Help on becoming an Expat...

[Lightemup]

Ok, heres the deal.

For various reasons (Mainly tax), I've been looking into becoming an Expat, and moving to Thailand.

Now, I've been given the opportunity to do something about it within the coming month or so.
But really dont know how to go about it.

Im currently working in the middle east as a contractor and my contract is a 90 days on, 30 off.

I will have to give up my address in my homecountry in Denmark and get one in Thailand, right? One that I can register as my residence.
Now with the short time I've got to go and set this up, it seems like it will be a rush job and that seldom goes well.

But basically Im looking at renting a place for about a years time, initially.
But was wondering if it was possible to have an PO box or something, and then just rent a house every 90 days for a months time instead.

What about medical insurances and other stuff?
Other considerations that I might not know or think of ?(Knowing myself, there's proberbly a lot)

Any board members know anything about that sort of thing?

Thanks!

[S1MON]

I am not sure how denmark works but for me in the UK, i just hand in my tax return claiming that i am a non resident, i back this up with dates of when i was in the country, i am allowed 90 days per year to be tax free, i also pay around 150 pound per year as an insurance policy with an accountant so if the tax man wants to investigate me further all of the fees are paid for.

good luck and enjoy thailand when you get there.

[Baz]

To lightemup

the thai visa is a good way to find general questions and answers but if you know what part of thailand you want to live or is it phuket then about the medical question.
heres my answer that ive looked into.
BUPA health insurance address in phuket
156/15 phang-nga road
t.thailand yai a . muang
puket 83000
tol free 1-800-762872
tel 0-7635-5815-8
fax 0-7635-5814
e-mail sne@bupa.co.th
website www.bupathailand.com
i got this straight from a busness card they gave me.
looks easy to sign up for.
just fill in a couple long forms then pick which insurance package you want.
there is loads of packages to choose from but looks pretty cheap for an annual deal.
any other question just post.

baz

[LivinLOS]

Becoming an expat is as easy as just doing it !!!

Tell you tax office (or get your accountant to) that you no longer reside there.. Keep records of telling them (after I had been out of UK for years they tried to back tax and fine me but my accountant had proof we had informed them years prior.. They are crap at filing everything to your advanatage it seems)..

Get medical (your company doesnt provide)..

Get your base in a country you like..

[itstime]

Good morning
There are several ways to do this, one as you said is setting up a house and using that address but then you pay for three months you are not there. this is a bit crazy.

The other way is to set up a mail forwarding account there are several places to do this.
Sweden
Thialand
Switzerland
as well as many other places.
You end up getting a P0 Box address as well as a home address

Many people do this that do not want to have a x wife find them,
There are several places to do this online for more info send me a PM
I will show you where to go for this service. I have been a exat for
16 years and have used this service 12 years saves lots of taxs in the end.

Here is also a link for a service in thialnd I have never used them and i am not sure they will forward your mail where you want it forwarded to.
PO BOX

again send me a PM and i will show yu some other places

[itstime]

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

Becoming an expat is as easy as just doing it !!!

Tell you tax office (or get your accountant to) that you no longer reside there.. Keep records of telling them (after I had been out of UK for years they tried to back tax and fine me but my accountant had proof we had informed them years prior.. They are crap at filing everything to your advanatage it seems)..

Get medical (your company doesnt provide)..

Get your base in a country you like..

Yes the same thing happend to my self for the amount of 39,000 USd it took three years to clear up as they kept adding interest on the lone no matter what. in the end I won the case. keep all records safe have a signed copy as well from your accountant in a safe box some where or a good friend.
Good luck

[itstime]

Mail drops and confidential mail forwarding services, plus Serviced Offices ... Thailand Maildrop - Thailand Maildrop - Discreet and professional mail ... here

International Thailand - Mail & Mail Forwarding - ExpatExchange.comThailand and expats - visit expatexchange.com to meet other expats, get expert advice on living abroad Thailand, international schools Thailand, ... HERE

If you want to keep thiland out of the picture,
Mail, remail, phone, fax, email. Offshore office or personal. HERE

Good luck

[Lightemup]

Originally Posted by itstime

Here is also a link for a service in thialnd I have never used them and i am not sure they will forward your mail where you want it forwarded to.
PO BOX

again send me a PM and i will show yu some other places

PM sent

And does anyone know anything about that link provided?
www.thaipostalboxes.com
Accessed it a couple of hours ago, and now it doesnt work.....

[itstime]

looks like a server problem does not come up for me as well,

[stevem]

To get medical insurance in Thailand, the offical line is that you need a work permit. But if you have medical coverage elsewhere, wouldnt that cover you here???

[Coolhand]

Cover from BUPA in the UK does not cover you for overseas treatment or repatriation

[LivinLOS]

Depends on your UK BUPA.. They do have international policies..

My buddy took medical cover here and he has no WP.. Seems an odd clause, what about all the married non working or retired.. Another TiT..

[Izzy]

If you had left the UK without notifying the Inland Rev would having records of your living elsewhere suffice if they came looking for you? If you hadnt lived in the UK for say 5 years how would they get in touch with you if you had not notified them where you are going?
I hadnt realised that you should notify them, I assumed (wrongly) simply being elsewhere would suffice.

[Izzy]

Out of interest, here is link to the form to complete on leaving the UK Ive just been looking up.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/p85_p85s.htm

[LivinLOS]

Well With all the self assessment what they had done was estimate my self assessemnt based on previous years.. applied fines for not doing my self assessment forms.. Applied fines for not paying the amounts they estimated.. applied fines for not paying my fines.. Etc.. Then compound that by a lot of years (I think it was 5 or so since I had formally left) and it was a huge chunck..

Totally rediculous but it was lucky my accountant still had all the docs and sent stuff registered mail and filed it..

[Lightemup]

Well, my Expat life officially starts on the 27th of July and hopefully never ends.

I've gotten an Thailand PO box address for the authorities back home so they register me as being an expat, and now I just need to figure out where to stay on Phuket.

Will proberbly just stay in a hotel on my first leave, and will try to figure out a place to live proberbly and get that sorted out on my next leave or maybe even this time around if I find the right thing.

Since it's also going to be my first time in LOS, I think I've found the right place to seek guidance and advice. I will stick in by MTB and say hi if there should be anyone there from the board.

[Sirgezza]

[quote=Lightemup]Well, my Expat life officially starts on the 27th of July and hopefully never ends.

An expat and immortal - you lucky man.

Hope it works out well for you. Please keep us updated as there me several BMs with more than a passing interest in what you are doing.

Good luck

[Sirgezza]

[quote=richie007]

Originally Posted by gez

Do you have a point to make Richie007?