CRS self-certification: why your bank asks for your tax residence

Banks, brokers and other financial institutions ask new clients to state their tax residence. Under the OECD Common Reporting Standard (CRS) they report accounts of non-residents to the tax authorities of the country of residence every year.

What you must give

A self-certification is signed (or otherwise confirmed) by you and contains:

your name and residence address;
every country where you are resident for tax purposes;
your tax number (TIN) for each of those countries;
your date of birth.

The form is free: paper, PDF, online or confirmed verbally. The institution may pre-fill it, except the country of residence. It checks your answer against the documents it already holds (for example, your address).

Resident in two countries

Under the amended CRS (2023 update) you are expected to list all countries of residence, without applying the treaty tie-breaker; the account is then reported to each of them. The original rules allowed reliance on the tie-breaker. Each country decides from when the amended rules apply.

No tax number

A TIN is not required if your country does not issue tax numbers (or has not issued one to you), or if its law does not require it to be collected. Say so — do not just leave the field empty.

Changes and reporting

If something changes (for example, you move), the institution asks for a new self-certification; if you do not confirm within 90 days, it treats you as resident in both the old and the new country.
The institution reports your name, address, countries of residence, TINs, date and place of birth, account number, balance and income.
Tax authorities exchange this data once a year with the countries where you are resident.

Common mistakes

Naming only the tie-breaker "winner" when two countries treat you as resident.
Treating citizenship as tax residence.
An address in one country while claiming residence in another, without an explanation.
Not telling the bank after a move.

When to see a professional

You may be resident in two or more countries, or you moved during the year.
The bank disputes your self-certification.
Accounts held through companies or trusts.
Income that was not declared in a country that will now receive CRS data.

Sources

Sources checked: 2026-11-10. General information, not legal advice. Treaties and national laws can differ from the OECD Model; always check the treaty that applies to you.

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