# Relocating to Spain with my online business



## GuyN (Sep 26, 2021)

Hello - I want to relocate to Spain (sell my UK house, buy house in Spain). I have a small online consultancy business (UK limited company, international clients, one employee = me). I want to migrate that to Spain as my principal source of income. But migrating my business before (or at the same time) as physical relocation is terrifying: I'd rather relocate, then gradually migrate the business over the first year. I understand that Non-Lucrative Residence Visa offered a path for this: but I'm also now reading that the UK Consulate is rejecting applications involving or implying remote working. I do want to pay my taxes in Spain! I just need a way of phasing the transition. Can anyone advise, or suggest a reasonably priced and competent law company who can advise? Many thanks! - Guy (vivía en España durante muchos años, ya hace tiempo: hablo español más o menos como un nativo.)


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## GuyN (Sep 26, 2021)

For clarification: I could take my laptop to Spain and start working tomorrow. By "migrating" I mean formally migrating from UK company to newly Spanish company, with all taxes paid in Spain. Or possibly (?) some legal way of operating UK company from Spain: but even if legal, I imagine that's not tax-efficient.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

There seem to be a few people contemplating the same but no one appears to have figured out exactly how it is done other than following the paths of other non EU persons who are able to carry out their own online work in Spain. You are right about the NLV not being sufficient as you are not allowed to be automino on that. Obviously, many people are working remotely without the requisite documents but I doubt that can be done for an extended period. I imagine you need to read up about the conditions required to get a work Visa which allows you to be automino. Dont be tempted to accept the version that says you can live in Spain and just make the UK your tax residence as some are suggesting. Once you are a resident in Spain you will be required to make a tax declaration of all your income irrespective of the source. Good luck


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## GuyN (Sep 26, 2021)

I really appreciate this response Kaipa, thank you. Getting a NLRV then surreptitiously remote-working over that year is possible, but seems risky: 1) the Consulate might suspect I intend to remote work, and reject for that reason; 2) it might make future regularisation difficult, because I'd have been demonstrably working illegally or not-quite-legally in Spain over that year. Any other advice much appreciated!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

This visa if it ever comes to fruition might work for you









Digital nomad visa for Spain?


https://www.immigrationspain.es/en/visa-for-digital-nomads/?fbclid=IwAR3vdP1rM11eLvF7sTr6qLtgcgsagjHD07kzO_F3eT2LIzLSRMOAUlGg1TY We have really good news! In a very short time, we will have a new law for startups in Spain, and with it, important changes within the immigration law. With this...




www.expatforum.com


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## GuyN (Sep 26, 2021)

That's also very useful xabiaxica, and raises the possibility of applying for work permit as autónomo, from UK, trying to do it that way. I guess I didn't realise how difficult this would prove to be: pre-Brexit mentality!


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## Barry Jones (Aug 29, 2021)

Could you not set up a new company in Spain and then employ a Spanish accountant etc. while maintaining the UK company?

I run a quite successful computer networking company here in the UK with many large projects under my belt (M6 Toll Motorway, Leicester Tigers and Doncaster Racecourse Stadium, plus over 500 schools and numerous blue-chip companies like CMA-CGM, Johnsons, Kelloggs etc) and I looked at opening a Spanish office many years ago as I had work in Gibraltar and then with a view to move to Spain and retire.

My business advisors and my bank, advised that would be possible at the time (Pre-Brexit) but I'm not so sure now. 

My plans have now changed to winding down the company over the next 4 or 5 years and moving as the spouse of an EU Citizen (Wife born in Northern Ireland) and just retiring!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Barry Jones said:


> Could you not set up a new company in Spain and then employ a Spanish accountant etc. while maintaining the UK company?
> 
> I run a quite successful computer networking company here in the UK with many large projects under my belt (M6 Toll Motorway, Leicester Tigers and Doncaster Racecourse Stadium, plus over 500 schools and numerous blue-chip companies like CMA-CGM, Johnsons, Kelloggs etc) and I looked at opening a Spanish office many years ago as I had work in Gibraltar and then with a view to move to Spain and retire.
> 
> ...


Yes, that's still possible post Brexit, but rather more complicated.


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## MataMata (Nov 30, 2008)

GuyN said:


> Getting a NLRV then surreptitiously remote-working over that year is possible, but seems risky: 1) the Consulate might suspect I intend to remote work, and reject for that reason; 2) it might make future regularisation difficult, because I'd have been demonstrably working illegally or not-quite-legally in Spain over that year. Any other advice much appreciated!


If you need to show income from work to meet the financial requirements for the NLV you could well see your application rejected, there is already precedent.


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## Roland_O (Oct 17, 2016)

Just wondering…

If you had a UK company with one employee, then it could stay British even if it’s one employee moved. UK company would pay UK tax. You the employee get permission to stay in Spain by showing you have enough money and private healthcare. It used to be about 10k in a Spanish bank account. Then you get paid from the UK via your company, you will pay Spanish tax. At some point you create a Spanish company later.

Anyway, on a more helpful note, I can connect you with an English tax lawyer who helps me manage my income.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## GuyN (Sep 26, 2021)

OK. Thanks again to everyone, that's extremely helpful. Long story short, as far as I can see from responses: post-Brexit, there is no straightforward route to achieving what I'd like, it's difficult or perhaps currently impossible. I imagine that for someone significantly wealthier there are other ways of doing this, but for someone like me trying to do it on a shoestring: difficult. Useful for me to know this!


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

I think truth be told immigration from non-member states in order to work has always been difficult and even the NLV isnt exactly something that anyone can acquire. For decades us Brits have taken free movement for granted plus there were always places like Australia and Canada which were relatively easy to move to but that was because they had labour shortages in many area and were low population densities. Now immigration is a hot topic weaponized by the right. Look at the UK , even this week where it is apparent that there is a severe labour shortage in various sectors the government is unwilling to budge on its Brexit values. Unfortunately, I can't see Spain granting work visas willy nilly to people just wanting to work online as it effectively makes there country appear unproductive and look like a place where foreigners use it for RnR lifestyles


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## Do28 (Dec 21, 2010)

I had a friend of mine who voted for all this book into a trade fair he goes to every year in Italy and was told as he was working he would need a work permit. He thought that was terribly unfair..........


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