Category: Citizenship
Malta: Malta Individual Investor Program (MIIP) | Reform
An amended citizenship program is yet to surface for Malta. Here is a glimpse of it. ... - Continue reading
Why now is the best time for South Africans to apply for Portugal’s Golden visa
Guidance for South Africans to gain residency in Portugal. ... - Continue reading
Stranded NRIs could be in for tax trouble
Some bad news for NRIs who are stuck in the lockdown. ... - Continue reading
Canada: Canada-Israel Income Tax Convention & The Making Of Aliyah From Canada To Israel – Canadian Tax Lawyer Analysis
Clarifications regarding Aliyah for Canadian residents. ... - Continue reading
Canadians with US citizenship face account closures under FATCA
With the conclusion of a grace period on Jan. 1, Canadian banking institutions are required to attain US identification numbers for Canadian clients under FATCA or face fines. ... - Continue reading
Vanuatu: Vanuatu Citizenship And Taxes 2020
Guidance to get a passport in Vanuatu for 2020. ... - Continue reading
U.S. tax-filing requirements that Americans living in Canada should know
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has sent the financial records of 900,000 dual citizens and Canadian residents to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the 2018 year, according a recent news story. ... - Continue reading
The Risks of Golden Visa Schemes
An exploration into the drawbacks to the very glossy 'Golden Visa Schemes' ... - Continue reading
US IRS tells banks not to close accounts just because of missing tax ID number: FATCA
The US Internal Revenue Service has eased the rules of FATCA compliance by telling banks overseas that they are not required to close the accounts of their accidental Americans clients who have not provided their tax identification number by January 2020. FATCA was passed in 2010 and forces banks wanting… – Continue reading
Dutch ditching their US citizenship over tax fears
Some 1,700 ‘accidental’ Dutch Americans have applied to give up their US nationality this year, a six-fold rise on three years ago, before a new tax law is implemented next year. As FATCA is enforced, these Dutch Americans must file a tax return in the United States. If they do… – Continue reading
Citizenship, residency and tax liability
Is it true that if I become Italian I have to pay taxes in Italy? “I am a U.S. citizen and I plan to move my residency to Italy. I will continue working remotely for my U.S.-based company and will continue paying my taxes in the U.S. What should I… – Continue reading
Worldwide: Financial Institutions And Personal Data
Combating Tax EvasionIn recent years, there have been several high-profile prosecutions for the crime of tax evasion (for example the actor, Wesley Snipes, and the footballer, Lionel Messi). Governments around the world have been making a concerted effort in an attempt to tackle this problem. Their objective is for their respective tax administrations to work together so that taxpayers pay the correct amount of tax in the correct jurisdiction. ... - Continue reading
Imminent Changes To US Immigration Program
There has been a lot of recent media attention surrounding the EB-5 Investment Visa Program, and for good reason. South African residents are not able to emigrate for exchange control purposes (sometimes referred to as a financial emigration) unless they have a lawful right of abode in the country to… – Continue reading
FATCA blamed for one in five US expats planning to give up passport
One in five US citizens living abroad are on the verge of giving up their passports according to a survey published by US tax consultants Greenback. The Greenback survey – which was conducted by more than 3,000 US expats – studies the expat community’s opinions on taxation, citizenship renunciation, and… – Continue reading
IRS offers tax break to some American expats
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has outlined new procedures for some “accidental Americans,”, giving them the chance to comply with their US tax and filing obligations and in turn qualify for relief from back taxes, penalties and interest. The changes would allow people with less than $2m in net worth… – Continue reading
US-born British citizen launches crowdfunding campaign to stop FATCA
A US-born British citizen has started a crowdfunding campaign to stop HMRC sharing her personal information with the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) under the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). Law firm Mishcon de Reya has taken on the UK case for a client who alleges HMRC is… – Continue reading
British citizens born in America face having bank accounts frozen
Tens of thousands of British citizens born in the US but only lived there for a few months or years face having their bank accounts frozen as part of a crackdown by the US tax authorities. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is ordering British banks to hand over the… – Continue reading
CBI Dominica: Leading with Transparency
19 August 2019, Since 1993, Dominica has been at the forefront of the citizenship by investment (CBI) industry, setting high standards in due diligence, processing times, and most recently, transparency. Indeed, this month the nation liaised with prominent international professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to release a report clarifying the… – Continue reading
Mauritius: Mauritius Regulatory Update
This is the first in a series of of Mauritius Regulatory Alerts in which we bring you an overview of the latest legal and regulatory developments in the offshore world, with a particular focus on Mauritius. ... - Continue reading
Citizenship of the Republic of Vanuatu and its advantages
The Republic of Vanuatu is a group of islands in the Pacific. The country exists by growing fruits, fishing, and tourism. In 2016, the government introduced the program of achieving local citizenship through investment to increase the flow of external finance. Foreign businessmen want to get a second passport in… – Continue reading
FATCA could push French banks to close up to 40,000 account
Banks in France have warned that they could be forced to close up to 40,000 accounts belonging to US citizens because of ongoing difficulties with the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). ... - Continue reading
Tanzanian freelance journalist in court over money laundering, tax evasion
DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) — Tanzanian freelance journalist Eric Kabendera on Monday appeared in court charged with money laundering, tax evasion and leading organized crime. The state prosecution told the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam that on diverse dates between January 2015… – Continue reading
Taxability of annuity paid by Australian account depends on residential status
On July 12 the Netherlands government published a legislative proposal implementing the EU mandatory disclosure directive. This follows an internet consultation on a draft legislative proposal which ran from December 19, 2018 — February 1, 2019. ... - Continue reading
Can a Thai Citizen Own Property in the US?
