Moving hard assets out of the Arab world?

[LADoc00]

I had some questions on customs/government regs on moving hard assets like gold bullion and/or foriegn currency in and out of the following countries:
Saudi Arabia
Dubai
UAE
Egypt
Israel
Syria

1.) Is there a limitation on the amount per trip that can be carried out of the these countries in gold or cash?
2.) Is there maximum amount that be brought out or in without government reporting?

I would like to explore the possibility of working in SA or Dubai and then transporting hard assets such as South African gold bullion by passenger plane to Switzerland. Anyone know of a good information source?

This seems to be a HUGE pain in the ass post-9/11.

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[Faebinder]

I had some questions on customs/government regs on moving hard assets like gold bullion and/or foriegn currency in and out of the following countries:
Saudi Arabia
Dubai
UAE
Egypt
Israel
Syria

1.) Is there a limitation on the amount per trip that can be carried out of the these countries in gold or cash?
2.) Is there maximum amount that be brought out or in without government reporting?

I would like to explore the possibility of working in SA or Dubai and then transporting hard assets such as South African gold bullion by passenger plane to Switzerland. Anyone know of a good information source?

This seems to be a HUGE pain in the ass post-9/11.

Hmm.. tough questions

Lemme first correct you... Dubai is the second largest city of UAE... so saying Dubai and UAE is the same thing as saying out of LA or USA.

For question #1 and #2 For all countries yes there is a limitation of cash and gold that can be carried out on a plane without the government in charge knowing. They will ask you and if they search and you didnt declare there will be trouble.

Side comments that I think are more appropriate to what you want to know...

1) Syria is insane when it comes to moving cash out of it... yet with bribes it can be done. I don't recommend it if you are not from Syria and either case you will have trouble from the country you are going into... like the US for example, cause when they search the brief case and find solid assets they will tax you.

2) UAE and Saudi Arabia are VERY easy to transport liquid assets.... there are many europian and US banks. Just open a bank account in a swiss bank and deposit directly into it. That doesn't mean the governments wont know but why would they do anything about it as long as it is not illegal? Now if you feel that you MUST collect it as solid gold bullions and move it from one country to the other in a brief case.... then you will probably pay a cut to every single country that brief case will go through... *countries are greedy when it comes to solid assessts moving in and out.... no exceptions including the US*

My advise...

Open a US bank account in a bank in SA or UAE.... make the account in liquid assets. Deposit into it and have it grow and then when you are done, go home and enjoy. Solid assets need years to grow and they need to be in large amounts for them to be profitable... I am not an expert on how much solid amount needs how many years to become profitable to have as solid.. because when you liquidate you will always lose some value. Consult a financial advisor on the amounts and time required for the amount to be profitable as opposed to working in the US and having straight liquid assets.

 

[LADoc00]

Hmm.. tough questions

Lemme first correct you... Dubai is the second largest city of UAE... so saying Dubai and UAE is the same thing as saying out of LA or USA.

For question #1 and #2 For all countries yes there is a limitation of cash and gold that can be carried out on a plane without the government in charge knowing. They will ask you and if they search and you didnt declare there will be trouble.

Side comments that I think are more appropriate to what you want to know...

1) Syria is insane when it comes to moving cash out of it... yet with bribes it can be done. I don't recommend it if you are not from Syria and either case you will have trouble from the country you are going into... like the US for example, cause when they search the brief case and find solid assets they will tax you.

2) UAE and Saudi Arabia are VERY easy to transport liquid assets.... there are many europian and US banks. Just open a bank account in a swiss bank and deposit directly into it. That doesn't mean the governments wont know but why would they do anything about it as long as it is not illegal? Now if you feel that you MUST collect it as solid gold bullions and move it from one country to the other in a brief case.... then you will probably pay a cut to every single country that brief case will go through... *countries are greedy when it comes to solid assessts moving in and out.... no exceptions including the US*

My advise...

Open a US bank account in a bank in SA or UAE.... make the account in liquid assets. Deposit into it and have it grow and then when you are done, go home and enjoy. Solid assets need years to grow and they need to be in large amounts for them to be profitable... I am not an expert on how much solid amount needs how many years to become profitable to have as solid.. because when you liquidate you will always lose some value. Consult a financial advisor on the amounts and time required for the amount to be profitable as opposed to working in the US and having straight liquid assets.

Now...I have not been to either UAE or SA, are there Swiss banks with branch offices places like SA? How much prying US/IRS eyes are on American citizens who open such accounts?

 

[Faebinder]

Now...I have not been to either UAE or SA, are there Swiss banks with branch offices places like SA? How much prying US/IRS eyes are on American citizens who open such accounts?

Oh ya... lotsa international banks in SA and UAE but I am not sure how many are exactly from Switzerland (I remember seeing 1 swiss bank in UAE at least and of course one from Holland).... If you live in Switzerland, and your bank has a branch in SA or UAE you can easily use your account there as if you still lived back in Switzerland.

Prior to 9/11....very little prying.

After 9/11.... the CIA probably gets every single transfer made but it doesnt mean they care. (Not deposits though as I am sure they let those go, of course if they feel you are someone they need to watch I am sure they can get everything they want about you...)

I know why you are asking this.. basically.. will they come tax your money if it is not in an American account.... and the answer is... No they can't do that... but once you are back in the US, if you try and get solid assets into the US, you will get taxed and if you try and get liquid assets then the transferring bank will charge you.

Sooner or later Uncle Sam gets his money... if you want to come back to the US to spend it.