I'm With Stupid
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 6 May 2013
- Messages
- 18,980
I have an ID card in Malaysia. And you can't get a SIM card without your passport or ID card, which is then registered with the phone company. I'm not sure what it achieves. I think the main argument against the ID card scheme in the UK was always the cost, and they didn't seem to do a good job communicating the supposed benefits.To be honest I dont know.
However I think it certainly makes the vendor record the identity on larger purchases.
I normally pay with a credit card but cash payments are treated exactly the same.
Because it is not possible to get an NIE without a bank account number ,(confusingly no bank account without an NIE as well), all large cash transactions are theoretically monitored but who knows.
Because I get money to Spain via say Transferwise for best rates I need to indicate source of such cash in UK eg Natwest so money traceable.
Tax treaty between Spain and Uk now means access by both countries to same data means tax payment is now checkable in both countries so especially in Spain things are tightening up.