FATCA/Bank Manager

He came down the stairs at the Eau Vives branch of my Geneva bank. He was 30 something, wearing the bank uniform of a black suit, white shirt and red tie. A well-trimmed beard and short-curly hair set off twinkly eyes as he shook my hand.

He was cute.

We'd talked by email on the phone yesterday. Once again I was required to come in and prove my non-American status. I'd done this twice before as well as leaving my Certificate of Loss of Nationality twice, which proves that the US government recognizes I am no longer American. I paid $450 for my freedom, although if were I to do it today, it would cost $2,350.

As a result, I should be able to lead a normal financial life, although periodically I am threatened with loss of services such as life insurance it I were still American thanks to US bullying and FATCA.

I had shared with him how angry I was, not at him, not at the bank, but having had to choose between my birth country and having a normal financial life.

He emitted all the normal sympathetic sounds of good customer service training.

I asked why, once a person had provided the certificate, wasn't there a mechanism to have their IT system switch them to a different listing where the bank wouldn't be threatened by the US.

He pointed out that they also require all Green Card Holders and anyone of any nationality who has spent the last six months in the US, sign a form saying they are tax compliant. How they know someone was in the US for six months I don't know. The same with green card info.

The US (except for Eritrea) is the only country that has citizen based taxation. When an American becomes an expat they pay taxes in their new country but are also required to pay taxes to the US.

The US through its threats has made all financial institutions throughout the world report US citizens just in case they might be not paying, money laundering, drug dealers or slave traders. Those refusing, would be subject to huge fines and loss of access to international banking systems. As a result, these institutions have spent billions, identifying American persons and shedding them as clients. Those they keep or those, like myself, who are no longer American, are allowed to continue to do business with them when they jump through hoops.

Being angry, does no good. I try and control it. I just want the handicap of having been born American to be over.