SARS Tightens the Screws on Non-Resident Tax Status Applications: Compliance Now a Key Requirement Outstanding tax liabilities, administrative penalties, unfiled tax returns or unresolved verification and audit matters with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) could put a spanner in the works for South Africans living and working abroad who are seeking recognition as non-residents […]
A New Era of Tax Residency: Why the Old Approach No Longer Works South Africans planning to relocate abroad or formalise their non-resident taxpayer status are operating in a significantly changed regulatory environment. Over the past few years, the process of ceasing tax residency has shifted from a largely bank-driven exercise to a compliance-focused under
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“Family and Friends” Handling SARS Compliance Ranks #1 as Tax Non-Compliance Indicator Analysis of taxpayer data reveals an interesting relationship between tax compliance — or, more often than not, non-compliance — and the involvement of family members. READ MORE CONTACT US Delano AbdollLegal Manager: Cross-Border Taxation Mbalenhle MahlabaTeam Lead: Expatriate Tax Featured in This is
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Are You Still a South African Tax Resident? The Key Question for Expatriates This 2026 Filing Season For many South Africans living and working abroad, the same question arises every filing season: are you still a South African tax resident? This status is not determined simply by where you live or work. Nor does obtaining
Marriage May No Longer Be Enough: Treasury Draws a Residency Line Through the Spousal Donations Tax Exemption The 2026 Draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill makes the recipient spouse’s tax residence the decisive question — and proposes to do so from 25 February 2026. READ MORE CONTACT US Delano AbdollLegal Manager: Cross-Border Taxation Mbalenhle MahlabaTeam Lead:
South Africans Abroad: Why a SARS Health Check Should be Your First Step This Filing Season Your SARS eFiling profile tells a story — but many South Africans living abroad do not know what that story says or whether it contains unexpected surprises. With the 2026 Tax Filing Season now underway, expatriates cannot afford to
Some Tax Practitioners Deliberately Confuse South Africans About Emigration; but SARS Makes Compliance Easy South Africans who work or reside abroad are increasingly encountering confusing terminology and mixed signals on their obligations with the South African Revenue Service (SARS). This is not a SARS-created problem. There is an influx of opportunistic advisors claiming expertise in
Overseas but Not Off the Hook: SARS Filing Rules Explained With the 2026 tax filing season underway, South African expatriates should take note that they may still be required to submit annual tax returns to the South African Revenue Service (SARS), even after years of living and working abroad. READ MORE CONTACT US John-Paul FraserTeam Lead: Cross-Border Taxation
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Why Expatriates’ First Tax Residence Certificate May Not Protect Their Earliest Period of Foreign Employment Many South Africans working abroad who rely on a Tax Residence Certificate (“TRC”) to support a Double Tax Agreement (“DTA”) non-residency position are discovering that the certificate does not always cover the earliest period of foreign employment for which tax
SARS Reveals the 17 Questions It Is Asking South Africans Claiming Non-Residency Where does your spouse live? Where are your personal belongings? Have you applied for permanent residence or citizenship abroad? These are just some of the 17 probing questions the South African Revenue Service (“SARS”) is now asking South Africans living and working abroad
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