You have taken the plunge and moved abroad. You’ve packed your bags, taken your family and moved to your new home country with all your belongings. As a self-employed management consultant and executive coach, you would also like to offer your services in the new country. The tax aspects in a foreign country are notoriously complex, so you have decided to place these matters in the hands of an experienced relocation agency. All the necessary documents have been submitted, and the agency has confirmed that they have been forwarded to the relevant authorities.
Your first training session in your new home is going well. The rented conference room is well attended. A successful start. But suddenly your event is brought to an abrupt end by the tax authorities accompanied by the police. All the equipment belonging to you is confiscated, and the charge is: illegal exercise of an economic activity, tax evasion, violation of commercial regulations. Not only is there a seizure on site, but your accounts are also frozen. Months pass and high legal fees are incurred until you get everything released again.
The agency claims to have submitted all documents on time. The authorities, on the other hand, claim not to have received them.
Do not rely solely on agencies or law firms. Go directly to the authorities, get confirmation that your documents are complete, and only then start working in the new country.
