Question How many of you have been asked at borders where your tax residency is?

[jafo]

Serious question: How many of us have ever been questioned about our tax residency?

I'll start: Notwithstanding my monthly travel, not once has anyone ever asked me anything about my taxes or my tax residency! Not once! I have been traveling routinely since 1989. Traveling stopped in March 2020 until July 2021. After July 2021, traveling on a monthly basis again.

I have NEVER EVER even been asked where I live. Not even once!

What about you?

 

[BalnearioCamboriu]

Serious question: How many of us have ever been questioned about our tax residency?

Is it a serious question?

Not once!

NOT ONCE have I ever... EVER! been asked what the diamer of my nostrils is.
NEVER!
ZERO! Not even once

Nor have I been asked about my nickname at school at the 3rd grade!
NEVER EVER!
NEVER!
0 !

And why would I be?

 

[jafo]

Is it a serious question?

100% serious! Reading so many websites vis-à-vis digital nomads and perpetual travelers, it has given me the impression that many people have been asked this. I hope I am reading too much into this.

NOT ONCE have I ever... EVER! been asked what the diamer of my nostrils is.
NEVER!
ZERO! Not even once

Nor have I been asked about my nickname at school at the 3rd grade!
NEVER EVER!
NEVER!
0 !

And why would I be?

That's a good one

 

[Mike Forman]

Why would they ask this when you cross a border. These are immigration agents not tax agents.

I have had the experience for an unknown reason being put aside at a border and asked hundred of questions while having to show my credit cards, login on company bank account, give my local friend number I would meet so they could verify.

I had in the past (years ago) regular border crossings to there even at times just for several hours and less then a day. I am free to travel and stay for several months in that country without a visa.

They it was made clear that I could not work or even have work related meetings there. I have a corporation in that country.

It was very unusual as this is had never happened in 15 years crossing and is a normal daily crossing border

So what any country might ask or check is if you arrive there for business or work and verify your contacts, travel plan, accounts and might even check your phone, laptop and luggage to find any proof. If you think this can only happen to an Asian or Colored person (not to be discriminative just example), this twice, a Caucasian western normal person it can happen too, even very unlikely.

Since that event I make sure my data is secured (not on laptop and phone), not that there is much to hide, but especially for privacy reasons.

 

[jafo]

I have had the experience for an unknown reason being put aside at a border and asked hundred of questions while having to show my credit cards, login on company bank account, give my local friend number I would meet so they could verify.

Europe or North America???

So what any country might ask or check is if you arrive there for business or work and verify your contacts, travel plan, accounts and might even check your phone, laptop and luggage to find any proof. If you think this can only happen to an Asian or Colored person (not to be discriminative just example), this twice, a Caucasian western normal person it can happen too, even very unlikely.

Exactly why I asked... Thanks for sharing

 

[JackAlabama]

Why would they ask this when you cross a border. These are immigration agents not tax agents.

I have had the experience for an unknown reason being put aside at a border and asked hundred of questions while having to show my credit cards, login on company bank account, give my local friend number I would meet so they could verify.

I had in the past (years ago) regular border crossings to there even at times just for several hours and less then a day. I am free to travel and stay for several months in that country without a visa.

They it was made clear that I could not work or even have work related meetings there. I have a corporation in that country.

It was very unusual as this is had never happened in 15 years crossing and is a normal daily crossing border

So what any country might ask or check is if you arrive there for business or work and verify your contacts, travel plan, accounts and might even check your phone, laptop and luggage to find any proof. If you think this can only happen to an Asian or Colored person (not to be discriminative just example), this twice, a Caucasian western normal person it can happen too, even very unlikely.

Since that event I make sure my data is secured (not on laptop and phone), not that there is much to hide, but especially for privacy reasons.

What country was this?
Singapore seems to be up for this

 

[Au999]

Funnily enough I was asked this for the first time ever on Tuesday flying into Glasgow from Dubai.

Not by immigration but by the folk in the 'anything to declare' bit.

 

[jafo]

What country was this?
Singapore seems to be up for this

Yeah, now I'm curious too. Has this happened to anyone you know crossing into Singapore?

 

[JackAlabama]

Yeah, now I'm curious too. Has this happened to anyone you know crossing into Singapore?

Yes, and Australia is also a candidate Ive personally known people having been met with extended interesting questioning.
Having a young gf from neighbouring country and going to Singapore can also invite nice chats.

 

[jafo]

Yes, and Australia is also a candidate Ive personally known people having been met with extended interesting questioning.
Having a young gf from neighbouring country and going to Singapore can also invite nice chats.

Through third-party experiences and having dated the daughter of a federal prosecutor in the US (a long-time ago), I already knew that Anglo-Saxon countries are ripe for this type of behavior.

What TOTALLY shocked & surprised me is Singapore. I would have been caught with my pants down . Although, there were Dutch travelers (or travelers arriving from the Netherlands) that were detained on arrival in Singapore for random drug (weed?) testing. Also, Canada issued a warning: Travelling to Singapore? You may be drug tested for cannabis, Travel Canada warns - National | Globalnews.ca
But to be honest, I hadn't put 2 and 2 together.