I am interested in purchasing real estate in the US as an investment. Can a Thai citizen own property in the US? There are several things Thai investors need to be aware of when considering purchasing a house or condominium in the United States. The buying process is relatively straightforward… – Continue reading
Seven Countries Where Cryptocurrency Investments Are Not Taxed
Here are a few countries where cryptocurrencies are not taxed under some or all circumstances ... - Continue reading
RGN Reviews the State of Play for CRS and AEOI Rollout
Ivan Pelle, one of the Founders and Executive Director, expert in International Taxation at Recontam Global Network (RGN) is on a mission to make its clients and partners aware of the rollout of CRS and AEOI across Asia-Pacific and how this might affect tax planning and investment strategies. He addressed… – Continue reading
India: Split Residency – ITAT Upholds The Taxpayer’s Claim For Treaty Exemption, Applies Centre Of Vital Interest Test
Dual Residency gets attracted when an expat in the year of move qualifies as a resident of the host country (i.e., the country in which he is deputed) as well as home country (i.e., the country of his residence). On account of dual residency, an expat can be doubly taxed… – Continue reading
Welcome to Tax Hell, Little Earl of Sussex
Congratulations are in order to Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, as they welcomed their yet unnamed son into the world yesterday. The new little Earl (he won’t get a Prince title like his cousins) weighed in at a healthy weighs 7lbs. 3oz and comes with a life long… – Continue reading
Malta: Malta Citizenship And Residency By Investment (8 February, 2019)
As of 2019, the Individual Investor Program has received more than 1000 Malta passport applications on behalf of investors from more than 40 different countries. The Malta Individual Investor Programme (MIIP) offers high and ultra-high net worth individuals and families worldwide citizenship in a highly respected EU Member Country. Malta,… – Continue reading
Antigua and Barbuda and Malta discuss Citizenship by Investment programmes
Prior to the commencement of the World Economic Forum at Davos on Wednesday, Prime Minister Gaston Browne held a bilateral meeting with the Finance Minister of Malta, Edward Scicluna. According to a release from Antigua and Barbuda’s Director General of Communications, Maurice Merchant, the main items on the agenda for… – Continue reading
1.6 million Canadian banking records shared with IRS
CRA now transferring 600,000 banking records per year under controversial information sharing agreement The Canadian government has shared more than 1.6 million Canadian banking records with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service since the start of a controversial information-sharing agreement in 2014, CBC News has learned. In 2016 and again in… – Continue reading
Pakistanis pose high risk to global financial system: IMC
KARACHI: A global investment migration association on Wednesday termed Pakistanis among high-risk nationalities who could exploit loopholes in the OECD’s common reporting standard (CRS) developed to curb offshore tax evasion and avoidance. “Of those nearly one million citizenships granted by the EU each year that are not related to CBI… – Continue reading
Government prepared to amend laws to prevent tax evasion
The Antigua and Barbuda government is willing to amend the necessary laws to ensure that local financial institutions are able to share banking information of dual citizenship holders with the relevant authorities in their original country of birth, if this becomes necessary. Prime Minister Gaston Browne made the disclosure following… – Continue reading
OECD report shines a light on how the wealthy dodge tax rules
On the list of countries operating CBI/RBI schemes, that the OECD feels have the potential to be used for tax dodging, are 2 tax havens that are popular with wealthy Canadians and large Canadian companies. These are Barbados and Panama. Ottawa (19 Oct. 2018) — New information from the Organization… – Continue reading
Malta’s residency, citizenship schemes ‘pose high-risk to integrity of Common Reporting Standard’
The Organisation for Economic and Social Development named and shamed 22 countries out of over 100 it studied that have either residency or citizenship programmes, for having lax rules that potentially pose high-risk to the integrity of Common Reporting Standard’. Malta, which has long cited the OECD’s endorsement of its… – Continue reading
The Hukou System in Shanghai: Benefits, Eligibility, and Application Process
Hukou (户口) is a system of household registration in China. Each citizen is issued a household register under supervision of the Ministry of Public Security, China’s police. Hukou serves as an identity proof for citizens, recording their basic information and permanent residence. The hukou registration also determines access to housing,… – Continue reading
NBI probe in Turku targets real estate firm, nabs third suspect
A large-scale police operation into money laundering appears to have targeted the Airiston Helmi real estate firm, led by a Russian man with Maltese citizenship. An exceptionally large police operation took place in southwest Finland this weekend, in what the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said was an extensive search… – Continue reading
Can the PHL fully participate in ASEAN Taxation Cooperation?
