By Via the Marmot’s Hole comes this news that the US government is noticeably hard up for money when they start taxing even people wanting to renounce their citizenship:
With no announcement and little warning, the US State Department will, effective July 13, charge US citizens a whopping $450 “processing fee” to renounce citizenship. This change was hidden in the new consular fees issued the other week, which basically slightly raised visa processing and passport fees, and substantially raised processing services related to judicial matters. [Coming Anarchy]
I wonder if the State Department will send a $450 bill to Adam Gadahn?
As far as the other processing fees there are a number of them that some of you may have noticed that Joe has already posted over in the ROK Drop Forums. As you can see some of these fee increases especially for new passport pages are quite significant.
10:55 pm on July 6th, 2010 1
Damn, and I thought passport fees were high in Canada.
http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/section6.aspx
11:02 pm on July 6th, 2010 2
I got a new passport and card earlier this year when I heard the fees were going to go up. The new passport sucks; it has fewer pages, and they're all dolled up with patriotic images of the bald eagle, Mount Rushmore, and the like. I didn't need to pay for fancy pictures that will get covered up with stamps and visas anyway. Use the money saved from not printing color pictures to add more pages next time, thanks. I wonder which campaign contributor got the contract to make these frilly new passports.
11:02 pm on July 6th, 2010 3
I don't know all that is involved in renouncing your citizenship, but I imagine it would have to go through several other agencies besides the State Department. A few that come to mind are Homeland Security, the IRS, Social Security and maybe federal and state level voter registration offices. It would probably also require a check to see how your status affects your dependents' status.
11:24 pm on July 6th, 2010 4
Americans need to be taxed even more heavily so that they can pay for the bankruptcy of America. I
10:15 am on July 7th, 2010 5
Now Tom. We tax prostitutes quite heavily. Your family has already pulled its fair share.
1:38 pm on July 7th, 2010 6
This headline is misleading. GI Korea does not seem to understand the difference between a fee and a tax.
2:14 pm on July 7th, 2010 7
I am starting to worry how much I will be taxed because I have been determined to be ordinary resident of Korea by CCK.
2:25 pm on July 7th, 2010 8
#7 How's your buddy, Scott Bonner, doing?
From his myspace page: SCOTT BONNER "Living like the rock star that I am in Italy. life is good"
http://www.myspace.com/422832037
or this one
http://www.myspace.com/498025903
8:13 pm on July 7th, 2010 9
Not sure if you were aware, but the ad that came up on my feed was an ad promoting Australian visas…
Getting passport pages in your passport? Call it a 'fee', which disguises its purpose as a revenue generator. Isn't what taxes do as well? Call it what you will – I went down on Tuesday to get more pages. For free.
10:23 pm on July 7th, 2010 10
#9
The ACS manager says the fees are set to cover the actual costs of the services
3:16 am on July 8th, 2010 11
Those US Citizens who want to renounce their US Citizenship should do so as soon as possible. In contrast with the aforementioned story, it does not cost any money!
"B. ELEMENTS OF RENUNCIATION
A person wishing to renounce his or her U.S. citizenship must voluntarily and with intent to relinquish U.S. citizenship:
1.appear in person before a U.S. consular or diplomatic officer,
2.in a foreign country (normally at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate); and
3.sign an oath of renunciation
8:33 am on July 8th, 2010 12
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by GIKorea, USAPatriot1966. USAPatriot1966 said: THINK YOUR FREE? THINK AGAIN! Even Renouncing Your Citizenship Is Taxed In the US http://bit.ly/bCxOdq #tcot #tlot #p2 #tpp via @GIKorea [...]
6:44 am on July 10th, 2010 13
I have plans to expatriate to Mexico in about 4 to 5 years and this is not good news at all. Even after actually arriving in Mex I'll have to wait for at least 5 years before I could even think of applying for Mexican Citizenship, so the unjust and unconstitutional "Renunciation Tax" could easily be more than the $450.00 that it will be starting on Tuesday.
Someone hopefully will launch a Lawsuit over the constitutionality (or lack thereof) of this!