I even avoid anything with any type of seeds for at least a month before traveling to Singapore. Why Poppy Seeds Affect a Drug Test and What You Can Do About It

I rarely have a drink, but if I'm heading to certain countries, including but not limited to Singapore, and Middle Eastern countries, I'll stay totally alcohol-free for at least 1 month prior too.

Thank you for sharing. You saved me from a real headache!

Having a young gf from neighbouring country and going to Singapore can also invite nice chats.

NGL, nowadays, even in Latin American countries, if you run into an older female border agent, this is also likely to happen or they arbitrarily tell you you can only stay for 15 days even though with a European passport you can stay for 90 days without questions.

The best strategy here, for me, is to get her name and badge number and report her to her country's embassy in your country of citizenship AFTER you have returned home.

If she acted like that, chances are she is disliked by other co-workers and they may be looking for a way to fire her. At least, she'll receive a warning.

 

[JohnnyDoe]

I have been asked this question a couple of times by the GdF in an Italian airport, but I guess it’s because I look suspect
I’ve also recently spent half a day in a room at Miami airport (in transit) being asked all kinds of questions including this one.

 

[jafo]

I’ve also recently spent half a day in a room at Miami airport (in transit) being asked all kinds of questions including this one.

Holy moly! WTF???!!! Did they try to copy your HDD, or smartphone, or search your social media posts too?

 

[JohnnyDoe]

Holy moly! WTF???!!! Did they try to copy your HDD, or smartphone, or search your social media posts too?

No, it was just a conversation/interview. They didn’t tell me why they were doing that, at the end they just stamped the passport and wished me a good trip.

 

[Cloudbanck]

I have been asked this question a couple of times by the GdF in an Italian airport, but I guess it’s because I look suspect
I’ve also recently spent half a day in a room at Miami airport (in transit) being asked all kinds of questions including this one.

Once upon entering Italy, the border guard looked at my passport, looked at me, looked confused, looked at his machine, and at the end asked in a perpelexed tone, "Mister, but where do you live???" (Signore, ma lei dove abita???) I answered with one of my home bases (where Im not a tax resident), didnt get any follow up questions.

 

[JohnnyDoe]

Once upon entering Italy, the border guard looked at my passport, looked at me, looked confused, looked at his machine, and at the end asked in a perpelexed tone, "Mister, but where do you live???" (Signore, ma lei dove abita???) I answered with one of my home bases (where Im not a tax resident), didnt get any follow up questions.

Typical, they are genuinely curious
I was questioned by the fiscal police standing around, not by the border guard. But again I think they were just bored and liked to exchange a few words with a handsome guy.

 

[Mike Forman]

What country was this?
Singapore seems to be up for this

Hong Kong

Singapore could be definitely on the list. A big surprise as I crossed through Hong Kong probably over 100 times and always believed this could only happened to people that looked suspicious or came from a third world country. Was my first entry after covid saga for years.

Better if you plan to work somewhere make sure no leads can be found in documents or phone and you have a story ready. They requested to login on my Hong Kong corporate bank account and provide company names and details, as well show my credit cards and cash.

 

[JackAlabama]

Hong Kong

Singapore could be definitely on the list. A big surprise as I crossed through Hong Kong probably over 100 times and always believed this could only happened to people that looked suspicious or came from a third world country. Was my first entry after covid saga for years.

Better if you plan to work somewhere make sure no leads can be found in documents or phone and you have a story ready. They requested to login on my Hong Kong corporate bank account and provide company names and details, as well show my credit cards and cash.

Crazy. Ive never heard of any story like yours even tho I was very frequently there too. Never been back since early 2020 tho.
Well, since 2019 HK changed quite a bit it seems and your story adds to it.

Looks like they got uneasy about you having a corp there and not having the HK ID and they got your name from the company registry.
Ive been warned about this once from an accountant.

 

[jafo]

Looks like they got uneasy about you having a corp there and not having the HK ID and they got your name from the company registry.
Ive been warned about this once from an accountant.

Tell me more....I am no following 100%.

If I open a HK company and travel back and forth to Hong Kong, they get nervous because they think I am concealing business while I am operating from Hong Kong?

A big surprise as I crossed through Hong Kong probably over 100 times

Crossed? So, from China?

PS. I'm really interested as I go to Hong Kong a lot.

 

[JackAlabama]

Tell me more....I am no following 100%.

If I open a HK company and travel back and forth to Hong Kong, they get nervous because they think I am concealing business while I am operating from Hong Kong?

Exactly this was what my accountant hinted at back in the days. Note it has been almost 10y ago now, where the world was much more chill than today where everyone and everything is on the edge.
I do not know how HK has changed since end of 2019. Before it was really easy going. Maybe they want you to have ID these days.

Crossed? So, from China?

PS. I'm really interested as I go to Hong Kong a lot.

 

[bibing]

They requested to login on my Hong Kong corporate bank account

Why? What's the purpose of that.

And you crossed the hk border 100 times in just 1 year?