For decisions involving large sums

Ask before you commit serious money

Hidden fees, rules that changed last month, advertising dressed up as fact. Synapse checks every claim in an answer against its primary source — a law, a registry, an official rate — and shows how far it can be trusted. Anything without a source is marked, not hidden.

I moved a fund’s investors from Sochi to Dubai, so I know what awaits anyone relocating with their family or business: new rules, hidden fees and “friendly” advice with a commission attached. For almost ten years I have followed one rule with my clients: find out, prove, then advise — and give an honest “no”. To keep it, I built an engine that looks for evidence, not opinions: every claim comes with its source and a confidence score. Ask one question free.

— Ilia Smyslov, founder of Synapse

Currently covering: families with assets in several countries · relocation and business across borders

Who it is for

For decisions where mistakes are costly

Businesses
01

Family offices

Check the facts on companies and assets across countries — lawful options only — before the question reaches the family or the board.

02

Real estate brokers

Give clients every figure with a link to the page it comes from — an edge over competitors who quote from memory.

03

Relocation and tax advisers

When new staff answer clients, every claim arrives with its source — and you catch the mistake before the client does.

Private clients

Entrepreneurs relocating with their families and businesses

A home abroad, a new country, your own company in a new place. Along the way you will run into:

  • fees nobody mentioned before you signed;
  • rules that differ from what you were told;
  • confident advertising presented as fact.

Synapse shows which of these claims are backed by a primary source — before you sign or pay. Lawful options only, backed by documents.

Any field

Evidence-based answers — in any area of life and business

Synapse is not limited to one subject. Whatever the question, it looks for evidence, not opinions — a law, a registry, official statistics, a document — and shows the primary source and a confidence score for every claim.

Evidence-based answersEvidence-based lawEvidence-based investment decisionsEvidence-based advisoryEvidence-based real estateEvidence-based relocationEvidence-based business

Synapse helps you make a decision; it does not replace a lawyer, a notary or a licensed financial adviser, and it does not give personal investment recommendations.

Why not just ask a chatbot

A chatbot sounds fluent, but is not always right

A chatbot

Answers in seconds and sounds confident. But it can also invent a fact, a figure or a legal provision — the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) lists fabricated content among the risks of generative AI.

A search engine

Gives you ten links that contradict each other, half of them out of date — and leaves the checking to you.

A local adviser

Knows their own country. But an adviser in Spain knows little about moving from Africa, and an adviser in Argentina little about taxes when moving from Asia. Where a double taxation treaty applies and where it does not is an easy question to get wrong.

Synapse

Every line of the answer has a primary source and a confidence score. Whatever has no source is marked “not checked”, not hidden. One engine, official sources from 144 jurisdictions.

Figures quoted from memory no longer settle the matter. Clients check — and trust whoever shows the source.

54% of US adults say generative AI should credit the sources it relies on (Pew Research Center, 2024). Sources: NIST Generative AI Profile · Pew Research Center.

Under the hood

An engine you can check

A link is not proof. Synapse checks that the source supports the exact claim it is cited for.

01

Clarifying questions first

Synapse pins down the exact facts of your situation before it moves on to analysis, as a good adviser does at a first meeting: questions first, then the options. The alternative — no questions and a boilerplate answer straight away — is worse.

02

Many models, not just one

Inside, there is not one chatbot but a whole system: independent models examine the question in parallel, and their conclusions pass through a series of checks — a registry of 49,153 sources, official sources for live figures, citation rules and a claim-by-claim check. No single model’s blind spot decides the outcome.

03

Primary sources

The models’ conclusions are checked against laws, registries, government portals and official rates.

04

A ledger, not an essay

Each claim is recorded with its source and a confidence score; “not checked” is shown, not hidden.

05

Live figures from open data

Exchange rates and other changing figures come from open official sources, not from a model’s memory.

06

Working links

Every claim links to its primary source. Follow the link, read the wider context and see for yourself.

144jurisdictions where Synapse knows the official government websites
49 153sources with an identified owner: 17,166 government bodies and 31,987 universities, research centres and organisations (snapshot as at 6 November 2026)
One real answer, 11 November 2026
~6minutes57sources found135claims checked31 050claim-to-source checks5 of 6parts of the question answered

Lite mode; figures from the research log.

