Long story short,
The law in my country won’t let me emigrate. And from what I can tell, it’s the same across Europe because the rule comes from European Union legislation: if you’re paying into social security in one country but working remotely and moving permanently elsewhere, you either have to unregister in your home country (and quit your job) or, if your company is willing to jump through all the hoops, set up a branch in the new country and hire you from there. Yes, it’s that ridiculous.
What everyone in my position does is just leave anyway—either because they don’t know the rule exists or because they figure nothing will ever happen. And most of the time, that’s true. But not always: sometimes the penalties hit, and they’re brutal. There’s no way to know if one day you’ll be the one getting an official notice: no, thanks. I’ve looked into alternatives, but they all carry legal risk and feel shaky. At 53, I can’t afford that kind of uncertainty. So what can I do?
I’ve got a Plan B, and I must say it looks quite good. Just recently, I found a place away from my hometown where I can live in complete solitude for half the year. After that, I can head anywhere else for the remaining months without any restrictions. It’s more expensive and less convenient than my original idea, but it’s temporary—about 15 years until retirement, and then I’ll be completely free. When I started this project, I knew I’d run into problems of every kind, but this is reaching absurd levels. Anyway, I’m not giving up.
Since I’m going to be a part-time prisoner, at least the place I’m moving to is my absolute favorite spot in the world, with a combination of natural features and climate that simply doesn’t exist anywhere else on Earth. In a couple of weeks, I’ll be settled in, and I’ll share the first photos.
