Expat Money News

Latest 10 news items tagged Money

20 Jul at 6 PM 2020

Consumer watchdog Which takes on airlines not paying refunds

Consumer watchdog Which is now supporting expats and tourists whose flights to Spain were cancelled due to the coronavirus. The consumers’ group is now demanding airlines which cancelled flights in the early days of the pandemic should stop prevaricating and speed up refunds to those who missed out on holidays or flights to and from Spain. According to a Which spokesperson, expats are suffering emotional distress as well as financial losses due to the carriers’ reluctance to refund those affected. In support of its accusations,...
20 Jul at 6 PM 2020

Expat retirees in Thailand still scared of more rule changes

Chaos still rules in Thailand’s immigration requirement for long-stay expats. Whilst tourists and other visitors are now covered until late September by the junta government’s latest edict, other sectors of the expat community may be left out in the cold. Having made a sensible decision based on helping trapped visitors on tourist visas, the government seems to have left out other expat sectors which continually contribute to the country’s economy. The decision to allow another amnesty, for want of a better description, was...
14 Jul at 6 PM 2020

What now for unlucky expats and visitors trapped in Thailand?

As the end of the month approaches, thousands of expats and unlucky visitors trapped in Thailand due to the pandemic are fearing being thrown out of the country once their visa amnesties end. Many of those affected will simply have nowhere to go as their countries’ borders are also closed. What threat to Thailand and its excellent handling of its pandemic do these trapped visitors and expats pose? They’re been here for months and are virus-free, yet are about to be thrown out like unwanted rubbish with many as yet having no way of...
9 Jul at 6 PM 2020

Accidental Americans take French banks to court over FATCA

An ‘Accidental American’ group at present living and working in France are now taking legal action based on the claim that FATCA is being used by French banks as an excuse to turn away USA expats’ bank account applications. The group’s complaint isn’t the first time certain worldwide banks have been accused of using FATCA as a basis for expat account refusals. The FATCA legislation includes swingeing penalties for foreign banks which refuse to comply with the new American regulations, and has caused refusals ever since FATCA...
8 Jul at 6 PM 2020

Expats in Dubai raise money for sick kids by long-distance running

Caring expats living and working in Dubai are running every day in order to collect donations to be used for financing treatments for sick children whose parents aren’t able to afford the cost. One expat who’s always enjoyed running has helped turn his passion for the sport into a way to help the less fortunate by volunteering and raising money, with his latest challenge aimed at raising money for the Al Jalila Foundation’s Farah Programme. The charity funds life-saving treatment for children afflicted with cancer, heart disease...
6 Jul at 6 PM 2020

Expat retirees in Spain warned over cold calling internet scam

British expats living in Spain are at risk from scamming cold-callers originating in Indian call centres. Yet another internet scam is targeting British expats living, retiring or working in Spain’s Costa del Sol region. The cold-calling crooks pretend they’re from Microsoft as regards fixing a non-existent computer issue. Many thousands of expatriates are receiving the calls, which either claim the recipient’s Windows programme is an illegal copy or it’s infected with a computer virus. The expat recipients, mostly elderly...
30 Jun at 6 PM 2020

Expat charity shop owners urge VAT tax relief on their sales

Expat charity shop owners in Spain are fighting to end VAT taxation. The expat owners of two charity shops on Spain’s Costa Blanca are taking on the Spanish government in an attempt to cancel the charge of 21 per cent VAT on all sales. According to David Young, the new president of the Reach Out charity in Torrevieja, the government is raping charitable concerns through its ridiculous Value Added Tax law. The Help at Home charity shop, run by Carmen Perez, is also calling for VAT relief on all sales, and both are urging all Spain’s...
26 Jun at 6 PM 2020

UAE expats on reduced salaries can survive by spending sensibly

Redundant or cash-strapped expats in the UAE can still get by if they adjust their payment habits. Whether you’re affected by redundancy or by your employer’s latest cost-saving measures including pay cuts , a few adjustments can get you through the hard times. Firstly, rental charges in the UAE are usually the major expense for expats, but an exploratory meeting with your landlord and a plea for clemency might just get you a rent reduction until you can find a new, better-paying job. If your landlord isn’t impressed, the next...
25 Jun at 6 PM 2020

Expats arriving in Cambodia are due for an unpleasant surprise

If you’re thinking of heading to Cambodia for a short break or for business reasons, this might be the time to delay your trip! According to a statement by the Cambodian government, all travellers entering the Southeast Asian country must pay a $3,000 deposit either by card or in cash. The money will be used for Covid19 service charges, and new arrivals will also require travel insurance cover of no less than $50,000. In addition, arriving passengers will be charged $5 for their transportation to a local testing centre plus a $100...
25 Jun at 6 PM 2020

British expat presents petition to help jobless starving elephants

One concerned British expat living in Thailand has petitioned the government over the plight of jobless elephants. It’s not just human workers in the Thai tourism sector who’re suffering from the lack of visitors due to the pandemic, it’s also the thousands of elephants from the now closed attractions so popular with visitors. From the northeastern provinces’ elephant camps through Chiang Mai’s many elephant-based shows, no tourists means no money and no food for the elephants and their handlers. Those concerned about...