What a research answer looks like

One claim per line, each with its own source

Source foundLower confidence — double-checkNo source
Research example · 11 Nov 2026Singapore → Dubai: a family and its business
QuestionThe owner of a small trading company in Singapore is moving to Dubai with his family. What happens to his tax residence, which visa suits him and his family, and what should he do with the company: move it or open a new one in the UAE?
In short

If you spend 183 days or more a year in the UAE, the UAE treats you as a tax resident; for Singapore, since you are a citizen, what matters is not a day count but where you normally reside. Visas for you and your family come through your own UAE company: the 5-year Green visa for investors and partners lets you sponsor your spouse and children. The Singapore company stays tax resident in Singapore while its strategic decisions are made there; if they are made from Dubai, it may become UAE tax resident, so the plan to keep the Singapore company and open a new one in the UAE rests on a local director with real authority.

Personal tax residence

The UAE treats a person as tax resident if he has been physically present in the country for 183 days or more within 12 consecutive months, or if his usual place of residence and the centre of his financial and personal interests are in the UAE.

Primary source: UAE Cabinet Decision No. 85 of 2022, art. 4.1–4.2, tax.gov.ae, checked 12.11.2026

A UAE residence permit holder needs only 90 days within 12 consecutive months if he has a permanent home, a job or a business in the UAE.

Primary source: UAE Cabinet Decision No. 85 of 2022, art. 4.3, tax.gov.ae, checked 12.11.2026

A Singapore citizen remains tax resident if he normally resides in Singapore, apart from temporary absences; IRAS applies the 183-day rule to foreigners. In your case what counts is where you normally live after the move, not only the number of days.

Primary source: IRAS, “Working out my tax residency” page, iras.gov.sg, checked 12.11.2026

Visas for you and your family

The Green visa is issued to investors and business partners in the UAE for 5 years and can be renewed. You must show proof of an investment or a stake in a UAE business and obtain the licences; the holder can sponsor a spouse and children.

Primary source: ICP, Green Residence guide, icp.gov.ae, checked 12.11.2026

The 10-year Golden visa for investors: among its conditions ICP lists company capital or a partner’s share in the UAE of at least AED 2,000,000 from the investor’s own money, not borrowed, and a company paying at least AED 250,000 in taxes a year.

Primary source: ICP, Golden Residency guide, investors section, icp.gov.ae, checked 12.11.2026

An expatriate resident can sponsor a spouse, unmarried daughters, and sons under 25. For employees’ families, the u.ae portal sets a minimum sponsor salary of AED 4,000 a month, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation.

If the sponsor is a partner in a company, GDRFA Dubai requires his share under the partnership agreement to be at least AED 48,000.

The Singapore company: management and the owner’s income

A company is tax resident in Singapore when its control and management, meaning its strategic decisions, is exercised in Singapore; usually that is where the board of directors meets.

Primary source: IRAS, “Tax residency of a company / Certificate of Residence”, iras.gov.sg, checked 12.11.2026

A director may leave office only if the company still has at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore. So the local director has to be appointed before you step down.

Primary source: ACRA, “When a director can or must leave office”, acra.gov.sg, checked 12.11.2026

If you stay on as director and become a non-resident, Singapore withholds 24% of your director’s fees.

Primary source: IRAS, types of payment and withholding tax rates, iras.gov.sg, checked 12.11.2026

Dividends paid by a Singapore resident company under the one-tier system are not taxed in the shareholder’s hands. This holds while the company itself stays resident in Singapore.

Primary source: IRAS, dividends page, iras.gov.sg, checked 12.11.2026

The UAE company: tax and place of management

A company incorporated outside the UAE but effectively managed and controlled in the UAE is a UAE resident person for corporate tax purposes.

Primary source: UAE Federal Tax Authority, tax residency guide TPGTR1, tax.gov.ae, checked 12.11.2026

UAE corporate tax: 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% on the part above that amount.

Primary source: UAE Cabinet Decision No. 116 of 2022, art. 2–3, mof.gov.ae, checked 12.11.2026

A free zone company with Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) status pays 0% on qualifying income and 9% on the rest, with no 0% band on the first AED 375,000.

Primary source: UAE Federal Tax Authority, Free Zone Persons guide CTGFZP1, section 3.3, tax.gov.ae, checked 12.11.2026
What is left to check
  • Whether the Singapore company can transfer its registration to the UAE and keep its legal identity: we found no official text on such a transfer; ACRA and the registrar of the chosen UAE zone can answer.
  • What the licence and the family visas will cost in total: there is no official total; you need the current tariff of the chosen free zone or of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism.
  • Whether your trading counts as a qualifying free zone activity and which income would be non-qualifying: a tax adviser can assess this under the UAE Federal Tax Authority rules.
  • How the Singapore–UAE double taxation treaty settles dual residence and allocates taxing rights over director’s fees: check the treaty text on the IRAS website with a tax adviser.

Sources

#SourceDomainCheckedLink
1UAE Cabinet Decision No. 85 of 2022tax.gov.ae12.11.2026tax.gov.ae/Datafolder/Files/Legislation/Corpora…
2IRAS, “Working out my tax residency” pageiras.gov.sg12.11.2026iras.gov.sg/taxes/individual-income-tax/basics-…
3ICP, Green Residence guideicp.gov.ae12.11.2026icp.gov.ae/en/services/uae-green-residency/
4ICP, Golden Residency guide, investors sectionicp.gov.ae12.11.2026icp.gov.ae/en/services/uae-golden-residency/
5UAE government portal u.ae, “Residence visa for families of employees”u.ae12.11.2026u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emira…
6GDRFA Dubai, “Entry visa for residence without work, family sponsorship” servicegdrfad.gov.ae12.11.2026gdrfad.gov.ae/en/services/d551ce7b-52e8-11ea-03…
7IRAS, “Tax residency of a company / Certificate of Residence”iras.gov.sg12.11.2026iras.gov.sg/taxes/corporate-income-tax/basics-o…
8ACRA, “When a director can or must leave office”acra.gov.sg12.11.2026acra.gov.sg/manage/companies/resignation-or-dis…
9IRAS, types of payment and withholding tax ratesiras.gov.sg12.11.2026iras.gov.sg/taxes/withholding-tax/basics-of-wit…
10IRAS, dividends pageiras.gov.sg12.11.2026iras.gov.sg/taxes/individual-income-tax/basics-…
11UAE Federal Tax Authority, tax residency guide TPGTR1tax.gov.ae12.11.2026tax.gov.ae/Datafolder/Files/Guides/VAT/VAT Guid…
12UAE Cabinet Decision No. 116 of 2022, art. 2–3mof.gov.ae12.11.2026mof.gov.ae/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cabinet-D…
13UAE Federal Tax Authority, Free Zone Persons guide CTGFZP1, section 3.3tax.gov.ae12.11.2026tax.gov.ae/Datafolder/Files/Guides/CT/Free Zone…

13 sources: we opened each one and checked it against the claim in the text.

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Research example · 11 Nov 2026Vietnam → Argentina: a stake in a company
QuestionAn entrepreneur from Vietnam is moving to Argentina and keeping a stake in a Vietnamese company. Is there a double taxation treaty between Vietnam and Argentina, and if not, how can double taxation of dividends be avoided under each country’s domestic law?
In short

There is no double taxation treaty in force between Vietnam and Argentina: Argentina lists it as negotiated but not signed. Vietnam taxes dividends from a Vietnamese company at 5%, and once residence begins Argentina taxes them on its own scale and credits the Vietnamese tax up to the Argentine tax. On a temporary residence permit, Argentine tax residence begins only after 12 months.

Is there a treaty

There is no double taxation treaty in force between Argentina and Vietnam. Argentina lists it among treaties negotiated and pending signature.

Primary source: Argentine Ministry of Economy, list of treaties negotiated and pending signature, argentina.gob.ar, checked 12.11.2026

How Vietnam taxes the dividends

A profit share a member receives from a Vietnamese limited liability company is capital investment income. For a Vietnamese resident it is taxed at 5% on each payment.

Primary source: Vietnam Government Portal, Decree 253/2026/ND-CP, arts. 9 and 52, chinhphu.vn, checked 12.11.2026

For a non-resident of Vietnam the rate is the same: 5% of the full capital investment income from Vietnamese entities. A change of residence therefore does not change the Vietnamese tax on these dividends.

Primary source: Vietnam Personal Income Tax Law, consolidated text 112/VBHN-VPQH, art. 22, chinhphu.vn, checked 12.11.2026

A person who keeps a permanent place of residence in Vietnam stays a Vietnamese resident even with fewer than 183 days there, unless they prove residence in another country with a certificate of residence.

Primary source: Government of Vietnam e-newspaper, text of art. 4 of Decree 253/2026/ND-CP, baochinhphu.vn, checked 12.11.2026

When Argentine tax residence begins

A foreign national on a temporary residence permit becomes an Argentine tax resident only after 12 months in the country; with a permanent permit, on obtaining it.

Primary source: ARCA, income tax: who is a resident, arca.gob.ar, checked 12.11.2026

Absences of up to 90 days in total, consecutive or not, within each 12-month period do not interrupt that period.

Primary source: Decree 862/2019 (Income Tax Law regulations), art. 281, argentina.gob.ar, checked 12.11.2026

Resident status takes effect from the first day of the month after the month in which the 12 months end or the permanent permit is obtained.

