Relocation to EU as a freelance programmer

[alons]

Hello,

I would like to relocate to Europe for several years (4-5 minimum) up to indefinitely. (not sure yet which country, I have several possibilities) and I have a few questions.

1. Which countries (if any) would allow me to get a residence permit for several years based on a monthly income minimum or a specific amount of money in the bank during the application process, and continue freelancing with my clients worldwide and without paying local taxes?

2. Which counties would allow me to work as a freelancer for several years, but will require me to apply for a work visa and that would be possible based on years of experience (more then 15), rather on a degree?

I would appreciate if you name all the countries that you know as to achieve my goal in Europe there are several countries i can move to.

Thank you!

[noajthan]

Why not work from home?

[alons]

What i want to do (sports related) is not possible in my country. not seriously anyway.

[secret.simon]

What is your current nationality?

Could you have claim by ancestry in any EEA country?

[alons]

Nationality is Israeli. So i don't need a visa just to travel to EU.
But no EU passport.
I'm looking for countries who will basically let me stay for as long as i can afford it as a freelancer. (more then 1-2 years).

[CR001]

As you don't need a visa for a visit/holiday, you won't find any country that will allow you to stay for 1-2 years or longer, let alone work. You need a visa to live and work long term in any EU country.

[secret.simon]

Nationality is Israeli.

Based on this, I am presuming that you are of Jewish heritage (I am aware that 20% of Israelis are Arabs, but I am going with the majority).

Many Jews (mostly Ashkenazi) living in Europe were deprived of the citizenships of their European countries
in the 1930s and 40s. Many European countries (Germany and Poland being just two, there are others) now allow those Jews and their descendants to reclaim their European citizenship. It may be worthwhile seeing if you qualify.

Spain and Portugal go back further, to the Inquisition, and allow descendants of Sephardic Jews to resume their Spanish/Portuguese citizenships.

http://www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/Span ... enship.htm

Once you acquire a passport of any country within the EEA, you can work in all EEA countries and even across borders.

More info for future reference: http://nomadcapitalist.com/2013/05/19/t ... y-descent/

[alons]

As you don't need a visa for a visit/holiday, you won't find any country that will allow you to stay for 1-2 years or longer, let alone work. You need a visa to live and work long term in any EU country.

And which EU countries issue visas for people wanting to relocate as self-employed?

[alons]

Nationality is Israeli.

Based on this, I am presuming that you are of Jewish heritage (I am aware that 20% of Israelis are Arabs, but I am going with the majority).

Many Jews (mostly Ashkenazi) living in Europe were deprived of the citizenships of their European countries
in the 1930s and 40s. Many European countries (Germany and Poland being just two, there are others) now allow those Jews and their descendants to reclaim their European citizenship. It may be worthwhile seeing if you qualify.

Spain and Portugal go back further, to the Inquisition, and allow descendants of Sephardic Jews to resume their Spanish/Portuguese citizenships.

http://www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/Span ... enship.htm

Once you acquire a passport of any country within the EEA, you can work in all EEA countries and even across borders.

More info for future reference: http://nomadcapitalist.com/2013/05/19/t ... y-descent/

Thanks for the info, but i already went down that path many years ago with a lawyer.
I will not have an EU passport.

[Wanderer]

As you don't need a visa for a visit/holiday, you won't find any country that will allow you to stay for 1-2 years or longer, let alone work. You need a visa to live and work long term in any EU country.

And which EU countries issue visas for people wanting to relocate as self-employed?

There aren't any, the only way in via work is via a sponsored work permit, ie an employer to employ you.

[secret.simon]

Try the EU Immigration Portal, but your best bet is to come to the EU on a sponsored work visa and acquire citizenship, typically in 5-10 years. Then you can go free-lance.

[alons]

Try the EU Immigration Portal, but your best bet is to come to the EU on a sponsored work visa and acquire citizenship, typically in 5-10 years. Then you can go free-lance.

In 5-10 years i hope to be retired from all this programming... i'm 34 now
Let's call that plan B.

I actually just looked at the EU Immigration portal but the information there feels incomplete. Some state that the maximum for residence permit for self-employed is 1 year, but it doesnt state if that can be later extended. But it gives some basic idea on if it would be possible.

From looking there I actually couldn't figure out it it was possible for a freelance programmer to relocate to the UK. It says there on the bottom something about a tier 1 - general (which I guess would be me) which is no longer available. I don't know what to make of it.

[CR001]

From looking there I actually couldn't figure out it it was possible for a freelance programmer to relocate to the UK. It says there on the bottom something about a tier 1 - general (which I guess would be me) which is no longer available. I don't know what to make of it.

