Switched from DNC to NLV in Alicante to escape remote work stress
i am curious about the contractor thing your company tried. did they ever give you a straight answer on why they think the nomad visa is a tax liability? my understanding is that the whole point of the dnv law was to protect the company. either way it sounds like you made the right call for your mental health. alicante is too nice to spend at a desk.
That's a bold move. I'm on the DNV now and the tax benefits are the only thing keeping me here. Did you lose your Beckham Law status when you switched? That seems like a massive financial hit if you plan to work again later.
I think you do lose the tax status. Once you go NLV you are basically a standard tax resident. For me the trade off was worth it because 05/2025 was my deadline to either leave or find a way to stay without the remote job stress.
I actually did the same thing last year. The peace of mind of not having to track every single invoice for the Hacienda is worth the lack of income. Alicante is the perfect place for it because it's so much cheaper than Madrid.
Congrats on getting out of the slack grind. I'm literally doing the opposite right now. I've been on the NLV for two years and I'm actually applying for the nomad visa because I am bored out of my mind. The beach is great but after a while I started missing having a routine. Did your gestor say anything about how hard it is to switch back to a work permit later if you change your mind? I heard the cooling off periods can be tricky.
I switched last year and my lawyer told me you basically have to start from scratch if you want to work again. It's not a simple toggle. Just something to keep in mind if you get bored in six months.
I'm thinking about doing this next summer but I have a dog. Did you have any issues finding a rental that would take a pet with just an NLV? Sometimes the landlords get nervous if they don't see a monthly salary coming in. even if the bank balance is huge they still want to see a nomina sometimes.
Welcome to the no-work club. I quit my remote dev job in January and live near San Juan beach. The biggest shock for me was how slow the days become without meetings. You should check out the central market for your groceries instead of the big supermarkets. It's half the price and much better quality for fresh produce. are you planning to stay for the full five years to get permanent residency?
The market is great but tell him about the stairs. Walking up from the market back toward the castle area with three bags of oranges is a workout and a half.
True but the walk is how you stay fit when you aren't stuck in an office chair all day. the lifestyle change is the whole point.
Alicante is the best place to do this honestly. The cost of living is so much lower than Madrid or Barcelona so that 30k savings goes way further. Are you worried about the wealth tax at all? I know the thresholds in the Valencian community changed recently and it catches a lot of people off guard when they stop having a monthly paycheck and just live off assets.
Thirty thousand in the bank for a single person sounds about right for the IPREM increase this year. I'm helping my parents move over and the requirements for a couple are almost double that when you add the second person. Did the gestor make you show six months of history or just the current balance? Sometimes they want to see where the money came from so it doesn't look like a temporary loan from a friend.
Quick question. Did you have to go back to the US to apply for the NLV or could you do it from within Spain? I keep hearing conflicting things about the modification process.
That zero copay insurance requirement is such a pain. I had a nightmare with Sanitas where they didn't include the word sin copago on the main certificate and the office in Alicante initially rejected it. Anyone doing this needs to check the specific wording ten times. Did you go with a local broker or just buy it online?
The Alicante office is notoriously picky about the wording. They even rejected my friend because the insurance didn't mention repatriation of remains specifically on the first page. It's ridiculous.
the santa barbara castle walk is the perfect morning routine. i am wondering if your company realizes they missed out on a good employee because they were scared of paperwork. their loss. make sure you get your padron sorted early because the appointments at the ayuntamiento can be a nightmare to book lately.