Be carful not to be deported whilst living in Russia

[Steveboy]

Recently it has become very easy to be denied entry into Russia after a short trip out even for the smallest offence. A friend of mine received a ticket for J walking last week , the fine 500 roubles about £5.00 but it took three long days going back and forth trying to pay this fine.
Its the same for driving, two tickets and you will be denied entry back into Russia. I always seemed to collect tickets in the UK for a past time , usually speeding or going through a red light   . I was kind of refused entry into the US  once as I went through a red light whilst in LA and had an out standing ticket. I was surprised to have a court summons appear in the post from the sherifs department $188.00 to pay before I could arrive in the US again  Of course in Russia you can always offer the policeman a little something if your confident enough to do it

Always stay within the law and if you do find yourself with some small fine sort it out fast!

[Maxx]

There seems to be a real effort lately by governments to extend their international reach and enforcement.  We are probably living in the last few years of having somewhat freedom when living abroad.

[andrewfi]

You are probably correct.

The big driver for this is and will be taxation.

While Les is right about living 'under the radar' the definition of living well varies considerably but the totals of lost revenue add up.

Oddly enough it is not always the 'new' country that is bothered about the tax but rather the old one. USAians are familiar with this but the idea of collecting taxes off us no matter where we live is too attractive to cash strapped states for them to be able to give up on it.

[Maxx]

I understand I can open a bank account it Georgia quite easily. However I hesitate to do so because of FACTA. Not because I would do anything wrong but in the eyes of government it could be a red flag for them. I like to be left alone as much as possible.

[Markje]

I understand I can open a bank account it Georgia quite easily. However I hesitate to do so because of FACTA. Not because I would do anything wrong but in the eyes of government it could be a red flag for them. I like to be left alone as much as possible.

Maxx, if you plan on moving permanently, why not transfer all your assets to the Georgian bank and then rescind your USA citizenship and keep georgian only. If I am correct, that will mean you no longer have FACTA and sillyness to worry about. (But also no benefits from USA if you still have em).

[Maxx]

I understand I can open a bank account it Georgia quite easily. However I hesitate to do so because of FACTA. Not because I would do anything wrong but in the eyes of government it could be a red flag for them. I like to be left alone as much as possible.

Maxx, if you plan on moving permanently, why not transfer all your assets to the Georgian bank and then rescind your USA citizenship and keep georgian only. If I am correct, that will mean you no longer have FACTA and sillyness to worry about. (But also no benefits from USA if you still have em).

I reject that for a variety of reasons. One of them is it could affect my retirement funds that come from the government.

[andrewfi]

I understand I can open a bank account it Georgia quite easily. However I hesitate to do so because of FACTA. Not because I would do anything wrong but in the eyes of government it could be a red flag for them. I like to be left alone as much as possible.

Georgia is a small country. I bet that living there without a local bank account would be rather hard.
Short term you will be fine, longer term it'll start to get less convenient.

[Maxx]

I understand I can open a bank account it Georgia quite easily. However I hesitate to do so because of FACTA. Not because I would do anything wrong but in the eyes of government it could be a red flag for them. I like to be left alone as much as possible.

Georgia is a small country. I bet that living there without a local bank account would be rather hard.
Short term you will be fine, longer term it'll start to get less convenient.

I believe that as long as less than 10K a year is run through it I do not have to report it. I can use ATM cards for all the rest.

[andrewfi]

It ain't you, it's the bank.

FATCA implementation is down to the bank and they have no idea what you will do with the account. That's why many banks turn away blue passport holders.

The reason why I mentioned Georgia as a small country is that round here it is small countries that have gone furthest with electronic payments and ID. I just did a really quick check and confirmed that Georgia is similar to Estonia in this regard.

Paying for utilities is mostly electronic, for example, in Estonia I have no idea how one would pay a utility bill without a bank account - indeed, one could not get utilities without a bank account. Georgia looks similar.

We don't have cheques here and many businesses use bank payments, not credit cards, for online payments. Unless you have found a credit card or debit card in the US without charges for foreign use then using your plastic will quickly become uneconomic.

You can get round some of this stuff. Your apartment manager may include some utilities in your rent, but that also means that you will be overpaying in most cases. That's what is done with short term lets. When one has friends who trust one then they might set up accounts for phones, TV, Internet etc in their names - making themselves responsible for your debts, but that's not going to happen overnight, and you will have to pay them so that they can pay the bills.

[Manny]

That's why many banks turn away blue passport holders.

And ones that don't make you sign a slew of forms allowing them to bypass national laws and report all your financial dealings to the US government. Although, despite that info exchange, the IRS is unlikely to be too interested in a non-resident bloke spending his legitimately gained income. There is no meat on that bone for them.

[Markje]

Paying for utilities is mostly electronic, for example, in Estonia I have no idea how one would pay a utility bill without a bank account - indeed, one could not get utilities without a bank account. Georgia looks similar.

Its like that in most European countries I have been (which is most of western Europe and part of east-europe, except the baltics)

I think having a bank-account is mandatory in Netherlands, if you plan to live here more than 6 months. Doesn't have to be a dutch/local bank, but you will be paying far too much in transit-fee's if you don't.

