hello all... i could really use some advice on what the best/easiest way to legally live and work in ukraine as a british national. i work as a software engineer via the internet and want to continue doing this when i get there and of course i would rather pay taxes in ukraine than the uk!
i know about the 90 day rule. i will have been back in the uk for 90 days before going back, so worst case scenario i can just stay for 90 days i guess, but i would like to be able to make it permanent. i will be renting my own flat when i am there and my olya will more than likely be moving in with me.
i've spent ages searching the net and this forum and am probably more confused now than i was before!
anyone else here from the uk now living in ukraine? or from other countries who have had the same issues i am facing?
Pete,
Have you considered registering a company offshore, opening a bank account likewise, and as far as the UK authorities are concerned you have emigrated and you needn't tell the Ukrainian authorities anything at all, you're not opening a business there, you're simply doing some work from home?
But, do not register a company in the British islands, Gibraltar, Canary Islands etc. as they are losing their offshore status and my company bank account is in Latvia (secrecy laws apply) and there are Latvian banks that have offices in Kiev.
If you get any tips pass them on ;-) I'm currently a boiler tech, and in a year also a Diesel Mechanic with an Associates in Business, specifically on a degree on opening and starting new businesses, somehow big corporations can open businesses overseas the same should apply for someone wanting to start one overseas also right?
cheers for the info. my cousin is also a software engineer and has an account offshore but is currently being investigated! any idea how to apply for a multi entry business visa? also i've seen something about registering as an "entrepreneur" in ukraine? is it worth doing that? i've also read something about if you rent a flat your landlord can sign something to say you have a residence in ukraine or something? right now olya is living in and paying for the flat that i started renting, but i think we'll need a slightly bigger flat to live together long term.
Pete,
If you try the UK Ukrainian embassy/consulate website it certainly used to be on there, when we needed visas, regarding what is required for each type of visa application.
As I recall, and this is from memory, if one applies for a business visa then they need to be sponsored by a Ukrainian business, i.e. you must be going there to work for or with an existing Ukrainian business, like I say this is from memory though.
But, if you apply for a business visa then you are alerting them of what your intentions are (i'd keep quiet), you also need to check, I can't recall, if any of the visas will allow you to stay there for more than 3 months at a time or if you have to leave and re-enter again.
martin... i guess i could start working for a ukrainian company at first if i have to? plenty of software companies there. i would really like to apply for permanent residence though and pay taxes there. heck... even my olya doesn't pay any taxes there! lol!
the "entrepreneur" thing looks interesting, and i can't see them wanting me to leave once i start paying taxes!
Business visas do not give right to earn income. www.tourkiev.com can provide online business visa invitation cheaply. Ive been using business visas for a couple of years and have never been asked about purpose of visit or anything else in relation to what I am doing which is certainly nothing to do with business.
But Pete,
What I can't get my head around is why one would want to pay taxes, voluntarily, if one doesn't need to.
If one opens offices or a factory or similar then one is blatantly trading in Ukraine but if one is merely doing some homework on their PC in their bedroom, with their company registered elsewhere (offshore), then one is, technically, perhaps not trading in Ukraine.
I set my company(s) up with both a UK (England & Wales) registration and an offshore registration, my business telephones are Tesco Internet Phones thus I can make and receive calls on my +44 numbers from a PC anywhere in the world and when people write or talk with me, whilst they may believe I am in UK because of my +44 numbers, I am basically untraceable.
ok, cheers GeminiDreams and Martin_FFC. i guess i will have to look more into things! all i want to do is live there with my olya in kyiv and do the same work on the internet as i do now. /pete
Ifyou are a freelance software engineer, and not based in the clients offices, then you fall outside UK IR35 tax laws, so draw all your money as dividends (as long as not the regularly) that way you will not pay income tax anyway!
ZAZOON i worked there ( russia 2 years ) i never had to leave iam not sure how they did it all but i was under contract those days from Aussie government - i must admit i did not ask the nitty gritty ( i was not going to look gift horse in the mouth ).
but i certainly did not have to leave after each 90 days !!!!
I stayed one stretch of 179 days and another few of 135 / 160 days ---nobody hasseled me to leave thats for sure .
I must say ive never really looked right into the ''stay for years criteria ! i just had 1 year multiple entry business visa time and time again .
Still if i wanted to stay years id just bloody stay lol bugger em --nobodies going to give a toss about 1 lonely westerner whom - just blends into the countryside !
I do know 1 norwegian chap some years ago -''just decided to stay '' hes still there ! he's a bit to big to argue with lol..
His brother sends him a westy union each month if he needs a dollar lol but he's filthy rich lives like a hippy .
Hes smart enough to live in the sticks looks like a bearded bad ass russian from the 1800's lives with his lovely about 130ks in the sticks from nearest city --nobody worries him --
Iam not sure what he will do if it ever comes a time to head back to norway? as by now his passport has - well and truly run out .
lol .
I like the bloke he's got style -- ''me do as please he preaches !!
guess thats one way to live there lol lol lol..
Russias a big joint --nobody is going to search length and breadth of russia for some old hippy orientated norwegian are they --i mean hell where would you start looking huh .
Finding missing westerners in mother russia --iam sure nobody would be bothered and some people just dont want to be found huh .
I THINK THATS THE BEST WAY TO STAY !! if you have no intention of ever leaving ! i mean whats the worst they can do to you ? fine you $500 and throw you on a plane home !
zazoon: i used to have my own ltd company, but was working for a software house here in UK until feb. haven't worked since then... sold my 2nd house and lived off the money and worked on my own projects!
i have 2 contracts right now that i am working on and would love to just pay taxes in ukraine! ir35 used to scare me! lol
i don't intend leaving ukraine once i get there really, but it would be nice to leave every now and again and come back into ukraine! lol! olya would love to visit the UK sometime.