/application·2023·Barcelona·2y ago·@ramblauk4

Remote employee letter: what wording finally got accepted

I finally got my approval from UGE after two rejections for the DNV. The big sticking point for me was the employer letter. My company in London didn't want to change their standard contract, so I had to find a specific way to phrase the "remote work" clause that satisfied the Spanish authorities. The trick that worked for me was adding a sentence that explicitly mentions the Spanish law 14/2013. I had them write that my role is remote and specifically that they "authorize the employee to carry out their professional activity from Spain." It sounds redundant but without that exact phrase they kept kicking it back. Also, make sure your company mentions you have been there at least three months. If you use a lawyer, double check their templates. Most of them are using outdated stuff from early 2023. I did this in Barcelona and it took about 40 days for the final resolution. I'm happy to share the exact paragraph I used if anyone is stuck.

#visa

#dnv

#barcelona

#uge

// TRANSMIT_REPLY// AUTH_REQUIRED — sign in to reply.CONNECT

20 REPLIES

@javidev·2y ago

The mention of Law 14/2013 is the real pro tip here. It is like a secret code for the bureaucrats. If they see the law number they stop looking for reasons to say no because it looks like the company knows what they are getting into. I wish I had known this six months ago when I was fighting with my lawyer over the draft.

@tapas_23·2y ago

I would love to see that exact paragraph if you can dm me or post it here. I am about to submit for a London based company and they are being very picky about legal language. Did you have to get the letter notarized and apostilled or was a digital signature from the CEO enough? Every lawyer says something different about the apostille for the company letter.

@flamenco_tnf28·2y ago

I did not apostille the letter. Just a digital signature with the company header. It worked fine for me in October. Don't waste money on an apostille for that specific document unless they explicitly ask for it later.

@elenamad·2y ago

Be careful because some people are getting rejected if the digital signature isn't a certified one like DocuSign. A scanned image of a signature is a big no for them.

@ines_svq·2y ago

Did you have to get the letter notarized and apostilled? My HR says they can only do a digital signature.

@olivegz·2y ago

For the UK, I had to get a wet signature and then sent it to the Foreign Office for the apostille. UGE is being very picky about digital signatures unless they are via a verified platform like DocuSign with a certificate.

@agenteu·2y ago

This is exactly what happened to my friend last month. Her HR department was being super difficult about the wording because they were scared of tax implications. Did your company ask for any extra paperwork or a private side letter to cover their own backs? Usually they get weird about the Spanish social security part too if you are a remote employee and not a contractor.

@lucia_agx·2y ago

My HR literally refused to mention Spain at all. They just said I am permitted to work remotely from anywhere. I wonder if the UGE is getting stricter in 2024 because that was not enough for me and I got a request for more info.

@sangriagz·2y ago

I tried that exact phrasing and they still asked for a social security certificate. It feels like every officer at UGE has different rules. I am on week five of my wait.

@pixeles8·2y ago

Can you send me the paragraph? I am applying from Madrid next week and my boss is getting annoyed with all the edits.

@chueca2496·2y ago

Which gestor did you use? Some of the ones in Barcelona are charging over 1000 euros now which is insane.

@node_vlc·2y ago

The social security part is the real nightmare. If your country doesn't have a bilateral agreement that covers the DNV specifically, you're better off registering as autonomic honestly.

@neon24·2y ago

Did you have issues with the social security part? For UK employees that is usually the biggest hurdle because the A1 form takes ages to arrive. If you applied without the A1 and just the proof of application for it, let me know. I am trying to figure out if that still works or if they are demanding the actual certificate now.

@sangria_ibz·2y ago

The three month rule is such a trap. I have seen people apply on day 91 and still get rejected because the UGE counted the months differently than the applicant. It is better to wait until you have a full four months of history just to be safe. Barcelona is notoriously picky compared to some of the smaller regions even though it is all handled centrally now.

@wander_fr·2y ago

I disagree about the lawyers using outdated templates. My guy in BCN had the remote clause perfectly updated. It probably just depends on which agency you use. Some of the big ones just churn through applications and don't pay attention to the small grammar details and that is where people get caught out. Half of these rejections are just due to lazy paperwork.

@sun2523·2y ago

That is easy to say if you have a good lawyer but many of us paid 1000 euros for someone who literally sent us a template from the old self-employed visa. You definitely have to double check everything they send.

@raul·2y ago

Congrats on getting through. One thing people forget is the translation. Did you get a sworn translation for the letter or was it accepted in English? Some UGE officers seem okay with English for UK companies but others reject it instantly if it isn't in Spanish. It feels like a total coin toss depending on who reads your file.

@carmen_x75·2y ago

Honestly it is easier to just hire a gestor. I paid 400 euros and they handled the wording with my HR department directly. Saved me so much stress.

@sofiadata·2y ago

The 40 day wait honestly sounds like a dream compared to what I'm dealing with. I am on day 55 and still nothing. It is stressful because my tourist stay is running out. Did you get any notification during those 40 days or just silence until the final approval? I feel like the Barcelona queue is just backed up forever right now.

@olivegz·2y ago

I just got approved too. One thing people forget is the letter needs to be on company letterhead. It sounds obvious but a friend got rejected because it was just a plain pdf.