Issue invoice without being a freelance in Spain
Thread poster: Ana Belen Garcia Luque
Ana Belen Garcia Luque
Ana Belen Garcia Luque
Spain
Local time: 10:00
English to Spanish
+ ...
Jan 23, 2008

Hello all!

My question is a bit specific, but I will try to explain myself well so you can understand...

I am working full-time in a company, but besides my job, I do translation assignments for an Italian company. I have lived in Italy for a year and I had a VAT number there that allowed me to issue invoices from Italy. Now I keep on working for this same company, but I live in Spain and do not keep the Italian VAT number. What I do everytime I have a freelance assignm
... See more
Hello all!

My question is a bit specific, but I will try to explain myself well so you can understand...

I am working full-time in a company, but besides my job, I do translation assignments for an Italian company. I have lived in Italy for a year and I had a VAT number there that allowed me to issue invoices from Italy. Now I keep on working for this same company, but I live in Spain and do not keep the Italian VAT number. What I do everytime I have a freelance assignment is to issue invoice with a family business, so I use the VAT number of my father's company to issue invoices. The agencies I have worked for have never complained about this, but the Italian company now have proposed me a full-time freelance collaboration contract and they do not accept the family business VAT number for this contract.

The problems are the following:

1. I already work for a company (full-time) with an indefinite contract, so I cannot afford starting up a business on my own at the same time and asking for a Spanish VAT number. Taxes would be high and the income I would receive monthly (which is relatively low) would not really cover all expenses.

2. The contract for the Italian company needs to include my name, but if I issue invoices with a company's VAT number (CIF), this CIF is not related to my name, but to the company.

3. The company I issue invoices with is not related to the translation business, but to a different field. The Italian company states that I can only issue invoices if the company is a translation agency. I fifn't know this and certainly, I have issued invoices before this way.

My questions are:

1. Would there be a way to include my name in the contract and at the same time the name and VAT number of the company. I have heard that my father, as the owner of the company, could sign a document to give me a "power" as "mandataria" (apoderada) of the company, instead of employee. This way, I could use that CIF/VAT number, as it is mine.

2. Should I open a VAT number in Spain even though I already work for a company?

Thanks for your contributions. I hope that the Spanish/Italian colleagues can shed some light to my questions!

Regards,
Ana
Collapse


 
Maria Asis
Maria Asis  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 10:00
Member (2002)
English to Spanish
+ ...
What I know (not much) Jan 23, 2008

Hi!

Ana Belen García Luque wrote:
3. The company I issue invoices with is not related to the translation business, but to a different field. The Italian company states that I can only issue invoices if the company is a translation agency. I fifn't know this and certainly, I have issued invoices before this way.


This is true. The company/freelancer can only issue invoices for the activity said in the form 036. If the translation activity is not part of the business, deliver a 036 with an additional activity and you'll be able to issue translation invoices on behalf of that company.

Ana Belen García Luque wrote:
2. Should I open a VAT number in Spain even though I already work for a company?


If you cannot get to an agreement with the Italian company, in spite of adding the translation activity as a business for your family company, then as a freelancer, your VAT number is your NIF number, so no need to ask for it.

I know a person working full-time who had to register as a freelancer to issue additional invoices.

Hope this helps a little.

María José Asís


 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:


You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Issue invoice without being a freelance in Spain







Anycount & Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000

Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.

More info »
Trados Business Manager Lite
Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio

Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.

More info »