Working for a Spanish company, living in Germany

@sophielminter

Germany doesn't have a digital nomad visa.

Scenario 1 is not legal. You are not allowed to work with a JSV.

You would need apply for a permit to be self-employed in Germany.

I can't offer a definitive strategy but a JSV is definitely not the right thing. This only allows you to look for work in a very specific field and is hard to get. Then if you found such a job (NOTfreelancing) you could stay in Germany without having to return home to apply for a work visa there. It is no way is a pathway to working remotely as mentioned.

Working for a company elsewhere with no presence in Germany I would also assume would equate to freelancing. But in Germany there are also rules that freelancers cannot just work for a single client - or else they are considered employees and not freelances. It has big implications for benefits, social security contributions etc. I don't know if this rule is dropped when the client is abroad... beyond the scope of my knowledge. But if your boyfriend is German as claimed then maybe he could contact local officials to ask. I don't know If this would be the employment office (Arbeitsamt) or immigration officials or who.

I agree with the above posters: The only path forward (apart from the employer starting a business in Germany that employs you) is being self-employed. For a non-EU-citizen, this is very complicated and the formal hurdles high: Expect (unless you are fluent in buerocratic German) to have to engage professional help (at hefty fees) for visa, business setup, licensing (if applicable), accountancy and taxation.

Honestly, I would drop the idea and choose a more realistic path - e.g. getting married and applying for a family reunion visa.