[andrewfi]

Manny, you are right about the 'meat on the bone' except that as the info is now processed electronically there is only a negligible marginal cost for dealing with each search query. That means that the scraps of meat that are not worth chasing get smaller and smaller.

The forms and stuff - that's FATCA.

The reason many banks don't accept US clients is because they chose to avoid the expense incurred in dealing with USAians with negligible money. The cost of the administration and compliance systems is much greater than the profits to be derived from those USAians.

Bottom line, as a visitor to Georgia Maxx will likely have no problems with life - he will just overpay for everything. Later on, he will notice the cost and, as he is no longer a 'guest', will need to sort stuff out for himself - jumping through those hoops as an illiterate member of the unbanked community will not be a cakewalk.

That's the process, that's how it works.

[Maxx]

It's almost 3 AM as I am about to write this. I just woke up but will be back to sleep when I post this.

My understanding of the issues are these. It is easy for a US citizen to open a bank account in Georgia. It only takes an hour or so. (I'll see). There are bill pay machines everywhere as there are ATMs. The ATMs pay both in Georgian Lari and US dollars. I do have a new (as of a few weeks ago) Charles Schwab checking account that has no monthly minimums, no service fees and reimburses all ATM and international wire fees at the end of the month.

 The reporting of bank accounts to the Department of Treasury is required if the aggregate total exceeds $10K a year. Otherwise I could face a $10,000 a year fine. I think I can pay rent and utilities for less than that and use cash for all other expenses.

The problem I have not resolved yet is I just noticed I have a notification from Charles Schwab that I need to provide them some additional documentation. That is odd because I have made a deposit into my account there and they did mail me a deposit slip. But the problem probably is they need this to link my other bank to them. 

The other problem I have with them is I haven't got my ATM card yet. I do have a debit card from my main bank and that bank knows I will be in Georgia for an indefinite amount of time. I sat in the office of the bank president and I seen him enter it into the bank computer.

I'll check with my local C.S. contact later today about the request for additional information and where my ATM card is. I leave in 21 days.

[Steveboy]

Blimmey!!!! The US really does run a Nazi regime!! I guess they will be barcoding you at birth soon to keep track of you and probably putting a chip in your head

[andrewfi]

Blimmey!!!! The US really does run a Nazi regime!! I guess they will be barcoding you at birth soon to keep track of you and probably putting a chip in your head

They and, I think just one other country, are the only two places that tax one on one's worldwide income even if non-resident in the US.

This FATCA system is a US system and is designed to enable the IRS to track this income from anywhere in the world.

Don't joke about the chip and bar-code stuff. Apparently the UN is looking into some form of universal identification for all humans for implementation in the next decade or two. The time of the mark of the beast is nearly nigh.

And, yes, Maxx. All Georgian banks will happily report all your financial doings to the IRS for you. They have signed up to FATCA. CLICK HERE!
So, you might as well get yourself a Georgian bank account the moment you step off the plane.

The 10K limit is unconnected to FATCA. The reporting threshold is about your liability to report to the relevant authorities in your country. Under FATCA your bank will report your holdings without reference to that threshold.

I find myself wondering whether the agreement between Georgia and the US now means that some Georgian banks will be refusing to accept US clients as I noted above or whether all banks have agreed to implement reporting. The linked article is not completely clear but the implication is that all banks are taking part. Time will tell I guess.

[Steveboy]

Well I guess the best solution is to buy your own Island and become the president (Im planning this anyway) will keep everyones beaks out of the way

[Wiz]

Is the IRS private company?

I read somewher that it is and they will be looking after any account opened abroad, especially as Andrew said..... they signed the FACTA agreement!

[Maxx]

Blimmey!!!! The US really does run a Nazi regime!! I guess they will be barcoding you at birth soon to keep track of you and probably putting a chip in your head

And, yes, Maxx. All Georgian banks will happily report all your financial doings to the IRS for you. They have signed up to FATCA. CLICK HERE!
So, you might as well get yourself a Georgian bank account the moment you step off the plane.

The Georgian side has taken responsibility to inform the Revenue Office of the United States (US) about the financial assets of US residents living in Georgia, reports Agenda.ge.

Seventy-three countries have already signed the FATCA memorandum with the US.

The FATCA became law in March 2010 in the United States.

I have a RFID chip in my passport and it records everything I use it for. This is downloaded when I reenter the US through passport control.

Guys, you are next.

[Maxx]

I've have a bookmark link to an American attorney that specializes in the government requirements for people in my position. I will contact him and see what I need to do to stay compliant with all US laws and regulations. My strong sense and desire to be free rebels at this but I know it is better to be forewarned so I can be forearmed. Those goes beyond just reporting an offshore bank account. 

Also I am getting Charles Schwab thing straightened out. I should get a call on the progress of my ATM card in the next few minutes.

