Tax Evasion
Got my passport back today. It's official. Am on husband or father's visa again. Husband/father's residence is really the most advantageous state for an expat woman in UAE. The alternative is to be sponsored by my employer but that sucks because it means I'll need a release & might have to leave the country & come back etc.. if I ever wish to change my job.
More to the point however if am on an employer's visa then I'll have to pay obscene amounts of money in taxes & fines & backfines to the various governments whose passports I happen to hold. If am on my father or my husband's visa they assume am unemployed.
Tax evasion is kind of unethical & not very patriotic but then have never been much of a patriot. Haven't thought much about this before because this is the way it is with most women here. Actually only realized all these complications when I wanted to transfer my visa from my father to my employer before my parents leave. Then everyone told me you need a husband. Which makes my 'technical' marriage itself an act of tax evasion doesn't it?
Funny way to look at it.
posted by LouLou @ 1:00 AM
11 Comments:
This is really bad system I hate it!
Aah, so this is why you're getting married then :)
Yes Mo I only want him for his visa :)
i hear you loulou, i live in the same country as you.
but being a girl is always an advantage, you dont have to leave the country if you want to change jobs, you can pay a fine of 500dhms i think, and stay.
but i guess you got yourself sorted out :)
btw- i like your blog and really enjoy reading it, i relate to many aspects of your life, and congrats on your marriage :)
That's what I thought bardu ya Loulou, you don't seem to love him enough! Where is the heat ;) And I'm guessing you can't sleep at night because your conscious hurts, and worried about the tax authority finding you! :)
You're cool.
twosret,
Am actually pretty tired of this country for a lot of reasons. Can't wait to leave.
charismatic soul,
Thanks for the tip about changing jobs. A friend of mine changed jobs recently & had to go to Bahrain & come back. Guess that was because he was a guy:)
Can still see a lot of job ads asking for people on husband/father's visa which basically means women.
Thanks for dropping by.
Mo,
Ok I guess you're not scandalized by tax evasion:)
Not an anarchist, but some say that governments are the largest instituttionalized organized mafia, & Taxes support that. Could be specially has weights when government s do not give enough to it's citzens in terms of services.
Sharief,
I think I am a bit of an existential anarchist to tell you the truth. Don't like paying money to governments I had no hand in choosing & who are going to spend my money in ways I have no say in & cannot hold anyone accountable for.
I have relatives who need help back home. Would much rather give them the money or give it to a charity I trust. Always felt more comfortable donating money to Medecin sans frontiers than to any government.
Also never having lived there what service have they ever provided for me?During my short visits there am like a tourist & it's not like I get anything for free.
If I had moved to Morroco as was planned I would have been paying income tax which would have been natural as I would have been living & working there. But to pay income tax to 2 or 3 other governments when am working in UAE & already paying all sorts of charges here?
I here you , loud & clear.
I know you do the right thing ;)
Enjoy...
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