# Residency w. autonomo Question



## MikeItMo (Mar 3, 2018)

If one is unable to get a job (and the contribs and heathcare ins. that goes with it), could one register as autonomo- paying the monthly healthcare fees- out of capital, while not actually doing any autonomo work, and thus obtain residency this way? Is one obliged to pay under an autonomo status a certain amount of tax if registered in such a system?

In the meantime if one finds an employment contract, can one then (easily) change status and cease the independent monthly healthcare payment?
cheers


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

MikeItMo said:


> If one is unable to get a job (and the contribs and heathcare ins. that goes with it), could one register as autonomo- paying the monthly healthcare fees- out of capital, while not actually doing any autonomo work, and thus obtain residency this way? Is one obliged to pay under an autonomo status a certain amount of tax if registered in such a system?
> 
> In the meantime if one finds an employment contract, can one then (easily) change status and cease the independent monthly healthcare payment?
> cheers


In a word - NO.

As a self-employed person, you are required to submit tax returns every quarter, VAT returns etc. etc. If you aren't actually working, this would be hard and/or questioned.

I tried to be self-employed with a property business - hacienda wouldn't accept that it was a viable trade. 


Stopping being self-employed is simple and many teachers do it for the summer months.


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## booksurfer (Apr 21, 2018)

MikeItMo said:


> ...and thus obtain residency this way?


What do you mean by 'obtain residency in this way'?

You can't become autonomo (self employed) unless you're a resident in the first place.

You either qualify for residency or you don't qualify for residency, autonomo status has nothing to do with it.


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

MikeItMo said:


> If one is unable to get a job (and the contribs and heathcare ins. that goes with it), could one register as autonomo- paying the monthly healthcare fees- out of capital, while not actually doing any autonomo work, and thus obtain residency this way? Is one obliged to pay under an autonomo status a certain amount of tax if registered in such a system?
> 
> In the meantime if one finds an employment contract, can one then (easily) change status and cease the independent monthly healthcare payment?
> cheers


Yes it's possible, you need to pay an account/gestor to file your tax records.
I did this when I arrived and got a SIP card and Residencia all sorted.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Yes you can. You can say you have a business e.g teaching English. The fact that you don't actually manage to make any money doesn't matter but you will need to submit accounts and therefore pay a gestor and pay the autonomy. Once you have registered as autonomy you can then submit the documents for residencies. However the problem is that some offices will maybe require you to show 3 months accounts before processing your residency claim


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

snikpoh said:


> In a word - NO.
> 
> As a self-employed person, you are required to submit tax returns every quarter, VAT returns etc. etc. If you aren't actually working, this would be hard and/or questioned.
> 
> ...


Just out if interest how does hacienda deal with Contractors who are resident in Spain and obviously here as 
Autonomo but ( due to the nature of their work ), find themselves out of work ( between 6 month contracts, etc )
what Contractors euphemistically call '_being on the bench_' for the year ( or quarter ? ) he or she has to
prepare their tax returns.

Some Contractors could be 'on the bench' for a considerable period of time, if their last contract ended 
during a downturn in agencies seeking their particular services ( eg a downturn in say Project Manager contracts )
obviously they are still available for work, in the shape of another contract but none's forthcoming.

So I'll assume the 'out of work Contractor' could satisfy the hacienda of the viability of their Contract work,
( as Autonomo ) by producing accounts; for those periods of time where they have been paid handsomely
for their services.


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## MikeItMo (Mar 3, 2018)

Thanks for replies, guys. Gives a bit of hope as to how to proceed.
Yes, English teaching would be my obvious choice of work, but at my age many schools prefer 20-somethings.
To clarify: As autonomo, one needs to pay an accountant to declare taxes even if no work has been done ? 
posts #3 and #5 seem to conflict re. order of obtaining residency and autonomo , depending on the caprice of the office used... great! (sounds like Italy)


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

You need to pay €300 a month more or less whether you work or not
You need to declare tax returns every quarter whether you work or not, and yes for most this means hiring a Gestor usually €50 a month. Plus extras for the annual returns 
You can go baja, two months a year

As for gaining residency with autonomy, there have been various threads where people have been denied residency based in autonomo because no income can be proved


Why can’t you just move and do what most people do, if your not working presumably you have the financial support to stay here, I don’t understand why you want to go down this complex route.?


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## MikeItMo (Mar 3, 2018)

Megsmum said:


> Why can’t you just move and do what most people do, if your not working presumably you have the financial support to stay here, I don’t understand why you want to go down this complex route.?