Primary source: Income Tax Law (text of Decree 824/2019), art. 116, argentina.gob.ar, checked 12.11.2026

For countries without a treaty, ARCA issues an Argentine tax residence certificate, but only for periods in which the person was already an Argentine resident. This certificate is the proof of residence for Vietnam.

Primary source: ARCA, General Resolution 5572/2024, arts. 2 and 3, argentina.gob.ar, checked 12.11.2026

How Argentina taxes the dividends and credits the Vietnamese tax

An Argentine resident is taxed on income from Argentina and abroad; a non-resident only on Argentine-source income. Before residence begins, the Vietnamese dividends are therefore not taxed in Argentina.

Primary source: ARCA, income tax: basic concepts, arca.gob.ar, checked 12.11.2026

Dividends from a foreign company are foreign-source income taxed in full. The tax is computed using the general progressive scale in art. 94: marginal rates from 5% to 35%.

Primary source: Income Tax Law (text of Decree 824/2019), arts. 137, 138, 164 and 94, argentina.gob.ar, checked 12.11.2026

The Vietnamese tax actually paid is deducted from the Argentine tax on the foreign income, up to the amount of that Argentine tax. Any unused balance carries forward for the next 5 years.

Primary source: Income Tax Law (text of Decree 824/2019), arts. 165 and 175, argentina.gob.ar, checked 12.11.2026

With a direct holding of at least 25%, the corresponding share of the corporate income tax paid by the Vietnamese company itself can also be credited. This requires a document from the tax authority showing payment.

Primary source: Decree 862/2019 (Income Tax Law regulations), arts. 305 and 306, argentina.gob.ar, checked 12.11.2026

Argentine personal assets tax

Since 2019 the personal assets tax (Bienes Personales) follows tax residence, including assets abroad. The rate above the tax-free threshold is 0.50–0.75% for 2026 and 0.25% for 2027.

Primary source: Law 23,966, Title VI, arts. 17 and 25 (ARCA consolidated text), biblioteca.afip.gob.ar, checked 12.11.2026

Taxable assets include shares and other equity interests in companies domiciled abroad, which covers the stake in the Vietnamese company.

Primary source: ARCA, personal assets tax: assets covered, arca.gob.ar, checked 12.11.2026
What is left to check
  • The official list of Vietnam’s tax treaties on the websites of Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance and tax administration could not be opened; the Vietnamese side of the talks is a question for Vietnam’s tax administration (Cuc Thue).
  • No official date has been announced for signature or entry into force; watch the Argentine Ministry of Economy list.
  • ARCA has not yet published the art. 94 bracket amounts or the personal assets tax-free threshold for 2027; for an exact calculation, consult an Argentine tax accountant (contador) once they are published.
  • Which document on the 5% withholding the Vietnamese company will issue and whether ARCA accepts it for the credit, and whether Argentine controlled foreign company rules apply, are questions for tax advisers in both countries.

Sources

#SourceDomainCheckedLink
1Argentine Ministry of Economy, list of treaties negotiated and pending signatureargentina.gob.ar12.11.2026argentina.gob.ar/economia/ingresospublicos/dni/…
2Vietnam Government Portal, Decree 253/2026/ND-CP, arts. 9 and 52chinhphu.vn12.11.2026xaydungchinhsach.chinhphu.vn/thue-thu-nhap-ca-n…
3Vietnam Personal Income Tax Law, consolidated text 112/VBHN-VPQH, art. 22chinhphu.vn12.11.2026datafiles.chinhphu.vn/cpp/files/vbpq/2026/5/112…
4Government of Vietnam e-newspaper, text of art. 4 of Decree 253/2026/ND-CPbaochinhphu.vn12.11.2026baochinhphu.vn/luong-nuoc-ngoai-chuyen-ve-tai-k…
5ARCA, income tax: who is a residentarca.gob.ar12.11.2026arca.gob.ar/gananciasYBienes/ganancias/concepto…
6Decree 862/2019 (Income Tax Law regulations)argentina.gob.ar12.11.2026argentina.gob.ar/normativa/nacional/decreto-862…
7Income Tax Law (text of Decree 824/2019)argentina.gob.ar12.11.2026argentina.gob.ar/normativa/nacional/decreto-824…
8ARCA, General Resolution 5572/2024, arts. 2 and 3argentina.gob.ar12.11.2026argentina.gob.ar/normativa/nacional/resolución-…
9ARCA, income tax: basic conceptsarca.gob.ar12.11.2026arca.gob.ar/gananciasYBienes/ganancias/concepto…
10Law 23,966, Title VI, arts. 17 and 25 (ARCA consolidated text)biblioteca.afip.gob.ar12.11.2026biblioteca.afip.gob.ar/dcp/TOR_C_023966_1997_03…
11ARCA, personal assets tax: assets coveredarca.gob.ar12.11.2026arca.gob.ar/gananciasYBienes/bienes-personales/…

11 sources: we opened each one and checked it against the claim in the text.

