Hi expats! What do you think of the bureaucracy in Spain?

Hello! :wave:

I am back here after having had a tough week with the spanish administration and public officers :upside_down_face:

I would like to know from you :index_pointing_at_the_viewer: EXPATS and people with experience with other countries bureaucracy how do you feel about the spanish one now that you are freelancers.

:nerd_face:

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I have experience with Germany, and to be honest it is complex but way easier than the Spanish system. But this only applies if you speak German. If you donā€™t, you will have a lot of sleepless night. Tbh the best thing Xolo that everyone speaks English so I can be rest assured that I understand everything correctly and they will take care of every communication with Hacienda.

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Oh, Spain, is up there as the worst system to operate in. They incentivise you for the first two years, and then, after that period, you are forced to pay higher taxes, even though you donā€™t get the advantages of an FTE. Iā€™m thinking of quitting the Spanish system as a contractor, and going through another county. Why? Well, because as a contractor, I take the risk, and Iā€™d like the government to work with me, rather than restrict me. Portugal looks like an option.

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@dett.tolnai I can say that in Spain is mostly the same, the webpage can be somehow translated into english, just some parts of it, but I have not found a public officer who could speak english. Andā€¦ letā€™s say that if we are talking about of a tax officer from some small town, itā€™s fine, but in the main administrations in Barcelona and Madrid, not even the service of speaking in english? I mean, I know itā€™s not an official language in Spain, but itā€™s more that they lack of this ā€œpublic carachterā€ that the administration should haveā€¦

@rory I would say that there is a tendency firstly from the spanish citizens, who are already faniliarized with the system and they just want to leave it apart, but also from expats who came to spain and have seen how hard is to deal with the spanish tax agency.
I hope you find the way that works best for your situation, and I hope itā€™s still here. Itā€™s true that spain is a nice place to live, but the administration is not a reason to stay. :melting_face:

Hi Cristina, the Spanish system, especially if you are a non EU member is demoralising, I have used companies in the past to handle things like NIE, Beckham law etc for me as they do it everyday and they are well worth the extra fee for not having to go all the way to some random police station in the middle of nowhere and be turned away.

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