(Second of two parts) Embracing the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEoI), whether in the form of FATCA and/or CRS, affects stakeholders ranging from the government and businesses down to the ordinary consumers of financial products and services. As such, the uncertainties arising from the supposed implementation are definitely not in… – Continue reading
Anguilla to launch residency by investment programme
THE VALLEY, Anguilla — The government of Anguilla is to implement a “Residency by Investment” programme as part of its medium-term agenda. It will allow foreign nationals to acquire permanent residency status in Anguilla by making a financial contribution to the island and after proving to be of good health… – Continue reading
Parliament approves Bitcoin BCH payments for Antigua and Barbuda citizenship
Securing citizenship in the Eastern Caribbean jewel of Antigua and Barbuda is now easier for Bitcoin Cash (BCH) investors. Early this week, the parliament of Antigua and Barbuda unanimously approved the resolution to amend the Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP) Act, allowing for payments to be made in Bitcoin BCH… – Continue reading
Tax & benefit data to speed ‘settled status’
Most of the 3.2m EU citizens in the UK will be granted permission to stay after Brexit in “a matter of days” following simple data checks, the Home Office says. Information held by the tax or benefit authorities will be enough to confirm residence – and eligibility for the new… – Continue reading
3 per cent of NZ house sales to foreigners
Only just over 3 per cent of houses sold or transferred in the March quarter went to foreigners, Stats NZ data shows. Of the properties which transferred to new ownership in the three months, 3.3 per cent went to people who were not citizens or residents, up from 2.9 per… – Continue reading
Moldova to Ease Citizenship Requirements for Investors
The Moldovan parliament is divided over proposed amendments that would allow wealthy investors to bypass certain requirements in the citizen application process, Balkan Insight reported Friday. Some members of parliament warn that the changes, which are expected to pass next week, will undermine security and worsen Moldova’s reputation for corruption…. – Continue reading
Perth property facing extended impact from foreign buyers tax
Western Australia’s residential sector could be facing up to 12 months or more of limited interest from Chinese buyers in the wake of the state government’s decision to increase taxes on offshore purchasers. Earlier this week, as part of its annual state budget, the WA government announced that it would… – Continue reading
Keith Schembri Once Again Contradicts His Own Statements Regarding His Offshore Company Network
His story has changed somewhere along the line Keith Schembri’s latest explanation today of his network of offshore companies flies in the face of his original statement when the Panama scandal first broke out two years ago. Reacting to stories published today by German paper Süddeutsche Zeitung and the Times… – Continue reading
Accidental Americans’ fight to stop double taxation
PARIS — Tom Wallis was born here and has spent his entire life in France, but it turns out that the 40-year-old entrepreneur from Grenoble owes tens of thousands of dollars in taxes to the United States. Wallis’ mother was French, but he holds U.S. citizenship through his American father…. – Continue reading
Peru: President Admits Using Offshore Firm to Avoid Taxes
Peru’s under fire President, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, admitted using an offshore company to avoid paying US taxes ahead of an impeachment vote on Thursday. The septuagenarian leader’s disclosure came during a marathon seven hour testimony to a congressional investigative committee on Friday as he attempted to disentangle himself from an… – Continue reading
High net worth expats in UAE increasingly applying for second passport
High net worth residents in the UAE are increasingly applying for second passports to avail of maximum visa-free travel opportunities, expand businesses and avoid double taxation, experts have said. According to companies involved in citizenship programmes, most of the demand for second citizenship programmes is coming from Indians, Pakistanis, Syrians… – Continue reading