There is no 'Tier 1 General' route anymore, it has been closed now, mainly due to the abuse of the visa group. UK is not part of Europe and has its own, separate immigration rules. The only work options you would have is Tier 2 General for which you need a sponsoring employer or Tier 1 Entrepreneur for which you need substantial funds to invest and have to set up a business.

[alons]

That's what I thought.
Bummer.

[alons]

Some of the guys here at work are asking me why to go through all this trouble if all i'm doing is to sit at my hotel room / apartment and work with my laptop. And just go the route asking for residence without work permit for as long as i want to stay freelance and do my thing.

Do they have a point?

[noajthan]

That's what I thought.
Bummer.

Europe imports tens of thousands from rest of world to do its programming now, on both Tier 2 and EU migration routes.

Noone just asks for residence without work permit in Europe. How could that possibly work?!

[alons]

Europe imports tens of thousands from rest of world to do its programming now, on both Tier 2 and EU migration routes.

The thing I'm so afraid of with getting a sponsored job, is that if something happens before I get my citizenship (which is a reasonable assumption since its a few years), I get kicked out. I don't even know if i'll have time to regroup over there and find a new job before i have to leave.
What if i rented an apartment on a yearly contract for example? How can someone make any long term commitments in the new country that way.

[CR001]

Europe imports tens of thousands from rest of world to do its programming now, on both Tier 2 and EU migration routes.

The thing I'm so afraid of with getting a sponsored job, is that if something happens before I get my citizenship (which is a reasonable assumption since its a few years), I get kicked out. I don't even know if i'll have time to regroup over there and find a new job before i have to leave.
What if i rented an apartment on a yearly contract for example? How can someone make any long term commitments in the new country that way.

That is the risk that all migrants (myself and other mods/members included) take. Most of the time it works, sometimes it doesn't.

[noajthan]

Europe imports tens of thousands from rest of world to do its programming now, on both Tier 2 and EU migration routes.

The thing I'm so afraid of with getting a sponsored job, is that if something happens before I get my citizenship (which is a reasonable assumption since its a few years), I get kicked out. I don't even know if i'll have time to regroup over there and find a new job before i have to leave.
What if i rented an apartment on a yearly contract for example? How can someone make any long term commitments in the new country that way.

Well people do.
Some of them are members here.
Good, industrious, innovative, hard-working people.
Some buy houses, start families, start multiple businesses & etc etc.
And often all is done through the medium of a foreign language.

I also employ a dozen or more such high-calibre people myself; high-powered citizens who could probably work pretty much anywhere in the world. I'm humbled that they work for me.

Some make a go of it and become citizens.
Some do fall by the wayside; they may hit a personal or financial wall. Or abuse their visa or otherwise fail to meet requirements.

Perhaps they will tell you - or you can browse through forum postings to dip a toe into 'our world'.

[alons]

And generally speaking in most countries, replacing a sponsor (either because he fired you / closed your department or because you yourself want to change company) - Do you have a few months at least to try and do that before they kick you out and you have to continue searching from your origin country?

[noajthan]

And generally speaking in most countries, replacing a sponsor (either because he fired you / closed your department or because you yourself want to change company's) - Do you have a few months at least to try and do that before they kick you out and you have to continue searching from your origin country?

If you mean people on domestic visas its country-specific so I don't know about all countries across the board.
Domestic law is not homogeneous across Europe.

Even in UK it depends what flavour of Tier 2 visa you have. And whether the occupation is on a shortage list.

[CR001]

You are asking very broad questions. Different countries in the EU have different rules regarding work visas. You should narrow down your field to a small number of 'potential' countries and ask specifics then. What applies to the UK under the UK Immigration rules, is not relevant to a work visa in say Germany or France.

[wpilr_nov12]

being in the situation you are, why not explore the world... you could pretty much work from anywhere.

[alons]

being in the situation you are, why not explore the world... you could pretty much work from anywhere.

I actually explored many parts of europe already. I think i visited more then 30 times to different countries in the EU.

Besides, "exploring the world continuasly" would require me to go above my 90 tourist visa limit and also i would still need a work permit to do my work wherever i go. so i don't think just moving around would be possible.

You are asking very broad questions. Different countries in the EU have different rules regarding work visas. You should narrow down your field to a small number of 'potential' countries and ask specifics then. What applies to the UK under the UK Immigration rules, is not relevant to a work visa in say Germany or France.

I am asking broad questions because i am trying to find the path of least resistance.
But for the sake of narrowing it down:

Freelance - Budapest (cheap and nice I think. Easy life for a freelancer)
Sponsored Job - London, Berlin, (New York? ).

My qualifications: Software development (web and now also games). over 15 years experience in the industry. no degree - self-taught since I was 16.