Bordering on Madness – Getting Across Borders as a Location Independent Professional
by Ricardo
Most of our time here at the Nu Nomad is spent advising our readers on how to prepare for a location-independent life—with a special focus on mobile vocations. You know, you tweak your profession from that of office-based to home-based… to global-based; you handle your personal and business obligations so you can actually leave for your location of choice; you acquire your personal and mobile office gear; you gather the necessary start-up funds and airline tickets.
But how do you handle the asshole at the immigration check-point of your destination? The power-drunk officer who won’t let you in because he/she does not understand that there are gray areas between “Are you traveling for business?” and “Are you traveling for pleasure?” What is a nu nomad to do?
Case in point. One of our Nu Nomad community members (and former interviewee, see Meet the Nomads – Milosh Zorica – Graphic Designer on the Move), Milosh, recently shared the following interrogation with us:
Immigration Officer: Business or pleasure?
Milosh: Business.
Immigration Officer: What are you doing and what company do you work for here in the United States?
Me: I’m a web developer. I have a several clients here in Los Angeles.
Immigration Officer: Are you yet another Mexican construction worker (while holding my apparently non-Mexican passport in his hand), aren’t you?
Me: No, I’m not. I design websites
Immigration Officer: may I see some of them, please? Open your bag!
Me: I’m afraid you can’t
Immigration Officer: Open your fucking bag, please.
Me: I mean, they are on a server, not in my bag.
(for more on Milosh, please visit Coroflot)
The immigration officer eventually let our intrepid working professional in, but that’s not always the case. Last year we got a similar missive, from a Canadian (Yes, Canadian—our gentle brethren of the north!), also a web developer, who was denied entry into the United States after being asked about his occupation.
What we’re beginning to see here is both a lack of understanding by the rank-and-file border security people of the term “working” along with any new rules pertaining to this new breed of travelers. Let’s face it, nu nomads (digital nomads, or whatnot) are burning new ground here. Not long ago when you said you’d be “working,” that simply translated into your taking jobs away from those in the country you are visiting. These days, as a nu nomad, you’re simply telecommuting for the company you own or work for within your home country. Now, you can try to explain this difference to the border guard or you can simply choose between the narrow menu of choices: business or pleasure (we won’t get into the sub-options of student, diplomat, et cetera). So, which would you choose?
Whenever I’m entering a foreign country, I tell them that I’m a tourist. Why? Well, because I am. Since I’m not affecting their job market, but rather I’m spending my income in their country like any other tourist (without taking any income away), I feel safe with this choice. But if you’re actually coming into a country to visit clients (or generate more clients) then you better have your documents in order if you’re going to declare “business.” Most likely, here’s what you are going to want to know beforehand:
- Are you legally allowed to do business in the country you wish to enter?
- Am I required to pay any taxes for generating income within that country?
- What are the restrictions of doing business in that country?
On a similar vein, many countries are now seeking to minimize long-term visitors to their country by ensuring that they have reasons not to stay permanently in their country (which is to discourage those who wish to circumvent labor and business laws. Like the foreign visitor who intends on opening up a bar on some island). Most countries, in addition to requiring a flight ticket for “onward travel” now ask to see either a copy of your recent tax return, bank statement, or letter from your employer at home stating that, well, that you’re still employed at home. They want to make sure that you have substantial reasons or obligations to return home.
But don’t let all this talk of breaking through immigration nonsense discourage you from visiting the country of your choice. Just do the due diligence—just like you have for the other parts of your nu nomadic preparations. Many countries have expat websites, forums and blogs which will provide you with the skinny on border crossing. (In Thailand there’s thaivisa.com. In Czech, there’s expats.cz. ) If still not sure, contact the local embassy of that country for information. And if all else fails, just remember that you’re simply visiting the country, as a tourist—being no different than the visitor in the fancy hotels that have to spend time on the phone and Internet to communicate with their office at home.
Got a border crossing horror story to share? We’d like to hear of it. (We’re kind of demented that way.)
Photo by: hjl
