[aMorePerfectUnion]

Actually, you do have a legal right to renounce. Practically, you NEVER want the reason to be about taxes. If it is, keep it to yourself.

You can legally choose to become stateless, but where’s the fun and security in that?
For this reason, you need another citizenship. Preferably, you want another Tier 1 passport. Choose wisely.

Move your assets out of the country first.
Don’t think you will hide financial accounts. It is illegal and there is no more privacy. Report each year, as required.

Look to your grandparents for the possibility of easy citizenship in the country they came from.
Dual citizenship is legal. So is having any number of citizenships. Be prepared.

There are laws about all this stuff. Be informed.

Disclosure: anything I may ever have had in this category was probably lost in a tragic boating accident.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

This link may help fellow freepers who are interested in learning about citizenships:

http://livingingreece.gr/2008/03/18/how-to-acquire-eu-citizenship-through-ancestry-or-naturalization/

It covers all EU countries and is a good starting point.

[SeekAndFind]

[edit] Individuals

The following table summarizes the taxation of local and foreign income of individuals, depending on their residence or citizenship in the country. It includes 244 entries: 194 sovereign countries, their 40 inhabited dependent territories (most of which have separate tax systems), and 10 countries with limited recognition.

	Taxes local income of			Taxes foreign income of
Country or territory							Notes and sources
	nonresident individuals	resident citizens	resident foreigners	resident citizens	resident foreigners	nonresident citizens
Bahamas	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[3]
Bahrain	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[3]
Bermuda	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[3]
British Virgin Islands	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[3]
Brunei	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[3]
Cayman Islands	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[3]
Kuwait	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[3]
Maldives	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[3]
Monaco	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[4]
Nauru	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[5]
Norfolk Island	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[6]
Oman	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[3]
Pitcairn Islands	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[7]
Qatar	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[3]
Saint Barthelemy	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[8][Note 1]
Saint Kitts and Nevis	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[11]
Somalia	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[12]
Turks and Caicos Islands	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[13]
United Arab Emirates	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[3]
Vanuatu	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[14]
Vatican City	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[15]
Wallis and Futuna	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[16]
Western Sahara	no	no	no	no	no	no	No personal income tax.[17]
Andorra	yes	no	no	no	no	no	Territorial taxation, only of nonresidents.[18]
Angola	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Anguilla	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[19]
Bhutan	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[20]
Botswana	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Costa Rica	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Democratic Republic of the Congo	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Djibouti	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[21]
French Polynesia	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[22]
Georgia	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Gibraltar	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[23]
Guatemala	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Hong Kong	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Lebanon	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Macau	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Malawi	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Malaysia	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Marshall Islands	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[24]
Micronesia	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[25]
Namibia	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Nicaragua	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Palau	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[26]
Palestine	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Panama	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Paraguay	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Saint Helena	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[27]
San Marino	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[28]
Seychelles	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Singapore	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Somaliland	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[29]
Syria	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Tokelau	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[30]
Tuvalu	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[31]
Zambia	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	Territorial taxation.[3]
Cuba	no	yes	yes	yes	no	no	Residential taxation of citizens, territorial taxation of foreigners. Does not tax nonresidents.[32][33]
Philippines	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	Residential taxation of citizens, territorial taxation of foreigners.[3]
Saudi Arabia	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	Residential taxation of citizens, territorial taxation of foreigners.[3][Note 2]
North Korea	yes	no	yes	no	yes	no	Residential taxation of foreigners, territorial taxation of nonresidents.[34] Does not tax income of resident citizens.[35]
Abkhazia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[36]
Afghanistan	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Akrotiri and Dhekelia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[37]
Albania	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Algeria	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[38]
American Samoa	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[39]
Antigua and Barbuda	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[40]
Argentina	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Armenia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Aruba	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Australia, including:[6]  Christmas Island  Cocos Islands	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Austria	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Azerbaijan	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Bangladesh	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[41]
Barbados	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Belarus	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Belgium	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Belize	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[42]
Benin	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[43]
Bolivia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Bosnia and Herzegovina	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[44]
Brazil	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Bulgaria	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Burkina Faso	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[45]
Burundi	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[46]
Cambodia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Cameroon	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Canada	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Cape Verde	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[47]
Central African Republic	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[48]
Chad	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[49]
Chile	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
China	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Colombia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Comoros	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[50]
Congo	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Cook Islands	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[51]
Côte d'Ivoire	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Croatia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Curaçao	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Cyprus	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Czech Republic	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Denmark	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Dominica	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[52]
Dominican Republic	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
East Timor	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[53]
Ecuador	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Egypt	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
El Salvador	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Equatorial Guinea	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Estonia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Ethiopia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Falkland Islands	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[54]
