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Value Added Tax Relief Tax Relief for Americans and Brits and other ex-patriots in Turkey? Tax Relief for Americans, Brits, and other foreign-nationals... Starting 1 January 2007? Click for enlargement! Thanks to Hürriyet Gazetesi 15 October 2006 Ex-Patriot Tax Relief Grrreeeat! new tax exemption for foreigners living in Turkey The details of the value added tax relief article that appeared in the Ekonomi Section of Hürriyet Gazetesi the other day were a bit skimpy. And one word in particular (misyon) needs to be better defined before we break out our party hats. But, if the article is anywhere near the mark...then come 1 January 2007, there's tax relief coming to Americans, Brits and all other foreign nationals living in Turkey. According to official Turkish government sources ex-patriots in Turkey are going to have a way of avoiding oppressive Turkish Value Added Tax -- which has risen to 18% in too many cases. Here's a figurative translation of Hürriyet's tax-relief news item (the article itself appears in the illustration above): [Quote] A Credit Card for foreigners living in Turkey that will be exempt from Turkish Value Added Tax (KDV -- Katma Değer Vergisi) is to be unveiled in the new year -- according to the Turkish Foreign and the Finance Ministries. Adnan Saka (President of the Aliağa Chamber of Commerce -- and spokesperson for the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey - TOBB) explained that detailed instructions concerning the new program have been sent to all Chambers of Commerce in Turkey. A foreign misyon will be permitted to open a special KDV tax-exempt Credit Card Account at any Turkish bank that signs up for the new tax-relief program. Shopping (for both goods and services) that the misyon does with the special Credit Card will be exempt from Value Added Tax. According to the Foreign Ministry and the TOBB, foreign misyon applications for the special credit cards may begin on 1 January 2007. [End Quote] The only thing that's holding our joy at this news in check is the precise Turkish meaning of the word misyon -- which is a little vague for our liking. The official Türk Dil Kurumu, Türkçe Sözlük (Dictionary) defines misyon as 'a committee formed by anyone who takes on a religious, scientific, scholarly, or diplomatic task.' Does that include ordinary mortals like you -- and us? We think it does, but we aren't 100% sure. As soon as we know absolutely, we'll pass the info on... Post your comment...»

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© Learn Turkish of the People! - Tax Relief for Americans and Brits
and other ex-patriots too...