I come from a European country with a very aggressive tax administration, but I haven't lived there for many years and don't plan to return in the medium term. My setup at the moment is good enough, but I'm planning to start a business that would establish a PE in the country where I'm living. Also, I like the place, but I don't see myself living here long-term.
I've been playing with the idea of faking my tax residency in a country where I would get a reasonable tax rate, good access to banking, a tax resident certificate and living under the radar in a third country where they won't investigate what I make elsewhere if I live as a tourist or under the radar while I run my business (e.g., Mexico or the Philippines).
Would it be feasible to buy a house in, let's say, Cyprus, Panama, or Monaco, and get out of the country with my sailboat or without stamping my passport at the border and:
- Lease the house for cash without registering the lease for cheaper or let a friend live there and keep all utilities under my name.
I could ask a friend to make some purchases with my debit card each month or withdraw money from an ATM and wire it to me through a third party.
- Give a power of attorney to a lawyer in case something needs to get done in my absence.
- Go back by boat or without stamping passport in case I need to get back to said country for whatever reason (I know Latin America pretty well, and crossing the border through unofficial crossings is pretty easy).
I know this is a very difficult thing to pull off if you want to fake your residency to actually live in a European or first world country, but do you think it could work if you want to live in a less developed one?
What things am I not contemplating?
Thanks a lot.
I've been playing with the idea of faking my tax residency in a country where I would get a reasonable tax rate, good access to banking, a tax resident certificate and living under the radar in a third country where they won't investigate what I make elsewhere if I live as a tourist or under the radar while I run my business (e.g., Mexico or the Philippines).
Would it be feasible to buy a house in, let's say, Cyprus, Panama, or Monaco, and get out of the country with my sailboat or without stamping my passport at the border and:
- Lease the house for cash without registering the lease for cheaper or let a friend live there and keep all utilities under my name.
I could ask a friend to make some purchases with my debit card each month or withdraw money from an ATM and wire it to me through a third party.
- Give a power of attorney to a lawyer in case something needs to get done in my absence.
- Go back by boat or without stamping passport in case I need to get back to said country for whatever reason (I know Latin America pretty well, and crossing the border through unofficial crossings is pretty easy).
I know this is a very difficult thing to pull off if you want to fake your residency to actually live in a European or first world country, but do you think it could work if you want to live in a less developed one?
What things am I not contemplating?
Thanks a lot.