# Working for a UK company remotely in Spain



## CatG81 (Jun 9, 2020)

Hello,

I'm after some advice as I'm looking to move to Girona and continue working for my UK-based company, hopefully before Brexit, so I have less than 6 months to sort it.

The advice on the internet seems abundant but confusing!

So I believe that the first step is to get an NIE number. Which has to be done in Spain 

1 - Can it be done anywhere in Spain or only in the province/town that you are looking to move to like the residency visa?
2 - It mentions online that you have to put down your reason for applying... Obviously I wouldn't be getting a job with a Spanish company and I'm not self-employed so what kind of reason is acceptable? 

Then I guess it's getting residency permit - TIE. Now I'm not sure exactly the best way to go about this. As far as I know, as I won't be paying taxes I would have to prove my financial security via a Spanish bank account, as well as provide health insurance docs. Neither of which would be a problem, and I can open a Spanish bank account as soon as I have an NIE number, is that correct?

I would really appreciate some advice on the exact steps that need to be taken and how I go about it, and any advice from people have done a similar thing. 

Thanks in advance!!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

CatG81 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I'm after some advice as I'm looking to move to Girona and continue working for my UK-based company, hopefully before Brexit, so I have less than 6 months to sort it.
> 
> ...


 Fall at the first hurdle 

An NIE can be obtained in the UK
Foreigners' Identity Number (N.I.E.)
You need to state a reason for needing one, so for example buying a house


> foreigners having a relation with Spain for economic, professional or social interests shall be provided with a personal, unique and exclusive sequential number, for identification purposes.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

CatG81 said:


> As far as I know, as I won't be paying taxes I would have to prove my financial security via a Spanish bank account,


... and at the second.

It is probably 99% certain that as a Spanish resident (with TIE), you will also be tax resident in Spain. Hence, have to do a tax return here.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Not sure what you mean by not paying taxes in Spain. If you mean that at time of registering you want have any tax returns that's fine as you want make a tax return until the next financial year. If you mean that you will just move here but not pay tax in spain because you are going to pay it uk then that wont happen. Tax is paid where you live and you will need to become self employed here in spain.


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## MataMata (Nov 30, 2008)

Tax is paid where you live *AND WHERE YOU PERFORM THE WORK* and *TO WORK*you will need to become self employed here in spain.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

kaipa said:


> Not sure what you mean by not paying taxes in Spain. If you mean that at time of registering you want have any tax returns that's fine as you want make a tax return until the next financial year. If you mean that you will just move here but not pay tax in spain because you are going to pay it uk then that wont happen. Tax is paid where you live and *you will need to become self employed here in spain*.


This is not true.

Many people who come here to work for a foreign company with no Spanish legal presence end up becoming self employed because it is easier for the company. But if the OP's company is OK to have workers in a foreign country, then they can remain as an employee.

I agree about the tax though. They may be able to get their pay from the UK paid gross with no PAYE, then pay the tax in Spain but it depends on how the contract is set up and the personal circumstances of the OP.

The OP needs to get their employer involved. This is where the whole process falls over in a lot of cases as the employers don't want the hassle and liabilities (personal income tax, corporate registration / tax, NI, H&S etc. of a worker abroad).

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/paying-employees-working-abroad


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Overandout said:


> kaipa said:
> 
> 
> > Not sure what you mean by not paying taxes in Spain. If you mean that at time of registering you want have any tax returns that's fine as you want make a tax return until the next financial year. If you mean that you will just move here but not pay tax in spain because you are going to pay it uk then that wont happen. Tax is paid where you live and *you will need to become self employed here in spain*.
> ...



Yes. I realise that it is possible to be retained as a uk employee but to be honest unless you have a fairly important position in the company I would imagine there is a fair amount of work that your employer would need to do to perhaps the sole benefit of the employees desire to live in another country. If there was some advantage for the company they might not mind but OP hasn't communicated anything about this


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

kaipa said:


> Yes. I realise that it is possible to be retained as a uk employee but to be honest unless you have a fairly important position in the company I would imagine there is a fair amount of work that your employer would need to do to perhaps the sole benefit of the employees desire to live in another country. If there was some advantage for the company they might not mind but OP hasn't communicated anything about this


Yes, I did say that normally the process fails when the company realises what's involved, particularly if it is a small company without any international presence already. But you made it sound like there was no other way.

But some larger and more advanced companies are opening up to the idea because they can see the advantage, and what's the difference between having a remote worker 1500 kms away to having one 20 kms away?

The answer is of course the lower salaries.

Only this week my wife was invited to apply for a job with a UK company open to residents of Spain on a fully remote basis with no need to visit the office. They know that by paying a competitive wage in Spain, they are still saving a big amount over a UK wage. Add that to the reduced office sizes when the workers are remote and it's a win-win for the company and the employee.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

I have also seen online teaching jobs which are not dependent on location and they have been around quite a while problem is that you are never an employee and always have to be self employed. Having said that the companies are in no way concerned about your tax situation so many people are doing this work in the black which of course no only pushes wages down to ridiculous levels but also erodes any real professionalism from the job.


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