Few residency questions

Jason.Ward · Post by **Jason.Ward** » Wed Dec 24, 2003 6:34 am

Hello Everyone,

I'm planning on moving to Tampere, if possible, near next October. I'd like to know what are the requirements for getting a proper permit. Let me explain my situation and maybe someone can tell me my chances of receiving a residency permit:

I run a swimming pool business in North Caroliana, USA. My business partner is going to handle the pool building and I am going to run the web site and handle most logistical duties. So, I will not be studying or working in Finland. I'm not of Finnish decent or a refugee. I not married to a Finnish girl, well, at least not yet.

I am, however, financially secure so I am not going to leech Finnish social services. Can I send bank statements in with a visa application? My Finnish is decent and I can fuction in society quite well. I just want to live in Finalnd most of the year (8 mo.), pay my taxes, be a good citizen and relish in the beauty of the only place I've ever wanted to call "home".

Thanks for any help,

Jason Ward
Matthews, NC, USA

**Sponsor:**

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Wed Dec 24, 2003 8:03 am

Why Tampere specifically? Although you're not married to a Finn, are you dating one?

eashton · Post by **eashton** » Wed Dec 24, 2003 11:23 am

If you have no ties to Finland and just want to move here I suspect your chances of obtaining a residence permit here are very slim. You'll need to apply via the Consulate in NYC. http://www.uvi.fi/englanti/oleskelu.html has more information as well.

Caroline · Post by **Caroline** » Wed Dec 24, 2003 7:07 pm

Jason.Ward wrote:Hello Everyone,

I'm planning on moving to Tampere, if possible, near next October. I'd like to know what are the requirements for getting a proper permit. Let me explain my situation and maybe someone can tell me my chances of receiving a residency permit:

I run a swimming pool business in North Caroliana, USA. My business partner is going to handle the pool building and I am going to run the web site and handle most logistical duties. So, I will not be studying or working in Finland. I'm not of Finnish decent or a refugee. I not married to a Finnish girl, well, at least not yet.

I am, however, financially secure so I am not going to leech Finnish social services. Can I send bank statements in with a visa application? My Finnish is decent and I can fuction in society quite well. I just want to live in Finalnd most of the year (8 mo.), pay my taxes, be a good citizen and relish in the beauty of the only place I've ever wanted to call "home".

Thanks for any help,

Jason Ward
Matthews, NC, USA

Believe me, if you do come to live in Finland, you will no longer want to pay taxes anywhere. We live in Oulu, and when you mention the words "beautiful country"...well, North Carolina sounds beautiful to us right now (and I'm from Massachusetts)

nehia_qom · Post by **nehia_qom** » Wed Dec 24, 2003 8:55 pm

I think that you shouldn't have troubles with it. I got one without job or school. If you have a finnish lady I would suggest filling out the family (something-something) form. It's better to have too much paperwork into them than not enough.

Jessica

Miss Jones · Post by **Miss Jones** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 2:52 pm

I had no problems at all and got my permit within a couple of weeks. I'm in a similar position (self-employed, income from abroad), however I'm British and coming from another EU country does make things a lot easier.

Please be aware that you will be taxed to within an inch of your life though! If you haven't already done so, see if you can continue to pay US taxes seeing as your business is located there and I assume your income originates from there. You might be lucky!
I was warned over and over about the taxes being higher here, but it's only when you lose half of your earnings every month and start to feel not so well-off that you realise the warnings were right!
If you need an accountant, let me know, as I know a very good (and honest!) one in Tampere.

Hope you enjoy Tampere - home of Ilves and Plevna

Tom and Jerry · Post by **Tom and Jerry** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 3:11 pm

Jason.Ward wrote:Hello Everyone,

I'm planning on moving to Tampere, if possible, near next October. ... Can I send bank statements in with a visa application? My Finnish is decent and I can fuction in society quite well. I just want to live in Finalnd most of the year (8 mo.), pay my taxes, be a good citizen and relish in the beauty of the only place I've ever wanted to call "home".

Thanks for any help,

Jason Ward
Matthews, NC, USA

Hi, nice idea to live in Finland. Yes, it's all possible if you can support yourself, but for this line

"pay my taxes" ?????

