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5 Best Freelance Work Visas in Europe

An increasing number of Americans are seeking options for better livingโ€”long-termโ€”beyond the U.S. borders, however to earn a living while away requires something beyond a tourist visa. A new report from International Living explores the top five European countries that offer the best freelance work visas.

How to Use a Local SIM Card Abroad

Source: Internationalliving.com

If youโ€™ve paid attention to headlines in recent weeks, youโ€™ll have likely seen all the many stories about Americans wanting to escape the US Covid crisis,โ€ says Jeff D. Opdyke, editor of The Savvy Retiree. โ€œStories on how to seek second passports. Stories on countries where Americans are increasingly seeking information on emigration. Stories on certain countries and Caribbean islands aiming to attract Americans for a year abroad.

โ€œWhatโ€™s often missing amid all these many words is the story of how to live abroad for longer than a year without having to spending $100,000 or more buying a passport. For the fact is, a number of countries, particularly in Europe, offer โ€˜freelanceโ€™ visas specifically aimed at those who want to live and work in a particular country for the long haul.

โ€œThis report addresses that. Because, frankly, thatโ€™s often the quickest and easiest way for the average American to gain permission to live and work legally in Europe.

โ€œOnly a limited handful of European countries offer freelance visas. In most countries, youโ€™ll need a job offer from a local firm, or youโ€™ll need to work for a multinational will local operations that transfers you into a particular country. For most of us, thatโ€™s not an option. Instead, we have to look to countries that specifically welcome the independent, freelance worker.โ€

The report explores the five best countries to consider in Europe:

Czech Republic

best freelance work visas

โ€œI chose to pursue a freelance life two years ago in Prague, one of Europeโ€™s most comfortable and picturesque cities, after careful consideration of other European destinations,โ€ says Opdyke. โ€œPrimary among those reasons is the fact that the Czech Republic offers whatโ€™s known locally as a Zivno, widely regarded as one of the best freelance-worker options in Europe.

This isnโ€™t a visa, and it not specifically targeted at foreigners. Instead, the Zivno is effectively a national registry of independent workers, whether theyโ€™re native-born Czechs or foreigners with long-term residence status. As such, applicants will need a long-residence visa to pair with the Zivno.

โ€œBut assuming you have marketable skills in something that allows you to earn income online or even locally โ€“ as, say, a language teacher,โ€ says Opdyke, โ€œyou will likely obtain your Zivno and with that it is easier to qualify for a one-year, long-term residence visa, a stamp in your passport. Then, assuming you play by Czech rules (pay your taxes and the mandatory health and social security insurance โ€“ combined, about $200 a month, minimum), youโ€™ll apply for and receive a biometric, long-term residence card good for two years and renewable for another two. After five years, you can apply for permanent residence/citizenship, if that appeals to you. (Note: Because the Czech Republic is part of the European Union, its passport is one of the five best in the world.)โ€

Prague, the capital, is a wonderful city to call homeโ€”folks are close to so much in terms of weekend getaways or longer trips. The lifestyle is relaxing. The city is eye-candy pretty much everywhere you go. And the food is great. A couple can live the good life there on a budget of $1,900 a month.

Germany

best freelance work visas germany

โ€œHere, you want the Freiberufler, Germanyโ€™s self-employment visa,โ€ reports Opdyke. โ€œItโ€™s not terribly difficult to obtain, so long as you jump through various paperwork hoops that exist โ€“ and Germany has lots of paperwork hoops, including revenue plans, letters of intent or contracts from potential or existing clients, and various other documents.โ€

Folks will also need to prove income sufficiency, which generally means at least โ‚ฌ5,000 (just over $5,900) in a (preferably) German bank account.

Freiberufler is good for six months to three years, depending on the application, and itโ€™s renewable. The primary challenge is that an applicant will (probably) need to prove he or she has German freelance clients. Once armed with the Freiberufler, should a freelancer ultimately want permanent residence in Germany, itโ€™s possible to apply after eight years.

Germany offers an excellent standard of living, with good infrastructure and quality healthcare. However, Germanyโ€™s cost of living tends to be higher than the European Union average. A monthly budget for a couple living in a suburban area, close to Munich, runs $3,610 to $4,160.

Spain

spain freelance visa

The autรณnomo is what freelancers pursue in the land of sangria.

You can also check out Alyssa’s blog post with all possible options for getting a visa in Spain here!

โ€œThe process, while not especially difficult, can be lengthy โ€“ taking upwards of six months to complete, which means a 90-day tourist visa for the Schengen Zone (of which Spain is a member) will often expire before you receive your autรณnomo,โ€ advises Opdyke.

โ€œSo, you need to plan for that by completing as much of the process as you can outside of Spain. Conversely, as your 90-day limit approaches you can hop across to a non-Schengen country such as Ireland or the UK for a few weeks or months to stop your Schengen clock from winding down.โ€

The autรณnomo is identical to the Czech Zivno in that itโ€™s good for one year. An applicant can apply for two, two-year extensions, and after five years of surviving on tapas, then, apply for permanent residency/citizenship if he or she wishes to remain in Spain as a naturalized citizen eligible for an EU passport.

Portugal

lisbon portugal

This is, perhaps, the easiest freelance/self-employed visa to pursue in the EU, which makes it quite popular for those seeking a visa that allows for both long-term residence and permission to earn a living in Europe.

There are two options:

1) Residence visa for independent work (working locally for Portuguese clients as a contract employee);

2) Residence visa for entrepreneur work (essentially the digital nomad stuff collecting clients from around the world).

โ€œUnder Portugalโ€™s โ€˜non-habitual residencyโ€™ program, income generated outside of Portugal for certain types of โ€˜high-valueโ€™ activities is eligible for a tax exemption. Meaning you pay no local taxes (you will still owe self-employment taxes to the States, and, potentially, personal income taxes, depending on how much money you earn living abroad).

Permanent residency/citizenship rules in Portugal follow the Spanish and Czech model in that you can apply after five years.

Porto, the second-largest metropolitan area in Portugal after Lisbon, is an increasingly popular city amongst digital nomads. Porto is a living, breathing picture-postcard of European charm, with plenty to see and do.

Thereโ€™s a proverbial banquet of exciting activities, from historic city walks to wine tastings across the river in Vila Nova de Gaiaโ€™s wine caves. But best of all, itโ€™s good value. A couple can live well here on a monthly budget of $1,550.

France

Best freelance visas in Europe france

โ€œFranceโ€™s entrepreneur/profession libรฉrale visa is similar to Portugal in terms of ease of attainment,โ€ says Opdyke. โ€œItโ€™s an ideal way for Francophiles to gain legal permission to live and work in France.

โ€œYou need to demonstrate that you can fend for yourself financially by proving you earn at least the French legal minimum wage (about โ‚ฌ1,540 per month, or $1,800). Beyond that, there are typical documents and whatnot that are necessary for the application, but nothing particularly difficult.โ€

And despite widespread misconceptions about cost of living in France, outside of Paris the country is a pretty affordable place to call home.

Given its ideal placement along the French Riviera, the coastal city ofย Toulonย in southeastern France provides an idyllic lifestyle for residents and short-term visitors. Away from the hustle-and-bustle of big โ€œresortโ€ towns like Nice, Cannes, and St. Tropez, unassuming Toulon lies a bit off the radar.ย A couple can live well here on a monthly budget of $1,986 to $2,228.

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These are the easiest freelance job visas you can get in Europe! If you have a freelance job, work remotely, or are now working from home, you can apply for a visa good for a year or more in places like Spain, France, Germany, Portugal, and more! Check it out and save for later when borders open!

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