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Do I automatically become a tax paying SA citizen because I registered with SARS & renewed my ID Doc

Posted 31 October 2014

I was born in SA 75 years ago. 1995 I became a US citizen. 2006 I opened a NON-RESIDENT ACCT with FNB CT and bought a flat. 2013 I renewed my ID Doc to do a 12 week job in CT and registered with SARS. My NON-RESIDENT ACCT changed to RESIDENT ACCT. 2013 I retired to CT for 9 months & in 2014 for 8 months, but annual visits before then were only 6 to 8 weeks. Do I automatically become a SA citizen for tax purposes because I registered with SARS and renewed my ID Doc? Does not my history of living in the US since 1986 and being a US citizen count?

TaxTim TaxTim says:
1 November 2014 at 11:33

Where do you expect to stay permanently?

Ida says:
3 November 2014 at 8:07

As I'm 75 and have Medical Insurance only in the US plus my kids and grandkids, I will be staying in the US eventually until my death

TaxTim TaxTim says:
3 November 2014 at 23:15

If you are intending to stay int he US then no you would not immediately become a tax resident again of SA, but would only pay some tax if earned income in SA. SARS and the reserve bank have different definitions of residency.

Ida says:
5 November 2014 at 7:29

Thank you, you are so good. Do you know what the difference is re definitions of residency between SARS and The Reserve Bank.

TaxTim TaxTim says:
5 November 2014 at 19:47

Unfortunately you would need to contact the reserve bank for details on what their different residency definitions are.

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