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Research example · 11 Nov 2026Kazakhstan · UAE · Georgia: a flat and rental income
QuestionA citizen of Kazakhstan with a UAE residence visa is disposing of a flat in Almaty and earning rental income in Georgia. Where and how is this income taxed, which double taxation treaties apply, and does UAE residence entitle him to treaty benefits?
In short

Georgia taxes the rental income from the Georgian property: 5% of income from housing let for residential use with no deductions; the standard rate is 20%. Tax on disposing of the Almaty flat depends on residence in Kazakhstan, decided by 183 days or the centre of vital interests: housing bought before 2026 is exempt after a year of ownership, while a non-resident pays 15% on the gain. A UAE visa does not unlock the Georgia–UAE treaty, and Kazakhstan’s treaties with Georgia and with the UAE leave the right to tax income from housing with the country where it is located.

Tax residence in Kazakhstan

Either of two grounds makes a person a tax resident of Kazakhstan: permanent stay or a centre of vital interests. Permanent stay means at least 183 calendar days, counting days of arrival and departure, in any consecutive 12-month period ending in the tax period.

Primary source: Tax Code of Kazakhstan, art. 222(1)–(2), adilet.zan.kz, checked 12.11.2026

The centre of vital interests is in Kazakhstan when three conditions are met together: Kazakh citizenship, a residence permit or a residence card; a spouse or close relatives live in Kazakhstan, a condition that counts only if there are any; and housing in Kazakhstan, owned or held by the person, the spouse or close relatives, available at any time to live in. So a person can remain resident even after a short stay: the facts about family and housing decide it.

Primary source: Tax Code of Kazakhstan, art. 222(3), adilet.zan.kz, checked 12.11.2026

The Almaty flat

Housing in Kazakhstan bought before 1 January 2026 can be disposed of tax-free after 1 year of ownership; bought later, after 2 years.

Primary source: State Revenue Committee, Pavlodar region department, 19 Aug 2026, gov.kz, checked 12.11.2026

For a non-resident of Kazakhstan, the gain on disposing of the flat is taxed at 15% of the positive difference between the disposal value and the acquisition cost. The list of a non-resident’s exempt income (art. 681) has no exemption for the holding period of housing.

Primary source: Tax Code of Kazakhstan, art. 682(1)(5), art. 687(1), adilet.zan.kz, checked 12.11.2026

If the buyer is not a tax agent, the non-resident files a return by 1 July of the following year and pays the tax within 10 calendar days after that deadline. If the buyer is a tax agent, the person disposing of the flat gives the buyer a document showing the acquisition cost; otherwise tax is withheld on the full disposal value.

Primary source: Tax Code of Kazakhstan, arts. 695(3), 697(1), 687(8), adilet.zan.kz, checked 12.11.2026

Rental income in Georgia

Georgian income from housing let for residential use is taxed at 5% with no deductions; the standard rate is 20%.

Primary source: Tax Code of Georgia, art. 81(1)–(2), matsne.gov.ge, checked 12.11.2026

A Georgian resident is someone who has spent 183 days or more there in any continuous 12-month period, so on short visits the person stays a non-resident of Georgia. A non-resident files a return by 1 April of the following year if the tax on the income was not withheld at source.

Primary source: Tax Code of Georgia, art. 34(2), art. 153(1)(c), matsne.gov.ge, checked 12.11.2026

Which treaties apply

The Ministry of Finance of Georgia lists its double taxation treaties with Kazakhstan (since 5 July 2000) and with the UAE (since 28 April 2011) as in force.

Primary source: Ministry of Finance of Georgia, list of treaties, mof.ge, checked 12.11.2026

Under the Kazakhstan–Georgia treaty, income from a flat, house or land in Georgia, including rent, may be taxed in Georgia. If the person is a resident of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan deducts the Georgian tax from its own, up to the Kazakh tax on that income.

Primary source: Kazakhstan–Georgia treaty, art. 6(1) and (3), art. 24, adilet.zan.kz, checked 12.11.2026

The Kazakhstan–UAE treaty leaves Kazakhstan the right to tax gains from disposing of a flat, house or land located in Kazakhstan, so it does not exempt the Almaty flat.

Primary source: Kazakhstan–UAE treaty, art. 13(1), adilet.zan.kz, checked 12.11.2026

A UAE visa does not unlock the Georgia–UAE treaty: for individuals, a UAE resident under it means a UAE national.

