Job Discussion Forums

Ajarn Miguk · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 227 Location: TDY As Assigned

Read closely.

Some of the increases are very dramatic: Evil or Very Mad

http://travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_5079.html

eclectic · Joined: 09 Nov 2006 Posts: 1122

That is preposterous and typical of the New fascist USA. How can it pay for its illegal and asinine "wars" all over the globe ? Guess this is a new fundraiser.

struelle · Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 2372 Location: Shanghai

To add insult to injury, I've also seen visa fees increasing for US citizens, which are relatively higher than for citizens of other countries (in China for example). However, this practice seems to have tapered off as of late.

tttompatz

Captain_Fil · Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 12:33 am Post subject:

I'm glad my passport was renewed 5 years ago.

I now have 5 years to save up money for the increase in fees.

Wink

Denizen · Joined: 13 Nov 2009 Posts: 110 Location: Tohoku

Current US Passport Renewal Fees:

Adult Passport Book & Card $140 DS-82
Adult Passport Book $110 DS-82
Adult Passport Card $30 DS-82

Captain_Fil · Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 4:59 am Post subject:

We should not be surprised.

The US government needs money. And lots of it.

Mad

Qaaolchoura · Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 4:34 pm Post subject:

You know what really gets me. There are over 3 million Americans living abroad.

But unlike many citizens of European countries, who 1. don't have to pay income tax to the homeland, and 2. still get to vote, the US gets it bass-ackwards.

Unsurprisingly, then, the complaints of expats aren't nearly as important as the feelings the grumpy old people back in the States.

Which is also why we get to see infrastructure lapse while the government builds up debt. I'd better be really rich or really poor by the time the bill comes due, or I'm going to get pretty well screwed (together with the rest of of my generation).

-Q

johnslat · Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 5:13 pm Post subject:

Dear Qaaolchoura,

"But unlike many citizens of European countries, who 1. don't have to pay income tax to the homeland, and 2. still get to vote, the US gets it bass-ackwards."

This puzzles me - I'm a U.S. cirtizen and I worked overseas for over twenty years. I never had to pay any taxes and I was always able to vote
Question

Regards,
John

fladude · Joined: 02 Feb 2009 Posts: 432

You can certainly still vote. Absentee voting is pretty easy. The paying taxes bit depends. You are supposed to still pay capital gains taxes and you are must pay income tax on income over a certain amount (around 90k). So if you earned more than that or made money through capital gains (which were not reinvested in a timely manner), then you would have to pay taxes.

Qaaolchoura · Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 3:10 am Post subject:

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I have not lived in the US for nearly 15 years now, and have not paid taxes to any state in that time period.
I vote in national elections.

In this case, one votes as though one lives in the last state in which one held a legal address.

http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Americans_Abroad.shtml

Like John, I have never been required to pay any taxes to the US from abroad, as I have never made anything near the legal limit required (used to be 80,000/annum and is now up to 90,000+/-). I have always paid tax due to the country in which I worked in any given year.

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i2555ez.pdf

Captain_Fil · Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 7:41 am Post subject:

I don't have to pay US taxes?

I can't wait to live and work overseas!

Very Happy

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Taxes are higher in many countries.
You still have to file in the US (see link above).

by the way, what's the nationality of your super-hero avatar, Cap?
Superman's renounced his: http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=88949

Captain_Fil · Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 7:54 am Post subject: