, check child eligibility and plan limits rather than assuming every child is included free.
For inpatient care, Bumrungrad International Hospital in Sukhumvit and Samitivej Sukhumvit are the two expat-family defaults in Bangkok. Confirm with school admissions whether your child's vaccination records meet the entry requirement before flying.
Get coverage live from the day your family travels. If a child needs emergency treatment before a long-term policy starts, the full bill falls on you. Temporary travel medical cover can bridge that gap if its eligibility, limits, and exclusions fit your family.
Family housing
A 2 to 3 bedroom condo or house, not a studio. The market splits sharply by city and neighborhood.
| Area | Configuration | Monthly rent (THB) |
|---|---|---|
| Bangkok central (Sukhumvit Soi 39/49, Sathorn, Ari) | 2-3BR condo with pool/gym | 35,000 to 70,000 |
| Bangkok outer (On Nut, Bang Chak, Phra Khanong) | 2-3BR condo with pool/gym | 22,000 to 40,000 |
| Chiang Mai (Nimman, Hang Dong, Mae Rim) | 2-3BR house in moo baan compound | 20,000 to 40,000 |
Sukhumvit Soi 39/49 (Phrom Phong, Thong Lor) sit near Bangkok Patana school buses and international supermarkets; Sathorn is closer to NIST and Harrow; Ari is the leafy middle ground. In Chiang Mai, Hang Dong and Mae Rim are the family-favorite suburbs near Prem Tinsulanonda and Lanna International School. Compounds (moo baan) offer pool, gym, and security at a price point single-tower condos cannot match, but most sit 15 to 30 minutes from central neighborhoods. Use DDProperty and Hipflat for live listings.
Burning season is the one calendar item families plan around. AQI in Chiang Mai regularly exceeds 200 from late February to April, and families with kids under 10 commonly relocate to Bangkok or the islands for the worst weeks. See our Chiang Mai vs Bangkok guide for the full trade-off picture.
The monthly cost delta
This is the table that resets expectations. All figures are comfortable, not bare-minimum. The USD totals use 35 THB to $1 as a planning rate; recalculate them at the live rate before committing to the move.
Bangkok
| Category | Solo | Couple | Family of four (2 kids, 1 in primary school) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | 18,000 to 35,000 THB | 25,000 to 45,000 THB | 40,000 to 70,000 THB |
| Food and groceries | 12,000 to 20,000 THB | 18,000 to 30,000 THB | 30,000 to 55,000 THB |
| Transport (Grab, BTS, occasional taxi) | 3,000 to 6,000 THB | 5,000 to 10,000 THB | 8,000 to 15,000 THB |
| Coworking / internet | 4,500 to 10,000 THB | 5,500 to 10,500 THB | 6,000 to 11,000 THB |
| Medical cover | Add a live quote separately | Add a live quote separately | Add a live family quote separately |
| School (one child, mid tier) | n/a | n/a | 35,000 to 55,000 THB |
| Miscellaneous | 8,000 to 15,000 THB | 12,000 to 20,000 THB | 18,000 to 30,000 THB |
| Monthly total before medical cover | $1,300 to $2,460 | $1,870 to $3,300 | $3,915 to $6,745 |
Chiang Mai
| Category | Solo | Couple | Family of four (2 kids, 1 in primary school) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | 10,000 to 18,000 THB | 15,000 to 25,000 THB | 22,000 to 40,000 THB |
| Food and groceries | 8,000 to 14,000 THB | 12,000 to 20,000 THB | 20,000 to 35,000 THB |
| Transport (scooter, Grab) | 2,500 to 5,000 THB | 4,000 to 8,000 THB | 6,000 to 12,000 THB |
| Coworking / internet | 3,000 to 5,000 THB | 3,500 to 5,500 THB | 4,000 to 6,000 THB |
| Medical cover | Add a live quote separately | Add a live quote separately | Add a live family quote separately |
| School (one child, mid tier) | n/a | n/a | 30,000 to 45,000 THB |
| Miscellaneous | 5,000 to 10,000 THB | 8,000 to 14,000 THB | 12,000 to 22,000 THB |
| Monthly total before medical cover | $815 to $1,485 | $1,215 to $2,070 | $2,685 to $4,570 |
Premium-tier schools push the family total higher. The tables include one child at a mid-tier school, so replace that row with the actual tuition for every child before comparing the result with your income. Add a current family medical quote separately.
Pre-departure family checklist
Beyond the standard remote worker list (see moving from the UK and moving from the US), families have four moving parts that drive the timeline.
Apostille the documents now. Marriage certificate, each child's birth certificate, custody paperwork if applicable. 6 to 10 weeks lead time on the consular legalization chain. Everything else depends on this.
School admissions, 6+ months ahead. Premium and mid-tier Bangkok schools admit on a cycle that closes in spring for the August intake. If your move is timed for the new academic year, you are already late by April or May.
Pet relocation, 6 months ahead. Cats and dogs need a microchip, rabies titer test (drawn 30+ days after vaccination, valid 12 months), and import permit. Air-cargo or in-cabin booking is competitive: book 2 to 3 months ahead. Use Jet-A-Pet or Petraveller from the UK or US.
Partner's tax status. A non-working spouse can retain home-country filing obligations through UK residence or US citizenship. In the UK, use Form P85 only if the spouse does not normally file Self Assessment; otherwise report departure through SA109. For the Thai side, see our Thailand digital nomad tax guide for the 180 day residency rule that applies to every adult in the household.
Start the document-authentication and school-admission work first. Both can have lead times in months. Validate tuition and accommodation before anyone files a DTV application, then build a separate visa pack and financial record for each family member.
Get relocation tips in your inbox
Free advice for your move to Thailand. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Frequently asked questions
- Can my unmarried partner get a DTV dependent visa?
- No. DTV3 dependent status is restricted to legal spouses and unmarried children under 20. Civil partnerships, registered domestic partnerships, and common-law marriages are not recognized. Both partners can apply independently if each qualifies, or the partner can use an METV as a temporary route. A future visa application must be made through the mission covering their nationality or qualifying residence.
- How much does each DTV dependent cost?
- Each dependent pays the full DTV fee separately: approximately 10,000 THB, equivalent to £300 from London or $400 from US posts. A family of four pays four full fees, around £1,200 or $1,600 in visa fees alone.
- What international school tuition should I budget per child?
- Premium tier schools (NIST, Patana, ISB, Harrow Bangkok) charge 600,000 to 1,000,000+ THB per year. Mid tier (Bangkok Prep, KIS, St. Andrews) charges 400,000 to 700,000 THB. Budget tier programs run 150,000 to 350,000 THB. Add 15 to 25% for application fees, capital levies, and transport.
- Do I need apostilled marriage and birth certificates for the DTV dependent application?
- Relationship documents need the authentication accepted by the mission handling the application. Thailand's Apostille Convention accession takes effect on 28 February 2027. Until 27 February 2027, follow the current domestic and Thai consular legalisation chain for the country that issued the document.
- What's the realistic monthly budget for a family of four in Bangkok?
- The Bangkok table totals about $3,900 to $6,800 per month for a family of four with one child in mid-tier international school, before medical cover. The equivalent Chiang Mai range is about $2,700 to $4,600. Replace the school row with the actual tuition for every child and add a live family medical quote.
Get a personalized relocation plan based on your situation.
See your visa match (free)