UAE residence and treaty benefits

An individual becomes a UAE tax resident, among other grounds, by being present in the country for 183 days or more within 12 consecutive months, or for 90 days or more with a residence permit and either a permanent place of residence or employment in the UAE. Where an international agreement sets its own residence conditions, those apply for that agreement.

Primary source: UAE Cabinet Decision No. 85 of 2022, arts. 4 and 6, tax.gov.ae, checked 12.11.2026

The UAE Federal Tax Authority issues a Tax Residency Certificate for a current or past period of up to 12 months, never for a future period. A certificate for applying tax treaties is issued under Ministerial Decision No. 247 of 2023.

Primary source: UAE Federal Tax Authority, tax certificates page, tax.gov.ae, checked 12.11.2026

Kazakhstan applies a treaty exemption to a non-resident’s income from a person who is not a tax agent only if, on the date the return is filed, the person holds a residence document. Without it the tax is paid and can be reclaimed later.

Primary source: Tax Code of Kazakhstan, art. 714, adilet.zan.kz, checked 12.11.2026
What is left to check
  • Whether Kazakhstan treats a person without UAE nationality as a UAE resident for the Kazakhstan–UAE treaty, and how dual residence is resolved under art. 4(2) of that treaty: no official position of the State Revenue Committee was found. The Committee will answer a written request; a tax adviser can also help.
  • Whether a private buyer is a tax agent when buying the flat from a non-resident, that is, who withholds and pays the tax: the Code speaks of a “buyer who is a tax agent”, but no direct answer for individuals was found. The State Revenue Committee can answer this.
  • The register of residential landlords and the relief for letting to legal persons are set by the Minister of Finance of Georgia (art. 81(5)); that order was not opened, and we found no payment deadline in the Code for a non-resident’s annual tax. The Revenue Service of Georgia can answer this.
  • The requirements of UAE Ministerial Decision No. 247 of 2023 for a treaty certificate, and how Kazakhstan accepts it, were not checked; if the person is a resident of Kazakhstan, the Kazakh tax on the Georgian rent depends on other income. The FTA, the State Revenue Committee and a tax adviser can answer this.

Sources

#SourceDomainCheckedLink
1Tax Code of Kazakhstanadilet.zan.kz12.11.2026old.adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K2500000214
2State Revenue Committee, Pavlodar region department, 19 Aug 2026gov.kz12.11.2026gov.kz/org/kgd-pavlodar/press/news/details/1276…
3Tax Code of Georgiamatsne.gov.ge12.11.2026matsne.gov.ge/en/document/view/1043717?publicat…
4Ministry of Finance of Georgia, list of treatiesmof.ge12.11.2026mof.ge/en/doubleTaxation
5Kazakhstan–Georgia treaty, art. 6(1) and (3), art. 24adilet.zan.kz12.11.2026old.adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/Z980000273_
6Kazakhstan–UAE treaty, art. 13(1)adilet.zan.kz12.11.2026old.adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/Z1300000134
7Ministry of Finance of Georgia, Georgia–UAE treaty, art. 5(1)(b)(i)mof.ge12.11.2026mof.ge/files/download/United Arab Emirates.pdf/…
8UAE Cabinet Decision No. 85 of 2022, arts. 4 and 6tax.gov.ae12.11.2026tax.gov.ae/Datafolder/Files/Legislation/Corpora…
9UAE Federal Tax Authority, tax certificates pagetax.gov.ae12.11.2026tax.gov.ae/en/services/issuance.of.tax.certific…

9 sources: we opened each one and checked it against the claim in the text.

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Research example · 11 Nov 2026Thailand: importing goods
QuestionI want to import small batches of goods into Thailand. Which duties and taxes are paid on import, do I need an importer licence, and is there a value threshold for simplified clearance?
In short

Imports into Thailand bear import duty at the rate for the specific product plus 7% VAT on the CIF value plus duty; an importer pays VAT even without VAT registration. The official list of clearance documents has no general “importer licence”: the company registers with the Customs Department, and permits are needed for controlled goods, such as phone chargers under a mandatory TISI standard. Since 1 January 2026 there is in effect no duty-free threshold (1 baht), and simplified clearance of express and postal shipments covers consignments up to 40,000 baht FOB.

Import duty

Duty equals the CIF customs value (cost of goods, insurance and freight) multiplied by the duty rate for that product.

Primary source: Thai Customs Department, FAQ on duty calculation, customs.go.th, checked 12.11.2026

A preferential rate under a free trade agreement, for example for goods from China, applies only when a certificate of origin is submitted.

