Hola Jeremy,

Eron here. We haven't talked via email in some time due to world events. I figured you'd want me to post this issue on your board so that other folks could potentially benefit from the answer. If you've already addressed this somewhere on this board, I apologize, please direct me there.

Anyway, I was speaking with Tracy Moral and she suggested that I contact you concerning Visas.

She said you had The Ultimate - dual citizenship and of course your own business in Spain. I'm assuming that your own business is this Internet site? I guess the question is, how'd ya do it? How did you get dual citizenship? I thought that wasn't possible anymore? I thought you had to denounce the U.S. to the king? Something like that? Ultimately, if I could get dual citizenship, that would be fantastic.

For now, however, I'm trying to decide whether to try to go the Student Visa route or the Self-Employment Visa route. Tracy hasn't been too encouraging on the Student Visa issue due to the cost to study and the requirements.

As we've previously discussed, I have my own Internet business already that I'd love to continue to run remotely from Spanish soil. I was also thinking about teaching English with my TEFL privately, part-time in addition to running my Internet business. Would I be able to do this legally with the self-employment Visa and do you think they'd accept it since I'm already self-employed?

I, unlike many other more daring folks (since I do have a business to worry about), would prefer to live in Spain legally! However, it seems Spain doesn't want us because they make it too damn difficult to get a longer term Visa!

Any suggestions?

Thank you! edr

EDR,

Yes! I believe we�ve exchanged emails once upon a time. I can see you are still at it and if my memory recalls it this was sometime in late July or August.

My name is BAS and live legally in Spain. You can check out the other threads about legalities in living in Spain. Your case is very positive in that you are establishing a legitimate business here in Spain. If i do recall you went to the Spanish Embassy and asked what were the requirements? I guess you didn�t quiet get the right information or felt that it was a long and grueling task to do not to mention capital intensive.

There is a way and you need a little patience, but before i suggest something maybe our buddy here Jer can put in his million dollar suggestion about your case. I�m sure he will pop-in which he does and religiously at that. This site has the most detailed information about getting into Spain legally, and if you check it out it really does. Wow! How amazing really how this site has develope.

Regards,

BAS

Hi Eron, jer here. Thanks for posting this, you are right, I am sure many others will benefit from this thread.

I just got back from the UK (visiting my brother, his wife and my new nephew ) and saw this thread.

Hmmmmm.... looks like the multimadrid resident residency expert BAS has gotten here first, thanks again BAS !

Well, you can read a bit about how I was "born lucky" (literally) on my brief bio page at www.multimadrid.com/mm_info/about.htm but to make a long story short, last I checked the U.S.A. only recognizes dual citizenship with Isreal. So, having been born in Scotland and raised in the U.S.A. does not entitle me to daul citizenship but nor does it deny me the right to both a British and U.S. Passport.

I think it is more of a "look the other way policy" hence I am able to live & work here in Spain without any problems since in the eyes of the Spanish govt. I am British and a full fledged member of the EU.

By The Ultimate , Tracy was probably refering to the fact that I am both a citizen of the U.S.A. and the European Community (due to my British passport) and those are just about the best 2 passports one can have if you ask me. BAS knows a LOT more about Visas and getting here legally than I do however. I pretty much got here the easy way.

My "business" is not a true "business" but I am rather an "Aut�nomo" which is a physical person rather than a registered business.


As for denouncing the U.S., I am not sure but when I did apply for my British passport a few years ago, I do not recall having to do so. I have been back stateside many times and have had no problems at passport controls. It is also VERY difficult to lose ones British citizenship these days so I am not worried about that either. I am not sure what I would do if I were forced to make a choice between the 2 citizenships but I do not htink that will happen.

Hey, when my Spanish gal and I get married and have kids, they quite possibly will have 4 passports (if they want them)- Spanish, British, American and Israeli (my mome is Israeli and all I have to do is ask the Isreali Govt. for citizenship and it would be mine)

Due to my easy entry into the EU, sometimes I am at a disadvantage when it comes to advising my visitors about getting legal here but thanks to members like BAS, multimadrid has that covered as well. I would suggest you read in detail the other threads on this forum.

So, what exactly is keeping you from going for the self-employment Visa?

Instead of seeing it as

quote:

"Spain doesn't want us because they make it too damn difficult to get a longer term Visa!

, you should look at it as "Spain only wants those who will go through the loooong and difficult process of getting here legally".

I know it may sound easy for me to say but even if I had no British passport, I truly believe I would have fought to stay here legally.

Saludos,
jer...

it's not that you have to denounce your US citizenship to get citizenship elsewhere. but if you want to be a US citizen, you must give up citizenship from wherever else you have come. our country sucks like that.

at least that's how i understand it. however, i also understand that it is only in the eyes of the american government that you have given up your previous citizenship. i don't think most countries consider you no longer theirs' just because you are now ours as well.

�comprende? (understand?)

Jeremy and Jetaway thank you!

Jer, you asked:

"So, what exactly is keeping you from going for the self-employment Visa?"

Well, the main disadvantage with this type of visa is that you CANNOT work any other Spanish job - period. In other words, legally, you are not allowed to work for any firm or anyone in Spain with a self-employed visa (other than yourself).

However, as you know (or will soon find out), working an Internet business lacks in the "human social" aspects, in terms of working with people on a personal level (actually being there). We Internet folk correspond via email all the time, but after 4 years of working for myself, I actually want to get a regular job again (part-time), just to be able to see the people I work with. I miss the human social aspect.

For example, I have one programmer that I've worked with for almost 4 years now (with my business), and we've never met. He lives in Florida, I live in L.A. We have a great relationship and talk via email on a daily basis, but I've never even shaken his hand or seen him.

Therefore, I'd like to work in Spain, part-time ... anything, perhaps TEFL, or anything like that, but as we all know, American's are at the "bottom of the pile" even with papers. If you don't have papers (or only have a self-employed visa), finding a job is near impossible (unless teaching English under the table for a private family or something - which can also be challenging).

So, I think the Self-employment Visa may limit me too much. Besides, nothing lasts forever, so who knows how long my business will continue to support me? Having another type of visa that allows me to work legally may be better. I believe you can legally find Spanish work as a student with a student visa.

Anyway, thank you for your time and responses. I'll search the rest of this site in detail for related threads.

Cheers and Happy Holidays!

edr

EDR,

I think we are missing the point here when we talk about the following: Permiso de Residencia and Permiso de Trabajo. Legally if you do everything legal then i do not see anything wrong at all. You can surely work for another company here in Spain and legal at that. It opens the doors and gateways for employment.

You see the process is; On your first year you are given a permiso de Residencia and permiso de Trabajo (ajena o cuenta propia)... In your case EDR it will be Cuenta propia. It is a task quiet heavy to accomplish if you follow it by the letter, others call it �humongous task�,but there are easy ways to do it.

Once you are legal here you can do what you want. When you renew the following year you get 2 years and then after that 5 years.

The key is getting legally settled in Spain and the rest is history.

I hope i was able to �chip-in� some cool advice, but really you only get this info from this site. Lets face it the numbers are just growing by leaps and bounds. I guess it is the quality of information that counts really.

Congrats! Jer.

BAS