I'm open to advise as to what most people do...
As I'll need work and can't live indefinitely of my savings (or the proceeds of my property sale), I could see the autonomo route as a short term solution while employment with a contract is sought.
Of course, I suppose I could sell up and move there in a tourist capacity, maybe renting short term while job seeking, and getting residency when/if the job situation sorts itself out. (maybe you meant this with "what most people do"...?) I suppose staying as a tourist would also avoid the helathcare payment burden.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

MikeItMo said:


> I'm open to advise as to what most people do...
> As I'll need work and can't live indefinitely of my savings (or the proceeds of my property sale), I could see the autonomo route as a short term solution while employment with a contract is sought.
> Of course, I suppose I could sell up and move there in a tourist capacity, maybe renting short term while job seeking, and getting residency when/if the job situation sorts itself out. (maybe you meant this with "what most people do"...?) I suppose staying as a tourist would also avoid the helathcare payment burden.


Ah ok I understand. You have to work, that’s the bit I didn’t understand.

So if you can provide evidence that you can support yourself -amounts vary- have healthcare in your case it would be private cover, and that I understand you would have to have for one year. During that year you would have time to find work and sort out Gestor and get a real feel for autonomo payments and issues.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Williams2 said:


> Just out if interest how does hacienda deal with Contractors who are resident in Spain and obviously here as
> Autonomo but ( due to the nature of their work ), find themselves out of work ( between 6 month contracts, etc )
> what Contractors euphemistically call '_being on the bench_' for the year ( or quarter ? ) he or she has to
> prepare their tax returns.
> ...



Because, what most sensible self-employed people do in this situation is to 'baja' their autonomo. By doing this they do not need to submit anything and also don't need to make the SS payments until they start up again.

Most teachers I know do just this.


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## daveunt (Sep 7, 2017)

While there are certainly other considerations, which others have mentioned, in terms of cost this approach could be taken relatively cheaply. New autonomos start at €50 a month social security payments. That used to last for six months, but I think it has now been extended to the first year. And there would really be no need to hire a gestor to do your accounts. They can be done online yourself and would only take a matter of minutes given that you would have no figures to input on either the IRPF or IVA returns.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> Because, what most sensible self-employed people do in this situation is to 'baja' their autonomo. By doing this they do not need to submit anything and also don't need to make the SS payments until they start up again.
> 
> Most teachers I know do just this.


Yes, you can 'baja. And now you can do so part way through the month, & only pay your autónomo for the part that you worked. And 'alta' again part way through a month. 

It used to be that you had to baja at the beginning of the month for the entire month, with a limit as to how long & often you did so, but this changed at the beginning of this year.

My gestor told me that you can now do so as often as you wish.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> Yes, you can 'baja. And now you can do so part way through the month, & only pay your autónomo for the part that you worked. And 'alta' again part way through a month.
> 
> It used to be that you had to baja at the beginning of the month for the entire month, with a limit as to how long & often you did so, but this changed at the beginning of this year.
> 
> My gestor told me that you can now do so as often as you wish.


I've read you can do this for three months. But I've yet to see anything official?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Megsmum said:


> I've read you can do this for three months. But I've yet to see anything official?


I haven't checked up on it - but my gestor hasn't given me bad advice yet!


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> I haven't checked up on it - but my gestor hasn't given me bad advice yet!


I knew about the part month thing, has he confirmed the three times a year ?


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## MikeItMo (Mar 3, 2018)

It's looking more promising.
This term 'baja' refers to a temporary suspension of working status, is this more of less correct?


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

MikeItMo said:


> It's looking more promising.
> This term 'baja' refers to a temporary suspension of working status, is this more of less correct?


Yes but only for a limited time. Two months a year.


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## MikeItMo (Mar 3, 2018)

Just a tangential qu - how long does it take to set oneself up as autonomo - days, weeks...?


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

MikeItMo said:


> Just a tangential qu - how long does it take to set oneself up as autonomo - days, weeks...?


It took me one day, it took me another five weeks to get healthcare sorted


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

MikeItMo said:


> Just a tangential qu - how long does it take to set oneself up as autonomo - days, weeks...?





Megsmum said:


> It took me one day, it took me another five weeks to get healthcare sorted


Same here, the original paperwork was easy, the healthcare took weeks.


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## MikeItMo (Mar 3, 2018)

cheers!


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## PropBuyer2018 (May 16, 2018)

Simon22 said:


> MikeItMo said:
> 
> 
> > If one is unable to get a job (and the contribs and heathcare ins. that goes with it), could one register as autonomo- paying the monthly healthcare fees- out of capital, while not actually doing any autonomo work, and thus obtain residency this way? Is one obliged to pay under an autonomo status a certain amount of tax if registered in such a system?
> ...


I'll second that: talk to an asesor, and not a cheap one. Pick one with an office in the centre of town.

If I may be so rude: could I ask YOU some advice? I can't seem to post any threads.

I'm on a cellphone, so maybe it is just a glitch, but maybe it's because I'm brand new and they're trying to stop spammers by preventing new users from posting threads.

Or is it because I am a free user? Are free users ever allowed to post a thread?


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