I'd rather someone borderline paranoid advising me about these issues than someone a bit too lax, that's for sure. However, I doubt the authorities would worry about it unless your income was well into the 6 figures during your stay. Good discussion.
Probably best if we clarified this hypothetical scenario a bit, and defined said "obligation". Since you used past tense, we'll assume this request is made upon leaving a country. While I'm not a lawyer, if such a request was made, I presume a failure to fulfill such a request would at worst potentially bar one from re-entering the country in the future. I'm highly doubtful if 'failure to furnish financial information to an immigration officer' is considered a criminal offense anywhere in the world... (happy to be proved otherwise of course) From my experience, the only time one would be questioned on such matters is on the way into a country, not the way out (I can't remember the last time an outbound immigration officer anywhere ever spoke a single word to me.. which explains why they're being slowly replaced by e-gates). Generally speaking, on the way in, you need convincing proof of the tourist nature of your trip, and in some cases that can readily include bank statements (simply to show your ability to sustain yourself during the proposed stay; not your entire financial/trading history..). Now if you're hitting anywhere near 160 days in any one country, well you better have a very convincing explanation... Worst case scenario, they don't believe you, you don't get admitted, and you fly somewhere else. While I'm sure this happens often, the only example I've personally heard of this happening to was a married couple trying to get into the US. The husband was American/wife was British. US customs felt they over-packed, thus weren't convinced the wife intended to return to Britain (not that I'd ever want to go back to Britain either!). So as a general tip - don't over-pack! Lastly, funny you mention Australia & 160 days. I know a couple that goes there every year for roughly half the year (they own an investment property). While technically on tourist visas, they might as well be quasi-residents. Year after year, never an issue at the border.. As long as you're not overstaying your visa, not taking a job from a local, not causing a ruckus, do you honestly think any country really gives a damn beyond that? I think countries will eventually expand tourist visas to include some type of 'personal online work' exception (rather than keeping it in this disapproved-but-semi-acknowledged grey area as it is now). Especially given the large and growing digital nomad trend. They tend to be very social-heavy types, thus a crackdown on online working tourists would likely backfire quite heavily.
If some countries approved such online work exception (which would be a godsend for all traders) - it would allow many people legally not to pay taxes at all. I doubt it would sit well with tax authorities in Western countries. But I hope your forecast is right
I understood just fine. If you feel you're living in a world where your cross-border trading records can be subpoenaed anywhere on the spot, and "debt litigation is a simple process" ( ), then perhaps you should consider never leaving the house and only owning bitcoins.. you'll certainly sleep easier that way..
You're Luis #2. You're talking about fiction, I'm talking about the laws. Your case might be different if you're from Syria, Iraq or some similar nations. You haven't said that though but based on your point of view, it's possible.
Yeah, maybe trader KGB has experience in tax audit, debt litigation and international investigation - especially involving several continents. If so it's pretty easy to conclude your posts drift quickly into fantasy. Look how succesful a first world country has been last year investigating its registered residents on their world wide income (need to greet JJ here ), good luck if Canada wishes to extend their investigations to visitors... http://www.scmp.com/news/world/unit...veals-secret-tax-crackdown-foreign-money-real Again this thread is not much for US citizens, it's tougher for them, although even in mainland China, contrary to what Dw claims, US authorities can't get much if anything - it might change, and plans are discussed, but this remains to be seen how much ball will China actually play.
I must assume that you have not heard about an organization called OECD and about an agreement between 100+ countries (incl. China) called AEOI. I know... I know... it's all fiction and China has strict bank secrecy laws... we know all your information from 1997 including the strict Lebanese laws from 1915.
Yeah, why nobody told those canadian investigators about AEOI ? Too bad for them they didn't log on this thread. And debt litigation in China, yes, sure, an easy matter : http://wtop.com/sports/2015/05/us-inconsistent-in-pressing-chinas-banks-on-secrecy/ It's time for a love story now, I'll be back after the end of Pet.
You have a hard time with your calendar, that's for sure. AEOI kicks in from this year and will be fully active from next year. You're talking about the past, I'm talking about the present and the future.