While you may be right that some institutions are exempt and some accounts are exempt - this may not be relevant. What happens when your account becomes $50+1 because USD is now lower compared to CAD? What happens if CU is not covered for the same reason? As to FBAR - I don't know where you came up with it, but there's no relation whatsoever between FBAR and FATCA. I suggest you stop trying to convince yourself that burying your head in the sand is a good way for you to act.

Canada will take no part not exactly true. If the IRS sues for enforcement of debt collection against you, Canada will take part, as with any other judgement enforcement.

"This is not the same as evading" - This is exactly what it is - evading, breaking the law, becoming criminal by choice.

By the way, I'm not sure what you mean by "reporting period". From your question - you were born in the US, so your "reporting period" is your whole life.

@user102008 Americans are generally very fond of the "you can't prove it therefore I didn't do it" doctrine, so this should be easy to understand: I ONLY have Internet research and random Internet posters telling me I've broken any law. No authority of any nation has ever told me I'm responsible for filing anything. So no, I'm not "intentionally" breaking any law just because you or anyone else here say so. Ignorance may not be a defence, but it is bliss. My question here was how to best deal with this, not for wannabe lawyers opinions on whether or not a law is broken.

@bcsteeve you want Barak Obama to personally call you? No-one has to tell you anything. Even if you don't intentionally break the law - you are still breaking it. And not knowing the law or about the law is not, and has never been, a valid defense.

It is only your opinion that any of this is against the law. You're not lawyers, though you pretend to be. And frankly, none of this is your business. So please, get off your high horses and stop taking this further off topic. The question was asked, and it was answered. Your "advice" is purely antagonistic and irrelevant. Barak [sic] Obama is YOUR president, not mine. I'm not "doing illegal things" in my country, and I'm not in yours to break those laws. So yeah, you and Uncle Sam can both pound sand. I don't recognize the authority of a foreign government.

@User58220 Of course you're presuming I have a principle residence, but in general you're correct that IF the authority of a foreign government is to be respected, the major consequences (differences in tax laws resulting in payments owed) would be: sale of principle residence; inheritance (I think?); lottery winnings; certain legal settlements. All of which are not taxed in Canada but are in the USA.

What the commenters here seem to overlook is the obvious intent of these "laws". They are intended at preventing Americans from avoiding taxes. Not for sussing out people that don't owe a dime just because they aren't filing papers. I am not a tax dodger. And other than technically, I'm not an American. But (extremely) over-reaching laws present a potential issue for people in my situation. There are various legal actions in works to correct the situation and hopefully that happens sooner than later. Until then, I'm not known to the USA and it can stay that way.

@bcsteeve "I am not a tax dodger" - but you are, really. And when people try to explain to you how that came to be you respond with "go pound sand". If you expect to get any sympathy after that - I really don't understand why.

@littleadv No, I'm not. If you could read... there is no point in my life that I have owed taxes to the US. Not filing a zero dollar tax return is NOT dodging taxes. Obviously.

@user102008 You're a fool if you believe that. So American women should all cover their faces, arms and legs IN AMERICA because Saudia Arabian laws say so?? That's ludicrous, but that's what you just said. You two are so bloody American-centric you can't even see past your own face. "any country's laws can apply to anyone in the world"... that is the least intelligent thing said here (and with littleadv... wow). ONLY the USA figures they can impose their law outside of their land. It is NOT the norm. Yeesh.

@bcsteeve obviously, I don't know if you owe taxes. But the burden of proof, since you already broke the law by not filing the tax returns, is on you. Saying "I don't owe you anything" is not enough. You need to actually file a tax return, which is filled with the correct information (perjury is a crime in Canada as well), and show that you owe nothing. You haven't done that, so from where I see it - you are dodging taxes. I, again, understand your frustration. Lashing out at me may make you feel better - but it won't make your situation better.

As to the best course of action - as everyone, including myself, have told you: comply with the legal requirements. Which includes getting an SSN and providing it to the bank, and solving your current problems with the IRS. That is the best course of action. I understand that you have zero research, zero education and zero experience, you've shown that well. I just don't think that being proud of it is a good thing. So I suggest instead of bragging how ignorant you are and how bliss it is for you - get a professional advice on the matter, if you don't trust us.

@bcsteeve as to your analogy to Saudi Arabia - your main mistake, and the source of your anger, is that you consider yourself a Canadian. That's an understandable mistake, but mistake nevertheless. You're an AMERICAN. So, American laws apply to you just as Saudi laws apply to Saudis. WHEREVER YOU ARE. Whether you chose to be an American, or you are in this mess because of your parents - really doesn't matter. Whether you agree with the way the US taxes it citizens or not - really doesn't matter. But you are an American, until you renounce your citizenship.

How can you be so bloody... ignorant. I'm not Canadian? You're delusional. Of course I'm Canadian. No wonder you're arguing from such a stupid point of view if you believe that ridiculous statement. And no, Saudi laws don't apply to Saudis living abroad. ONLY America feels their laws extend beyond their lands (alright, there may be others, but it certainly isn't the norm). I am Canadian. I identify as being Canadian. The country I live in - Canada - identifies me as being Canadian. Pure and simple, I am a Canadian citizen and have been since my birth. Americans can't take that away.

And I do file my taxes, as per the laws of the land I belong to. I don't understand how you can't get that through your skull. Once again... if some random country informed you that you were a citizen because of some random reason they define and insisted you file taxes... what would you say? But because it is oh holy great self-centered America, its right? B.S.

Don't go saying that being born somewhere isn't a random reason. VERY few countries provide citizenship based on that fully helpless act. Usually it is defined by lineage. My parents are Canadian, my grand parents are Canadian... I am Canadian. Period.

So my analogy with Saudi Arabia is spot on. You, as an American, would go bloody Ape shit if Saudi Arabia chose to define you as a citizen and demanded your taxes and your country stood by and let it happen.

It amazes me that Americans can glom onto this fully outmoded ideal of "bearing arms" purely because it was a necessary element of breaking free from a foreign controlling regime, based ENTIRELY on the concept of taxation without representation... yet you blindly accept that I can now be taxed without representation in this case. As a "fellow American" you should be gathering your arms and marching on washington on my behalf, because without a vote, I should not be taxed.

But getting down to practicality. You telling me the "right" thing to do is to sort this out with some foreign tax entity... the IRS... I can't afford it. Nobody could. A major tax firm writes: "Using the services of accountants and lawyers can be steep. PwC said a “plain vanilla” tax filing could cost a minimum of $15,000, even when no tax is owed. Anything more complex, including individuals with registered retirement savings plans and several mutual funds, could cost $20,000 to $30,000. ".

So no, I'm not going to pay $15,000 per year to an accountant so that I can prove to some random foreign nation that I don't "owe" them money. The OBVIOUS answer to my question... leave it be. Ignore ignorant fools such as yourself who pretend to be soap box riders. With a few careful steps to not present my bank with info that they don't even need to ask for, I can avoid these problems indefinately. NOw that this is in chat, I don't believe I'll ever see your responses... so troll away.