The customs fee for lodging a declaration is 200 baht per document, and 100 baht for a request to enter the data into the electronic system.

Primary source: Ministerial Regulation on customs fees B.E. 2560 (2017), cl. 1(3), customs.go.th, checked 12.11.2026

Import VAT and VAT registration

The 7% VAT rate, local tax included, has been extended to 30 September 2027.

Primary source: Revenue Department, press release 18/2569 on the VAT rate, rd.go.th, checked 11.11.2026

Import VAT is paid by the importer even if it is not registered for VAT; the Customs Department collects it at the time of import.

Primary source: Revenue Department, Value Added Tax page, rd.go.th, checked 12.11.2026

The import VAT base is the CIF value plus import duty, excise tax and other fees where they apply.

Primary source: Thai Revenue Code, section 79/2, rd.go.th, checked 12.11.2026

The Customs Department receipt for import VAT is deemed a tax invoice, so a registered VAT payer can treat that VAT as input tax.

Primary source: Revenue Department Order Por. 86/2542, clause 20, rd.go.th, checked 12.11.2026

VAT registration is mandatory once turnover exceeds 1.8 million baht a year; the application is due within 30 days.

Primary source: Revenue Department, VAT registration, rd.go.th, checked 12.11.2026

Importer registration and permits

To clear goods through the electronic customs system, a company must register with the Customs Department; this can be done in three ways, including in person.

Primary source: Customs Department, “Importer/exporter registration” page, customs.go.th, checked 12.11.2026

The official list of documents for duty payment names an import licence only for controlled goods, listed by the Customs Department; the list has no separate general importer licence.

Primary source: Thailand National Trade Repository, import procedures, thailandntr.com, checked 12.11.2026

Power supplies for mobile phones and tablets are on the list of products that by law must conform to standard TIS 62368 part 1-2563.

Primary source: TISI, database of products under mandatory standards, tisi.go.th, checked 12.11.2026

Threshold for simplified clearance

Since 1 January 2026, only goods with a customs value of no more than 1 baht are exempt from Thai import duty; the threshold used to be 1,500 baht.

Primary source: Customs Department, Notification No. 219/2568 (Royal Gazette, 11 Dec 2025), ratchakitcha.soc.go.th, checked 11.11.2026

Since 1 January 2026, an express shipment worth no more than 40,000 baht FOB per House Air Waybill is cleared in simplified category 3: the customs system releases it on the “green line” or sends it for inspection.

Primary source: Customs Department, Notification No. 230/2568 on express consignments, cl. 2, customs.go.th, checked 12.11.2026

An international postal item worth no more than 40,000 baht FOB is cleared on the postal notice with duty paid on the spot, including for a company; above that, a full import declaration is required.

What is left to check
  • The duty rate for each charger, case and headphone model is not given here: it is found by tariff code in the Customs Department’s Integrated Tariff Database or through a customs broker.
  • Whether Bluetooth headphones need an NBTC procedure (SDoC declaration or certification): the NBTC page could not be opened for checking; ask NBTC for the specific model.
  • How and when an importer obtains a TISI licence for chargers (before release from customs or later): the text of the standards act could not be opened; ask TISI.
  • Whether excise tax applies to specific goods, for example batteries: ask the Excise Department.

Sources

#SourceDomainCheckedLink
1Thai Customs Department, FAQ on duty calculationcustoms.go.th12.11.2026apps.customs.go.th/cont_strc_faq.php?current_id…
2Thailand National Trade Repository (Department of Trade Negotiations), import proceduresthailandntr.com12.11.2026thailandntr.com/index.php/en/goods/procedures-a…
3Ministerial Regulation on customs fees B.E. 2560 (2017), cl. 1(3)customs.go.th12.11.2026customs.go.th/data_files/c102b09a9e71a15e3058a9…
4Revenue Department, press release 18/2569 on the VAT raterd.go.th11.11.2026rd.go.th/fileadmin/user_upload/news/2569thai/ne…
5Revenue Department, Value Added Tax pagerd.go.th12.11.2026rd.go.th/english/6043.html
6Thai Revenue Code, section 79/2rd.go.th12.11.2026rd.go.th/english/37719.html
7Revenue Department Order Por. 86/2542, clause 20rd.go.th12.11.2026rd.go.th/fileadmin/user_upload/kormor/eng/RDO_8…
8Revenue Department, VAT registrationrd.go.th12.11.2026rd.go.th/7061.html
9Customs Department, “Importer/exporter registration” pagecustoms.go.th12.11.2026customs.go.th/cont_strc_simple.php?ini_menu=men…
10TISI, database of products under mandatory standardstisi.go.th12.11.2026www3.tisi.go.th/hscode/hscode_view.asp?id=126
11Customs Department, Notification No. 219/2568 (Royal Gazette, 11 Dec 2025)ratchakitcha.soc.go.th11.11.2026ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/documents/97775.pdf
12Customs Department, Notification No. 230/2568 on express consignments, cl. 2customs.go.th12.11.2026ccc.customs.go.th/data_files/f01247524fcdc33a48…
13Customs Department, postal clearance work manual, ed. 5 of 15 May 2026, sec. 6.4.6–6.4.7customs.go.th12.11.2026customs.go.th/data_files/04c79b3a0cf7504bed84dc…

