W-8BEN Nomad

[pamcheney]

Hi there, I am a Canadian citizen but currently don't have a permanent residency anywhere. I am waiting for my partnership visa to come through for New Zealand (which may take up to another 8 months). In the meantime I am traveling around the world - I am currently in Australia and I'll be in Europe next. I want to ensure I fill out the W-8BEN truthfully, how should I answer the question about residency?

Thanks!

[AveryO · Accepted solution]

Hi Pamela, 

If you are traveling and are away from your country of residence temporarily, you don’t need to update your location/address. If it does raise any flags on our end, the team will reach out to you directly.  If however, you are going to be away for an extended period, such as moving someplace, then you should make updates to your account location.

As for the form, please fill in the address that matches the address that you have added to your Upwork account. If you are moving to another location, you can update your address and your tax information at any time. 

Also, it's recommended that you check with a legal adviser if you need a certain type of visa or a work permit to be able to work on Upwork while traveling.