Tax Saving Document Authentication Tips for Canadian Artists Performing in Australia
For the past three decades, we have had the pleasure of assisting various Canadian artists who have performed in Australia. Whether we're helping the artist(s) directly or through their artist management company, our specialized team ensures that their documents are correctly prepared to avoid double taxation of fees. To register with the Australian Tax Office, foreign artists are required to have proof of their identity. Depending on the business registration of the artist(s), the correct document for proof of identity may include Articles of Incorporation or Certificate of Incorporation. If you are unsure about which document to use, feel free to contact one of our friendly agents who can help you with your specific requirements.
In most cases, the required document will need to be the original, and you may want to keep it for future use. To save your original, you can either have a notarized copy made before sending it to our office, or some of our clients prefer the convenience of sending the original and having us make a notarized copy. Once we have received your document, it will be ready to be authenticated and legalized here in Ottawa. As Australia is a member of the Hague Convention, you may see this process referred to as Apostille, which is recognized as the equivalent. Although the process by mail with Global Affairs Canada for document authentication can take 15+ business days, our assistance can help you get it right saving you valuable time.
Now that we have authenticated your Articles of Incorporation or Certificate of Incorporation, they are ready for what is known in Canada as legalization at the Australian High Commission in Canada located in Ottawa. Although Australia uses the Apostille process, they still refer to this step as the "authentication of signature." Each step is important, and we guarantee that you will get it right with our help.
Once your document has been authenticated and legalized, it is ready to be sent to the Australian Tax Office for a Tax File Number (TFN). Without a TFN, any foreign artist is unable to file a tax return in order to get a refund on any excess withholding tax that may have been withheld from performance fees and paid by the promoter to the tax department. This could result in double taxation for an artist.
At Global Document Solutions, we can help process Canadian documents at the Australian High Commission in Ottawa. As not all of our clients are performing artists, we have assisted them for various reasons with the authentication of signature on their birth certificate, marriage certificate, degree, police clearance check. Feel free to ask us about your Canadian document that you will be using in Australia.