13 sources: we opened each one and checked it against the claim in the text.

Swipe the table sideways

Scroll to read the whole research ↓The window scrolls inside ↕ · scroll the page by the side bands

Each claim carries its primary source and the date it was checked. A confidence percentage will appear once the automatic check against the source is live; a low percentage will be shown as is.

Why it matters

Unusual cross-border questions can take a family office months to pin down point by point. In 5–15 minutes, Synapse runs an initial analysis and returns links to primary sources you can take to your adviser.

Synapse focus areas

One engine, two focus areas

Research: inheritance, trusts and accounts across countries

Companies and family affairs across several countries — lawful options only.

  • “How can a family holding company move from Cyprus to the UAE without losing double taxation treaty benefits?”
  • “Will a UAE free-zone company count as a controlled foreign company in the country where its owners live?”
  • “What account data does the UAE exchange under the CRS, and what does that mean for a family with assets in three countries?”
Relocation and business across borders

Families and companies that move or work in several countries: visas, tax residence, setting up a company, importing goods — every claim with an official source.

  • “Where is a Nigerian family tax resident in its first year after moving to Spain?”
  • “Is there a double taxation treaty between Vietnam and Argentina?”
  • “Who acts as the importer when a UAE company supplies goods to buyers in Thailand?”

What Synapse does not do

Decision support, not a substitute for a professional

Synapse helps people and teams whose decisions have real consequences. It does not replace a lawyer or a notary.

  • It does not sign, certify or register anything.
  • It shows where each claim comes from, so a professional can check it quickly.
  • When it cannot back a claim with a source, it says so.
  • Synapse does not arrange visas, property deals or company registration.

The detail that costs money

A similar answer is not your answer

Advisers often do not check whether the information applies to your case. The answer is put together from a search engine, a legal database, a spreadsheet, last year’s seminar, a colleague’s tip or a YouTube video. On the surface it looks very much like an answer to your question. But there is a catch: it does not apply to your situation. Either nobody asked you enough questions, or nobody checked whether this particular answer fits this particular situation.

That is how you get a recommendation that looks good but is useless. And a decision based on it can cost a great deal of money — and years of your life to undo.

Find out, prove, then advise.

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About

A letter from the founder

In 2021–2022 I moved an investment fund’s investors from Sochi to Dubai. So I know what awaits anyone who relocates with their family, moves a business or starts a new one in an unfamiliar country: rules that changed last month, fees nobody mentioned before you signed, and “friendly” advice that earns someone a commission.

Everything differs: language, law, banks. One thing is the same. Newcomers are first taught to pay for what they do not know. And the first to show up are not fraudsters but consultants, brokers and lawyers. Polite, confident, with a ready-made solution. The solution almost always suits them: a referral on a big-ticket deal can pay five to thirty per cent. It is a referral market, and it works against the person asking.

The painful part: it is not beginners who get it wrong. It is people who have made the right calls for twenty years. In a new country there is too much information, too little of it checked, and experience stops protecting you. Then come the compliance checks, the tax authorities and the intermediaries who charge up front for a problem that may have no solution.

My clients and I have worked together for almost ten years under one rule: find out, prove, then advise. If I cannot find out, I say so. If the answer is “no”, I say “no”, even when it costs me the deal. I could have closed far more deals in Dubai by saying “yes” to everyone. I said “no”, and my clients are still with me.

To keep that rule I needed a system. I built it over several years, piece by piece: spreadsheets first, then legal forums, then an engine that does it for me. It does not ask the crowd. It looks for evidence: the law, the registry, the official rate. Every claim in an answer comes with its source and a score showing how far it can be trusted. Where there is no source, it says so: “not checked”. Not hidden.

I call it reliance on evidence (grounding). Now it is no longer mine alone.

Ask one question. A real one — the one with money riding on it right now. The answer comes to your inbox, free. Click to try it.

Ilia Smyslov, founder of Synapse. Dubai, UAE.

Email: ilia@fromsynapse.com