Guides
Guides & insights
Practical answers for expats, landlords, employers and freelancers — in plain language.
- Spain — freelancers & expats
How to Register as an Autónomo in Spain as a Foreigner (2026)
The step-by-step order nobody spells out for registering as an autónomo in Spain as a foreigner — from NIE and padrón to Modelo 036 and RETA, plus real 2026 costs and timelines.
9 min read
- Spain — freelancers & expats
Modelo 130 vs 303: The Autónomo Quarterly Deadlines Explained
Modelo 303 is VAT, Modelo 130 is income tax — two forms, one quarterly calendar. Here are the exact 2026 deadlines, who's exempt, and what a late filing really costs.
11 min read
- Spain — freelancers & expats
Cost of Living in Spain for Digital Nomads: 2026 City Budgets
A realistic 2026 cost-of-living comparison for digital nomads in Spain: all-in monthly budgets for Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia, plus the new rent caps and visa income rules.
9 min read
- Spain — freelancers & expats
Wohnung mieten in Spanien ohne nómina: Wie Freelancer die Seguro-de-Impago-Hürde schlagen
No Spanish law requires a payslip to rent a flat. Here is how freelancers and the self-employed can prove reliable income with bank statements, tax filings and guarantees — plus the deposit, payment and lease-type rules that shape what a landlord can demand.
9 min read
- Spain — freelancers & expats
Beckham Law Spain 2026: When the 24% Flat Tax Actually Saves You Money
Spain's 24% Beckham Law tax sounds unbeatable — but a strict deadline, a five-year rule and the break-even maths decide whether it really saves you money in 2026.
9 min read
- Spain — freelancers & expats
Spain Digital Nomad Visa Freelancer Requirements: The 20% Rule
The freelancer requirements that actually get people rejected for Spain's digital nomad visa: the 20% Spanish-client limit and the 200%-of-SMI income proof, with 2026 figures.
9 min read
- Spain — freelancers & expats
Autónomo cuota & tarifa plana 2026: Year 1 vs. Year 2
The autónomo tarifa plana looks simple until Year 2. Here's what you really pay in 2026 (€88.64/month), the SMI condition for the extension, the Importass deadline most people miss, and what the cuota becomes afterward.
8 min read
- Spain — freelancers & expats
Your First Autónomo Invoice: IVA, IRPF Retención and 7% vs 15%
A Spanish autónomo invoice is a rigid legal document. Here is what must appear on it, when 21% IVA applies, and why the 7% vs 15% IRPF retención choice matters in your first three years.
11 min read
- Spain — freelancers & expats
Can't Get a NIE Appointment in Spain? The Honest 2026 Guide to Beating "No Hay Citas"
Stuck on the "no hay citas" screen? Here's the honest 2026 reality of Spain's NIE cita previa system — why bots block it, and the legal, free ways to actually land an appointment.
8 min read