With a swimming pool somewhere else, really, the tax office here is able to calculate a larger tax than you earn in ten years.

However, a good bookkeeper over there should be able to decrease your income to normal Finnish size and then the taxes are bearable.

Mikie · Post by **Mikie** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 8:08 pm

Sorry to be dragging such an old post up from the archives, but as I might be having a very similar situation, I thought it to be relevant.

Pay taxes? If I'm a US citizen, a resident of Finland and do not make any money in Finland, I pay no taxes on it correct? I've spoken with my accountant here in the states, and any money I make in Finland, is not for the US govt to tax. So without talking to a Finnish accountant (yet), I was assuming it was the same the other direction. I am keeping my US based business, and plan on running it from abroad, along with other freelancing projects. Is this income taxable? What if I were to keep it in a US based bank account? I would not like to be paying taxes twice on the same income, as I would be paying taxes on the money I make freelancing and with my business in the states.

tjawatts · Post by **tjawatts** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 8:58 pm

The basic answer is you pay personal income taxes where you are resident. If you become a Finnish resident you should pay Finnish tax on all your income. There are tax treaties between the US and Finland to avoid you paying double taxes.

If you have a company in the US it might be different. Although I assume you would pay US corporate taxes and then Finnish taxes on any salary or dividends you draw.

Obviously you can keep your US business and not report it to the Finnish tax man, but that is probably not advisable as it is likely to cost you more.

BTW if you earn over 60k or 70k USD abroad then you have to start paying US taxes IIRC.

Hope it helps

T

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 1:47 pm

Mikie wrote:Pay taxes? If I'm a US citizen, a resident of Finland and do not make any money in Finland, I pay no taxes on it correct? .

Sorry peaches. You can be from the moon all the tax office cares. If you are a Finnish resident and thus tax liable for worldwide income. As in the USA you don't really "pay taxes" as it is understood, the measly amount you paid there may be deducted (with appropriate paperwork) rom the taxes you pay in Finland. Visit http://www.vero.fi => they have it worked out for you allright.

For a reality check - instead of "no taxes" you are more likely to be facing "no ass left after you paid it off" -situation at its worst. Reality may be half-assed only.

PeterF · Post by **PeterF** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 2:03 pm

Non Niin...
Here is the English link..
http://www.vero.fi/default.asp?language ... RO_ENGLISH
1: If..You be resident in Finland.
2: Then..You pay tax on any income..i.e. Money coming to you from anywhere in the world into Finland.

e.g. A person who is getting a pension from the UK state fund.
In the UK the state pension is tax free.
But in Finland nothing is tax free so when that income/pension is transferred to Finland...One pays tax on it..

superiorinferior · Post by **superiorinferior** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 2:07 pm

And, incidentally, if you're thinking about branching out your business someday, the swimming pool industry is -- how shall I say it -- not precisely a burgeoning market here in Finland.

No Finnish girlfriend?
No Finnish heritage?
No Finnish business ties?

Considering Finland as a potential tax shelter?

Hmmm.... wum?

khu · Post by **khu** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 2:53 pm

The code is written that you pay money on money that comes 'into' finland? Hmm. What if the money goes to a US account and stays there and there's no Finnish bank account?

Does this simply mean they can't catch me?

Mikie · Post by **Mikie** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 11:15 pm

khu wrote:The code is written that you pay money on money that comes 'into' finland? Hmm. What if the money goes to a US account and stays there and there's no Finnish bank account?

Does this simply mean they can't catch me?

Thank you for re-wording my original question to make it a bit easier to grasp.

tjawatts · Post by **tjawatts** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 11:36 am

I wouldnt advocate trying to evade taxes, if you get caught you will end up paying a hell of a lot more than they wanted in the first place. Assuming the business is above board in the US, then Finland is likely to find out about it. Because as well as the tax treaties making sure you dont get taxed twice they also agree on information sharing to make sure do pay taxes.

BTW if you are not resident in the US you would not be paying US income tax even on income earned in the US, unless you exceed the limit (USD 60K)

T

Finland Forum

Find information about moving to, living in and life in Finland