Posts Tagged ‘Immigration laws’
Facebook Co-Founder Unfriends USA…Now the Empire Strikes Back
Brazilian-born Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin relinquished his U.S. citizenship late last year. As an expatriate, Saverin must pay an “exit tax” on the value of any unrealized gains in his worldwide estate, less a $636,000 exclusion for 2011. I’m not privy to billionaire Saverin’s financial affairs, but I have no reason to doubt his statement [...]
Traveling in Asia with a Passport from the Commonwealth of Dominica
Last week, I arrived in Ho Chi Minh City after a series of three flights from the Caribbean. This place is hustling and bustling! Motorbikes zoom everywhere, the traffic is heavy, and the economy is booming. Yes, this may be the “Socialist Republic of Vietnam,” but opportunities abound here. For instance, many labor-intensive industries are [...]
Are You the Property of Your Government?
As a former U.S. citizen who has given up U.S. citizenship, I’ve visited dozens of countries using my Commonwealth of Dominica passport. One of the most interesting destinations has been the Republic of Cuba. Not being a U.S. citizen makes the process of visiting Cuba much easier. Due to a longstanding U.S. embargo against Cuba, [...]
Use Common Sense and Discretion at Border Checkpoints
I recently learned of a traveler’s unfortunate experience when attempting to enter the Kingdom of Thailand using his second passport. “An acquaintance of mine purchased a (ridiculously expensive) Caribbean passport and jumped on a plane to Thailand where he was going to settle down and ride out the financial crisis. On arrival in Bangkok (also [...]
Mexico Reforms Its Immigration Laws
Perhaps attempting to persuade its powerful neighbor to the North to do the same, last month, major revisions to Mexico’s immigration laws came into effect. The law has now become more “humane” and immigrant friendly. Among the changes announced are: 1) Illegal entry into Mexican territory is de-criminalized. This means that it is no longer [...]
No Hassle Passport Renewal in the Commonwealth of Dominica
Last week, my friend and colleague Mark Nestmann wrote about a proposed form that may soon become necessary to complete in order to obtain a U.S. passport. You must disclose a great deal of extremely personal information on this form, including details of religious rites performed at your birth (e.g., circumcision). I have personal experience [...]
Live-In Domestic Servants in the Caribbean
Hiring live-in domestic help in the Caribbean is very different than in, say, Mexico or even Panama. Hiring a maid, gardener, or a handyman in the English or Dutch-speaking Caribbean countries is usually more expensive and time-consuming than in the Spanish-speaking Central or South American countries. While labor is often cheap and salaries low in [...]
What Happens to Your Pension or Retirement Plan if You Expatriate?
Expatriation—giving up U.S. residence and nationality, including your U.S. passport—is an admittedly radical step. But it’s the only way that a U.S. citizen or long-term resident can permanently disconnect from future tax obligations. (For background on this and other reasons why you might want to expatriate, click here.) One common concern of prospective expatriates is [...]
Escape Amerika without Leaving Home
The only way for a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to sever all ties with the United States is to expatriate. That is, you give up your citizenship and passport, or, in the case of a permanent resident, your green card, and live as a foreigner outside the United States. The “official” number of people [...]
Want to be a Responsible Employer? Just Follow These “Simple” Rules…
Is housework becoming a burden? Then you might be considering hiring a housekeeper to help around the home. But before you do, you’ll want to understand your legal obligations when it comes to tax and immigration laws. First, you need to contact the IRS and obtain an employer identification number (EIN). To do this, download [...]