Freelance vs employed status for the visa itself — did it change which path you could take?

Elena, I was in almost exactly this position when I moved to Portugal, and yes, it made a real difference to which route I could use. I'll describe mine, with the caveat that the details were specific to my country and passport.

As an employee, the route depended on the employer: their paperwork, their timing and, honestly, their willingness. As a freelancer, it depended on me: proof of income, contracts with clients, a registered activity, and the tax side from the first month. The freelance route gave me more freedom later, but the first application was much more work, and the evidence was harder to make convincing because freelance income isn't a neat monthly salary.

What I'd do in your position:

• ask the company which route they would support if you were employed, and how long their side takes
• read the official requirements for the self-employed route and check whether your client contracts would count as evidence
• think about what happens at renewal, not only the first application

The difference in take-home pay was small for me too. The difference in stress was not.

Freelance, via a nomad visa, in my case. It was the only route open to me without a local employer, so the choice was made for me. The paperwork was heavier than an employee's but I was in control of it, which I preferred.

Same as Diego, here in Spain. Freelance for clients abroad, and the route fitted exactly that. If the company is local, it's a different conversation.

Isabella's reply covers the heart of it. Employed and self-employed routes usually have different evidence requirements, different timelines and different implications at renewal, and those rules are specific to each country and passport. Before choosing between the two contracts, compare the routes directly on the official pages. The Visa section for Ireland links to both, and the Tax section covers what self-employment means from the first month.