Faroe Islands	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[55]
Fiji	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Finland, including:[56]  Åland	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no*	Residential taxation.[3] * except former residents, temporarily
France	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no*	Residential taxation.[3] * except in Monaco
Gabon	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Gambia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[57]
Germany	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Ghana	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Greece	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Greenland	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[58]
Grenada	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[59]
Guam	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Guernsey	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Guinea-Bissau	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[60]
Guinea	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Guyana	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[61]
Haiti	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[62]
Honduras	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Hungary	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no*	Residential taxation.[3] * with another nationality or tax treaty
Iceland	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
India	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Indonesia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Iran	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[63]
Iraq	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Ireland	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Isle of Man	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Israel	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Italy	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no*	Residential taxation.[3] * except in tax havens
Jamaica	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Japan	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Jersey	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Jordan	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Kazakhstan	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Kenya	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Kiribati	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[64]
Kosovo	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[65]
Kyrgyzstan	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[66]
Laos	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Latvia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Lesotho	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Liberia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[67]
Libya	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Liechtenstein	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Lithuania	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Luxembourg	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Macedonia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Madagascar	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Mali	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[68]
Malta	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Mauritania	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Mauritius	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Mexico	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Moldova	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Mongolia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[69]
Montenegro	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Montserrat	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[70]
Morocco	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Mozambique	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Myanmar	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[71]
Nagorno-Karabakh	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[72]
Nepal	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[73]
Netherlands	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
New Caledonia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[74]
New Zealand	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Niger	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[75]
Nigeria	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Niue	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[76]
Northern Cyprus	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[77]
Northern Mariana Islands	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Norway	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Pakistan	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Papua New Guinea	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Peru	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Poland	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Portugal	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Puerto Rico	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Romania	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Russia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Rwanda	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Saint Lucia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[78]
Saint Martin	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[79][Note 3]
Saint Pierre and Miquelon	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[81]
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[82]
Samoa	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[83]
São Tomé and Príncipe	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[84]
Senegal	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Serbia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Sierra Leone	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[85]
Sint Maarten	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Slovakia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Slovenia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Solomon Islands	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[86]
South Africa	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
South Korea	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
South Ossetia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[87]
South Sudan	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[88]
Spain	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no*	Residential taxation.[3] * except in tax havens, temporarily
Sri Lanka	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Sudan	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[89]
Suriname	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[90]
Svalbard	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[91]
Swaziland	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Sweden	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Switzerland	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Taiwan	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Territorial taxation in general, but residential taxation under the alternative minimum tax.[3]
Tajikistan	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[92]
Tanzania	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Thailand	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Togo	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[93]
Tonga	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[94]
Transnistria	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[95]
Trinidad and Tobago	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Tunisia	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Turkey	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Turkmenistan	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[96]
Uganda	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Ukraine	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
United Kingdom	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
United States Virgin Islands	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Uruguay	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Uzbekistan	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Venezuela	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Vietnam	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Yemen	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[97]
Zimbabwe	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	Residential taxation.[3]
Eritrea	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	Residential and citizenship-based taxation.[98] Foreign income of nonresident citizens is taxed at a reduced flat rate.[99]
United States	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	Residential and citizenship-based taxation. Citizens are taxed in the same manner as residents.[3]

[edit] Residency

Residential systems face the daunting tasks of defining "resident" and characterizing the income of nonresidents. Such definitions vary by country and type of taxpayer, but usually involve the location of the person's main home and number of days the person is physically presence in the country. Examples include:

• The United States taxes its citizens as residents, and provides lengthy, detailed rules for individual residency of foreigners, covering:
  • Periods establishing residency (including a formulary calculation involving three years);
  • Start and end date of residency;
  • Exceptions for transitory visits, medical conditions, etc.^[100]