Ops-Normal.org

As we have at least four of us here dependent on Residence Permits (anyone else?) I thought I'd post this bit of info that was new to me. You do not necessarily need to pay income tax in your country of residence. Certainly the Spanish definition of tax dodging seem to be when you live there and are not paying tax anywhere. If you can provide proof you are, for example paying IT in your country of nationality, that is accepted. Brexit has not affected this. The financial agreement of 2015 which permits you to sell up in Spain but declare the tax in the UK (or in any country which has an exchange of financial information) is also relevant.

If the bureaucracy has been doing its job, there's often a clause allowing you to offset one against the other anyway. I know that if I'm in the position of being liable for both UK and US income tax then I can present evidence of having paid one to reduce/eliminate the other. The Spanish one looks better, in that you can pick whichever is the lowest and use that.

When I shifted my residence to the UK it was because I thought HMRC would be more efficient.

I have learned my lesson. Utterly useless.

They're probably quite efficient at extracting money. Any other service, including refunds, is going to be suspect.

Fined. Error admitted. Cancelled. "Fines will be repaid." Six months later, still waiting.

At some point they pay interest on the outstanding balance. We got fined several times for failure to submit a tax return, never paid up, just sent them a letter pointing out we left the country and they'd respond by cancelling the fine. One time I even offered to file a zero return. By the paper method of course, but back then (and possibly still now) it wouldn't let me submit one on-line living outside the UK. Eventually they managed to update their records to stop the computer asking for a return. Although, we no longer get mail forwarded from the UK so quite possibly it's still doing so but we don't know about it.

Indeed llondel, paper returns are still a requirement for those deemed or wishing to be deemed non-resident. As compensation for the expense and delay, the filing deadline is brought forward.

Any residual income arising in the U.K. triggers the requirement for a tax return - unfortunately though most sources can be re-arranged, some e.g. pensions cannot.

As an additional convenience, when running late you cannot catch up time by using a courier service - the published address is simply a postcode, not acceptable to the likes of DHL.

Department of irritation today. They open at 07.30. They wouldn't let us in until 07.45 as they were 'sanitising'. Went straight to a very rude and aggressive guy on the desk who told us to wait at another window and then proceeded to do nothing. We were told 6 months ago that we only needed to apply for permanent residency 3 months in advance. When checking after 3 months they said that we should have applied with 6 months to go. They very reluctantly gave us a three month waiver or until a decision is made. The three months is up next week. Today they said don't come to the office we will phone you when it comes through or is rejected, Fine with us. Five years ago they phoned us to collect our permits which we had done a year before.

Saw our Chief yesterday. He was with them for a meeting this week. He said huge backlogs. The Maun office is so racist that they are rejecting most reflectives. They then appeal which goes to Gabs which also has a huge backlog which makes it even worse. Our permanent residency goes through Gabs. Heard of two S.A. couples in the last week from here who have been rejected and just left. Our Chief who is on the House of Chiefs has the right to call the Minister of Immigration to his office. He is our secret weapon. The office here is aware of this and treating us carefully.

We told the Chief that if they wanted us out they would have to bodily carry us.