We’re a family of four. I am self employed and do all my work in the U.S. via phone and internet.
Browsing this site I see where I can come to Spain as a non-working long term resident but will have to show $75,000 or so in assets. I don’t have that. In fact I don’t have a ton of money to show but we get by. My wife and I thought we could make out as well being broke in Europe as we made out being broke in the U.S. while exposing our kids to different cultures. As a friend of mine says, travel and experiencing different cultures is the best education. Also we want to help them see life through a different lens instead of American eyes. (What an eye-opener this has been for them in some cases!)
So what do you recommend? Should we come to Spain as holiday makers for 90 days and work on getting a self-employment visa while in the country? Or should we try and work that out, outside of the country?
And with the self-employment visa, on this website it indicates that I don’t need a big bank account to come to Spain, just all the appropriate medical and legal documents. So that looks like the way to go but what has been your experience?
Right now I’m in Ireland. We came here hoping to live long term. We were told we could when we were in the U.S. but now that we’re here things have changed and we’re being told, “No, they told you wrong, you’re going to have to leave.” We’ve been round-and-round with the Justice Department and Garda and keep getting conflicting stories. There is a slight hope I can get a “Stamp 3” in my passport which will allow me to continue to be self-employed but no hope for my 18 year old. Yes, we could fly under the radar but we want to do things legally and hey, what kind of example would I be setting for my kids if I did so!?!
So with all the foregoing, any suggestions?