Edit: All things with Charles Schwab have been straightened out. I should get the ATM card by the end of next week and probably sooner. The final hurdle, the linkage between my accounts, has been solved. So I can transfer money from one account to another. I did find out though that it takes 3 full days to transfer this money before I can access it. I'll have to keep that in mind.

[Maxx]

Is the IRS private company?

I read somewher that it is and they will be looking after any account opened abroad, especially as Andrew said..... they signed the FACTA agreement!

The IRS is in the Department of the US Treasury. The private company you are probably thinking of is the US Federal Reserve. These are the folks that have been successful in keeping from being audited. They are owned by private interests such as the big banks and who knows who else. Perhaps the Queen has a connection in this? or the Rothchilds?      Nobody knows.

I understand Sweden has moved to a cashless society. I see this as a trend worldwide. When that happens there will be no financial privacy and the "Mark of the Beast" will be complete.

Revelation 13:17 "and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name."

Then the New World Order will have total control over us.

[AvHdB]

Is the IRS private company?

I read somewher that it is and they will be looking after any account opened abroad, especially as Andrew said..... they signed the FACTA agreement!

The IRS is in the Department of the US Treasury. The private company you are probably thinking of is the US Federal Reserve. These are the folks that have been successful in keeping from being audited. They are owned by private interests such as the big banks and who knows who else. Perhaps the Queen has a connection in this? or the Rothchilds?      Nobody knows.

I understand Sweden has moved to a cashless society. I see this as a trend worldwide. When that happens there will be no financial privacy and the "Mark of the Beast" will be complete.

Revelation 13:17 "and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name."

Then the New World Order will have total control over us.

Yes the IRS is under the control of the Treasury Department.

The Federal Reserve Bank is indeed private they do indeed control the flow of green backs and sets the United States interest rate. There will be in the next four weeks a vote by the US Senate whether to audit the FED. Might be very interesting as there a multitude of theories some quite conspiracist about its "dealings".

[Steveboy]

Blimmey!!!! The US really does run a Nazi regime!! I guess they will be barcoding you at birth soon to keep track of you and probably putting a chip in your head

And, yes, Maxx. All Georgian banks will happily report all your financial doings to the IRS for you. They have signed up to FATCA. CLICK HERE!
So, you might as well get yourself a Georgian bank account the moment you step off the plane.

The Georgian side has taken responsibility to inform the Revenue Office of the United States (US) about the financial assets of US residents living in Georgia, reports Agenda.ge.

Seventy-three countries have already signed the FATCA memorandum with the US.

The FATCA became law in March 2010 in the United States.

I have a RFID chip in my passport and it records everything I use it for. This is downloaded when I reenter the US through passport control.

Guys, you are next.

Im not next! Nobody is going to Chip and pin me!

[Maxx]

Blimmey!!!! The US really does run a Nazi regime!! I guess they will be barcoding you at birth soon to keep track of you and probably putting a chip in your head

And, yes, Maxx. All Georgian banks will happily report all your financial doings to the IRS for you. They have signed up to FATCA. CLICK HERE!
So, you might as well get yourself a Georgian bank account the moment you step off the plane.

The Georgian side has taken responsibility to inform the Revenue Office of the United States (US) about the financial assets of US residents living in Georgia, reports Agenda.ge.

Seventy-three countries have already signed the FATCA memorandum with the US.

The FATCA became law in March 2010 in the United States.

I have a RFID chip in my passport and it records everything I use it for. This is downloaded when I reenter the US through passport control.

Guys, you are next.

Im not next! Nobody is going to Chip and pin me!

For you they will barcode your wrist with a tattoo like 'Not Sure' in the film 'Idiocracy.'

[Manny]

I've have a bookmark link to an American attorney that specializes in the government requirements for people in my position. I will contact him and see what I need to do to stay compliant with all US laws and regulations.

Forget attorneys for what you have told us. US laws are non-applicable outside the US. The only thing you need to be cognisant of is banking laws where the host country rolls over to Uncle Sam. Georgia seems to do that. In reality, this means little. Sign all the "American only" forms, and forget them. They will report some automated stuff along with a zillion others, stuff your government isn't very interested in. You are just a bloke living abroad on a pension/benefits/small income - the IRS isn't after you. Just fill in your obligatory US tax return and tell the truth. If you later start to earn money there you need to hide, ask advice here then.

[AvHdB]

I've have a bookmark link to an American attorney that specializes in the government requirements for people in my position. I will contact him and see what I need to do to stay compliant with all US laws and regulations.

Forget attorneys for what you have told us. US laws are non-applicable outside the US. The only thing you need to be cognisant of is banking laws where the host country rolls over to Uncle Sam. Georgia seems to do that. In reality, this means little. Sign all the "American only" forms, and forget them. They will report some automated stuff along with a zillion others, stuff your government isn't very interested in. You are just a bloke living abroad on a pension/benefits/small income - the IRS isn't after you. Just fill in your obligatory US tax return and tell the truth. If you later start to earn money there you need to hide, ask advice here then.

Manny, And others have given good advice. Though I certainly would not depend only on RUA for advice where to hide funds.

It is refreshing to see a thread not turn into a bitch feast, proves we can do it.