gave up on the nomad visa and switched to nlv instead
it's frustrating how many us companies back out at the last second. mine did the same thing because they didn't want the risk of creating a permanent establishment for the company in spain. the nomad visa is great in theory but the execution for us employees is a total mess. hope the badalona appointment goes well for you. just make sure you have the exactly right sized photos for the tie or they will send you away.
are you sure about the under the table stuff? the nlv is pretty strict about not working at all and spain is getting better at tracking digital footprints. it might not be worth the risk if you want to eventually get permanent residency. since you already switch once it would be a shame to get flagged for a violation later. did your lawyer say that was actually okay or are you just winging it?
it really depends on how he gets paid. if it's into a us bank account and he doesn't transfer it over then the chance of them finding out is basically zero unless he gets audited. plenty of people do it but i agree it's a bit of a gamble.
just be careful with that. if you're still working for your us company while on an nlv you are technically violating the terms. hacienda doesn't care if you're a nomad or not, they still want their cut if you're living here more than 183 days a year. i've seen people get caught in audits for this.
that insurance switch is such a classic spanish bureaucracy trap. i had to do the same thing because my nomad policy had a tiny deductible and they rejected my whole file for the nlv. make sure the new one is paid in full for the year or they might give you trouble later when you go for your renewal. badalona is actually not a bad spot for the appointment. at least there is decent parking compared to the city center.
honestly the nlv is so much simpler if you have the cash. the dnv was supposed to be easy but the social security certificates from the us are taking months and people are getting rejected left and right. i'm thinking of doing the same thing. did you use an agency or do it yourself?
i used an agency in eixample but honestly it was a waste of money. they charge like 800 euros just to tell you to go to the bank and get a statement. if you have your apostilled records ready just do it yourself. the hardest part is getting the cita previa for the tie.
i understand why your company got cold feet. the risk for a us company to sign those spanish social security forms is massive if they don't have a local branch. it basically admits they are doing business here which opens a whole can of worms for their legal team. the nlv is technically not for workers but as long as you aren't taking a job from a local person you'll probably be fine. just keep your head down.
be very careful with the badalona police station. they are notorious for asking for extra documents that aren't technically on the list. make sure you have your empadronamiento and that it is less than three months old. if it's older they will definitely reject you and you'll have to wait another two months for a new slot. you don't want to get stuck back in the cita previa loop again.
can confirm badalona is picky. they almost threw me out because my passport copy wasn't in color. it makes no sense but that was their mood that day. bring two copies of everything just in case.
honestly you probably made the right move for your sanity. the uge has been a nightmare lately with the social security requirements. if you have the savings then nlv is much smoother even if the work restrictions suck. just be careful with that under the table consulting. if the tax office sees money hitting your account from abroad they might start asking questions about where it came from. have you looked into how you'll handle the tax residency after the first 183 days?
the tax thing is the real kicker. people forget that nlv holders are still tax residents if they stay over half the year. i'd keep that consulting very quiet and maybe use a us bank account exclusively for it. anyway good luck with the badalona station. i've heard it is slightly less chaotic than the ones in the center.
wait if you switch to nlv can you still count this time toward your 10 year citizenship clock? i know it counts for residency but i heard some rumors that if you aren't paying into the social security system it doesn't count as well for certain long term goals. also just curious why badalona specifically? was that the only spot on the cita previa site? i've been trying to get a slot for weeks and nothing comes up.
smart move. the nomad visa is turning into a full time job just to keep up with the paperwork. every month there seems to be a new requirement or a change in how they interpret the social security treaty. living off your savings for a bit sounds much more relaxing anyway. barcelona is expensive but with the iprem shift you probably have a decent lifestyle lined up. which health insurance did you end up going with? i need to find one with zero copayments too.