Spain digital nomad visa

[Jolie]

Spotted this:

https://www.contractoruk.com/oversea...directors.html

The article is a bit confusing to me, unless I'm missing something. Why would you pay the minimum salary to qualify for the visa, leaving the rest in your Limited company to be taxed at what will be 25% from April 2023? Surely, you'd do the total opposite and pay no corporation tax? Also, I think the income tax rates is a flat rate at 15% irrespective of what you pay yourself.

I can see why it looks confusing, and yes it's the exact opposite. The minimum salary in this case is to show that you qualify, it doesn't mean you only pay yourself that figure, there will be people who only just make it over the threshold. You would pay yourself all of it (up to 60k) to take advantage of the 15% rate. If you make more than that, then you need to know what the percentage is for the higher band and determine if it's worth it.

One other thing not mentioned in the article is the requirement for 'full' private medical insurance, which is significant at around €300 / month, which would pretty much negate any CT increases for most contractors.

I'm not sure what Spain's requirements are and if you have to use their approved medical insurers, but you can get insurance for a lot less than that. My current insurer is Big Cat and they insure me for single stays greater than 60 days at a time up to 1 year.

Then there's the employers NI that the UK Ltd would presumably still have to make.

I wanted this digital nomad visa thing to work, seeing as I already have property out in Spain and spend several months a year over there, subject to the 90/180 day rule, which is why I launched this thread, but I just don't see it offering any financial incentive for UK Ltd contractors. Please tell me I'm wrong!

This is where you need more specialist advice. It may still work out more beneficial even with the medical insurance and employers NI to pay, but you need to understand how this affects your SATR and LtdCo accounts and whether HMRC will run with it. Is it worth it for just one year? Can it be extended and if so for how long?

There are over 46 countries currently offering DNV's, and Spain is probably one of the worst and would be one of the last I would choose, but I understand you already have the property so it makes sense.

[Bluenose]

Re: Medical Insurance. It depends on your own personal circumstances.

Happy to be educated on it but this is what I have been told.

The following only applies if you are registered as a worker in Spain (if you go under the nomad visa you will be). If you go under a Golden Visa or, do not work the following will *not* apply.

For the first 90 days, if you are not registered yet (or don't have a number) you can use a U.K issued GHIC card which allows reciprocal health treatment in Spanish hospitals for necessary treatments and drugs. Spaniards visiting the U.K also have access to the NHS (gulp) under the same system.

If you are a registered worker, you don't need to pay for private treatment in Spain unless, you want private healthcare or want things such as, the option to be flown back to U.K if tulip happens.

What I have been told is the Spanish changed the law so that if you are a registered worker, you are legally protected to claim medical treatment in the area that you live in Spain.

You will be paying 20-23%-ish income tax at the end of the day so you might as well get something back for it.

If you are *not* working in Spain but live in Spain under a different Visa, the charge to access the public health system is 60 EUR per month if under 65 and 157 EUR a month over 65.

[Bluenose]

Indeed. Better to rename it "The contractoruk clique confirmation bias thread".

For those interested, better to move to one of the other Digital Nomad forums for updates instead.

I will drop updates in here as they come in from the Spanish consulate (and other sources) and hope the clique gets bored and move on.

The next big one should be the date where U.K consulates will start to accept and process applications for this new Visa. The FT has said 'March' but I might chance my arm in a few weeks and email the consulate to see what they say.

[oliverson]

https://www.euronews.com/travel/2023...ay-for-5-years

[Robinho]

What's the best strategy for getting a remote gig where you intent to work from abroad...

1) tell the agent/client up front you want to work from abroad
2) don't say anything unless or until asked



1 is more honest, but the concern is it's just an easy excuse to filter you out in the early stage.

[Bluenose]

What's the best strategy for getting a remote gig where you intent to work from abroad...

1) tell the agent/client up front you want to work from abroad
2) don't say anything unless or until asked

1 is more honest, but the concern is it's just an easy excuse to filter you out in the early stage.

at least with option two you align yourself with the (90%) agents view of lying to you all the way until you get to meet the person who is going to hire you and then you find out what the contract *really* is about.

I think that the industry will change, I think in the next two years though the going is going to be tough until head-hunters realise that companies have been using near-shore and off-shore resources for over 20 years and this is not much of a mind leap as it might seem.

[Jolie]

What's the best strategy for getting a remote gig where you intent to work from abroad...

1) tell the agent/client up front you want to work from abroad
2) don't say anything unless or until asked



1 is more honest, but the concern is it's just an easy excuse to filter you out in the early stage.

Depends on what you are trying to achieve.

If you just want to enjoy the sunshine while you work, and the agent is paying you into your UK account, then option 2 is fine.

Agents want you to work so they get paid, the real issue is where they pay the money. If your intention is to move abroad and use the opportunity to reduce your taxes, then you would either have to tell them up front, or work on the gig for a while, get a feel of the situation and whether you can get the client on board with your plans. That's what I did and both the client and the agent were fine with it.

[northernladuk]

Depends on what you are trying to achieve.

If you just want to enjoy the sunshine while you work, and the agent is paying you into your UK account, then option 2 is fine.

Agents want you to work so they get paid, the real issue is where they pay the money. If your intention is to move abroad and use the opportunity to reduce your taxes, then you would either have to tell them up front, or work on the gig for a while, get a feel of the situation and whether you can get the client on board with your plans. That's what I did and both the client and the agent were fine with it.

No it's not. The agent isn't the problem. It's the clients security policies, legals and expectation that are the problem. Public sector for example make it very clear in their docs that data cannot go abroad. Not so clear, but pretty bloody obvious is taking their kit, or logging in to O365 abroad without top approval is a no no. Many clients will log it and either pull you up or just block the log in so gonna be screwed if you don't check that first.

You can't swan off abroad without checking and getting approval first.

[Unix]

No it's not. The agent isn't the problem. It's the clients security policies, legals and expectation that are the problem. Public sector for example make it very clear in their docs that data cannot go abroad. Not so clear, but pretty bloody obvious is taking their kit, or logging in to O365 abroad without top approval is a no no. Many clients will log it and either pull you up or just block the log in so gonna be screwed if you don't check that first.

You can't swan off abroad without checking and getting approval first.

Just use a VPN so looks like your in the UK while lying at the beach sipping cocktails.

It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission NLUK

[northernladuk]

Just use a VPN so looks like your in the UK while lying at the beach sipping cocktails.

It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission NLUK

We've been through this before and it's not as easy as you say. And when it comes to your only source of income and potential legal issues no it isn't.