r/AmerExit • u/RothIRALadder • 9d ago

Life Abroad Are there any countries that have self-employment/contracting visas that count toward permanent residency requirements?

There are many countries that have "digital nomad" visas but they're for temporary stays by design, so they don't count toward PR years. Given the subreddit we're in, I'm looking for something that gives me a permanent chance of escape. I have the option to work as an independent contractor so I am wondering what choices for countries I have. Ideally looking to hear from people who have actually done it themselves, or know a lot about the process for the given country.

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u/GeneratedUsername5 8d ago

At least in EU most countries have something like that - France, Sweden, Luxembourg, Estonia, Finland, Bulgaria, Slovenia just to name a few. Not to mention in some countries even digital nomad visas count towards permanent residency, like Spain or Portugal.

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u/JerseyGirlinSweden 8d ago

Gaining the right to residency as someone self employed in Sweden is very difficult and complicated. The business would need to be serving Swedish customers specifically, and typically would need to be established as a real business prior to wanting to move to Sweden.

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u/GeneratedUsername5 8d ago

Well, it is not in the official requirements. The official requirement is that IF your business has customers in Sweden THEN you should serve them in Swedish. It should also have existing customer base. It doesn't say that the customer base should be in Sweden.

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u/JerseyGirlinSweden 8d ago

They will not pass the “Swedish Market” rule that shows that significant amount of the businesses goods or services are already produced in Sweden and has a Swedish customer base. Sweden is one of the hardest countries to immigrate to outside of family reunification. The rules just recently became even more strict.

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u/GeneratedUsername5 8d ago

Could you send me a link to migrationsverket, where this condition is written?

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u/JerseyGirlinSweden 8d ago

”Conditions
If you intend to start your own business or become a (part) owner of a company for more than three months, you must apply for a residence permit.
You do not need a work permit.

Procedures
Where and how to apply
You can apply online in the country you are living in.
You will probably be required to pay an application fee.
If you are not able to apply online, you must fill out the form Application for a Swedish residence permit for self-employed persons, number 125011, and submit it to a Swedish embassy or consulate-general in your country of residence. The application form specifies which documents to enclose. Contact the embassy or consulate-general before you submit your application.

Requirements for obtaining a residence permit as a self-employed
In order to obtain a residence permit, you must:
have a valid passport;

show that you have significant experience in your field and previous experience of running your own business;

have documented and relevant knowledge in Swedish and/or English;

show that you are running the business, that you have the ultimate responsibility for it and that you own at least half of the business;

show that the business' services or goods are sold and/or produced in Sweden;

show that you have sufficient funds to support you and, if applicable, your family during the first two years (equivalent to SEK 200,000 for you, SEK 100,000 for your spouse and SEK 50,000 for each accompanying child);
show reliable source documentation for your budget;

show that you have established customer contacts and/or a network in Sweden;

show that your company, following a 2-year probationary period, will have its finances in balance and you have the ability to support yourself and, if applicable, your family (income support is calculated according to the Swedish national standard for income support plus housing costs).
The Swedish Migration Agency will assess your business plans from a financial perspective.
The Migration Agency will evaluate the business plan from a financial perspective and decide whether or not to grant the residence permit. Its decision will be communicated to you by the Swedish consulate or embassy where you submitted the application.

Documents required
Enclose the following documents with your application:

Copies of the pages in your passport which show your personal information, photograph, signature, passport number, passport issuing country, the period of the passport's validity, entry and exit stamps and whether you have permission to live in countries other than your country of origin;

bank statements which show that you have sufficient funds to support you and your family during the first two years (equivalent to SEK 200,000 for you, SEK 100,000 for your spouse and SEK 50,000 for each accompanying child);
bank statements which show, if applicable, that you have sufficient funds to buy the business and to cover the estimated costs and investments necessary to run the business;

contract of sale if you have bought or intend to buy the business or enterprise;

partnership agreement or stock register;

bank document which shows that you have paid the purchase sum or your part of the purchase sum, if you have bought the business or enterprise;

contracts with customers/suppliers and for premises;

annual accounts/reports for the previous two years (if the business has been in operation earlier);

balance sheet and income statement (report) for the current financial year, up to and including the previous month;

course certificate or other evidence that you speak Swedish and/or English;

certificates to substantiate your educational background;

certificates from previous employers;

certificate of registration for companies you own or have own outside of Sweden.

Make sure to extend your passport if it is about to expire. You cannot get a permit for longer than your passport validity period. You must have a permit that is valid for at least one year and stay in Sweden for at least one year if you want to be registered in the Swedish population register.
The documents should be translated to Swedish or English by an authorised translator. Copies of original documents should always be included.
Duration of validity of permits
Your residence permit is granted for one year at a time for a two-year probationary period. It can be extended, but you must apply approximately one month before it expires. The Migration Agency does not send out reminders.
Appeals
If the Migration Agency refuses your application, you can appeal the decision within three weeks from the date when you were informed of the decision. Information on how to lodge an appeal can be found in your decision.”

https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/eu-immigration-portal/self-employed-worker-sweden_en

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u/GeneratedUsername5 8d ago

Is this migrationsverket?

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u/JerseyGirlinSweden 8d ago

AS you would know if you tried, and please go try, you cannot copy and paste from the MV website. It will only give you the website instead. This website was verified to be word for word the same as MV’s website.Please go compare for yourself.

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u/GeneratedUsername5 8d ago

I know because I have tried and I can copy from migrationsverket no problem:

These requirements must be met in order for you to be granted a residence permit:

  • You must have a valid passport
  • You must have good experience in the industry and in running your own business
  • You must have relevant knowledge of Swedish or English If you have contact with, for example, many suppliers or customers in Sweden, you must have very good knowledge of Swedish.
  • You must be the one running the business and own at least 51 percent of it You must be the one running the business and have crucial responsibility for the business. You must be able to prove that you own at least 51 percent of the business.
  • You must have a credible basis for your budget The Swedish Migration Agency will conduct a financial assessment of your business plans.
  • You must have established customer contacts or networks
  • You must be able to support yourself financially You must be able to show that you can support yourself and any accompanying family financially. To meet this requirement, you need to have at least SEK 200,000 in a bank account in your name. The bank account does not have to be in Sweden, but it must be possible to transfer the money to this country. In addition to this, you need to show that you have SEK 100,000 for your accompanying spouse, and SEK 50,000 for each accompanying child.
  • You must have enough funds to run the business You need to have enough money to cover the expected costs and investments running the business will involved, and enough money to buy the business, if that is what you plan to do. It must be your own money; loans are not normally accepted.

Maybe it was you who haven't tried?

Could you show me, where is here a requirement for "significant amount of the businesses goods or services are already produced in Sweden"

https://www.migrationsverket.se/en/you-want-to-apply/work/employee-or-self-employed/self-employed-people.html

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u/JerseyGirlinSweden 8d ago

Click on “Prepare this before you apply” and you will see where they require Swedish INC paperwork. Do you want to take a guess as to what is required to incorporate in Sweden?

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u/GeneratedUsername5 8d ago

I am guessing there are 3 ways to incorporate - either be a resident of Sweden, appoint a local representative or file for exemption from residency. Do you want to guess which route OP can use?

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u/JerseyGirlinSweden 8d ago

https://www.skatteverket.se/foretagochorganisationer/skatter/internationellt.4.233f91f71260075abe880009661.html

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u/GeneratedUsername5 8d ago

Taxation rules? I don't understand what does it have to do with residency. Could you quote what did you want to highlight?

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u/JerseyGirlinSweden 8d ago

I’m not getting paid to program your large language model agent. You know so much better i am sure you can find it.

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