A handful of countries do not tax the salaries, dividends or interest of individuals. Most lists online stretch that number to 15 or 20 by mixing in countries that tax local income, countries that tax businesses, or countries that changed the rule recently. This guide keeps to one test: does the government itself say it does not levy personal income tax on individuals? Where we could not find that statement on an official site, the country is not in the main list.
The short version: nine jurisdictions pass the test today, one of them (Oman) only until the end of 2027, and in every case the zero is narrower than it sounds. Where you live is only one of the questions. Your citizenship, your business structure and the other taxes you pay decide what you actually owe.
The list, with the official wording
| Jurisdiction | What the government says | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | The UAE government portal states that the UAE does not levy income tax on individuals. | VAT of 5 per cent applies to purchases. Corporate tax applies to business profit, so an individual running a business should check whether it applies. |
| Qatar | The General Tax Authority treats salaries and wages as exempt from income tax under the Income Tax Law (Law No. 24 of 2018). | A 10 per cent tax applies to net income from commercial or professional activity, and capital gains tax applies in some cases. |
| The Bahamas | Government investment material lists personal income, capital gains and inheritance as tax exempt for residents and non-residents. | VAT applies. A corporate minimum tax now exists for very large multinational groups, not for individuals. |
| Cayman Islands | The Cayman Islands Government states there are no direct taxes: no income tax, company tax, inheritance tax, capital gains tax or gift tax. | Revenue comes from import duties, stamp duties and fees, so property purchases and imported goods carry the cost. |
| Bermuda | The Government of Bermuda states that individuals in Bermuda do not pay personal income tax. | Payroll tax is charged on employers and employees on a scale that is reset each April, and land tax applies to homeowners. |
| Monaco | The Monegasque government traces the absence of income tax to a princely ordinance of 1869. | French nationals are excluded under the 1963 France-Monaco convention. Business profit tax applies to some businesses, and registration duty applies to property transfers. |
| Brunei | The Ministry of Finance states that no tax is levied on personal income (employment, self-employment, dividends, interest) or on capital gains. | Companies are taxed under the Income Tax Act. |
| St Kitts and Nevis | The Inland Revenue Department states that income tax on individuals was abolished in 1980, and the government reaffirmed in 2020 that it did not intend to introduce it. | Companies and individuals operating a business remain within the Income Tax Act, which the IRD administers. |
| Oman (until 2027) | No personal income tax today. Royal Decree 56/2025 introduces one from 1 January 2028. | See the section on Oman below. |
Sources: UAE Government portal; General Tax Authority of Qatar; Government of The Bahamas; Cayman Islands Government; Government of Bermuda; Government of Monaco; Ministry of Finance and Economy of Brunei; Inland Revenue Department of St Kitts and Nevis; Royal Decree 56/2025 (Oman). Links in the source list below, last verified 18 October 2026.
Why “no income tax” does not mean “no tax”
A country that skips personal income tax still has to raise money. Look for the replacement before you assume you are better off:
- Consumption taxes. The UAE charges 5 per cent VAT. Bahrain publishes a 10 per cent VAT rate through its National Bureau for Revenue. The Bahamas also has a VAT.
- Payroll taxes. Bermuda has no personal income tax but does have payroll tax, split between employer and employee. The employer is responsible for paying the whole amount to the Tax Commissioner.
- Property taxes and transaction duties. Bermuda levies land tax on homeowners. Cayman charges stamp duty on property sales. Monaco charges registration duty on transfers.
- Taxes on business activity. Qatar taxes net income from commercial or professional activity at 10 per cent. The UAE has a corporate tax. Brunei taxes companies. An individual who earns through a business can still be taxed even where salaries are not.
- Cost of living. Some of the places on the list are among the most expensive in the world to live in, which can absorb a large part of the saving.
Your citizenship can override the country you live in
United States citizens
The IRS states that a US citizen or resident alien living abroad is taxed on worldwide income. Moving to a zero-tax country does not end US filing. The foreign earned income exclusion is capped at $132,900 for tax year 2026, it covers earned income only (salary, not investment income), and you must file a return to claim it. A US citizen in the UAE therefore still files with the IRS.
French nationals in Monaco
Monaco’s government states that French nationals are excluded from the exemption and are governed by the 1963 bilateral convention. In practice a French citizen who moves to Monaco generally stays within French income tax.
Everyone else: the day count and the home country
Your country of origin may still treat you as a tax resident if you keep a home, family or business there, however many days you spend abroad. Leaving a high-tax country is a process with its own rules, usually involving an exit return or a formal end of residence, not just a new address. A second passport does not change this. Citizenship by investment gives you a nationality and a travel document; it does not by itself cancel tax residence elsewhere.
Oman: zero today, 5 per cent for high earners from 2028
Oman issued its first personal income tax law as Royal Decree 56/2025, which comes into force on 1 January 2028. According to the analysis published by the Oman legal database decree.om, the tax is a flat 5 per cent on income above 42,000 Omani rials a year. Someone present in Oman for more than 183 days in a calendar year is a tax resident and is taxed on worldwide income, while others are taxed only on income earned in Oman. The executive regulations that set procedures had not been issued as of 13 October 2026. Anyone planning a long stay in Oman should read the decree and the regulations when they appear.
Oman is a useful reminder that this list can change. Several lists online still present it as a permanent zero.
Countries often listed that we left out
- The Maldives. Some online lists show it as zero. The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority has a page on income tax for individuals that refers to the Income Tax Act (Law No. 25/2019), but we could not open it from our systems to confirm the current rates, so we do not list the Maldives. Check mira.gov.mv before relying on any list that includes it.
- Hong Kong, Singapore and Panama. They are often listed, but they do levy tax on some income, with rules that depend on where the income arises. That is a different thing from having no income tax. We have not covered their rules here, so they are not on our list.
- Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Vanuatu, the British Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda. They are widely described as having no personal income tax, and that may well be right, but we could not confirm the statement on an official government or tax authority page for individuals. Bahrain’s promotional pages say it, while the official Bahrain pages we found only cover VAT. For Antigua and Barbuda, the personal income tax introduced in 2005 was repealed in 2016 according to press coverage, but the Inland Revenue Department page we found does not state the current position outright. Until we can link an official source, we do not list them.
Where this meets the Caribbean programs
Of the countries in this list, St Kitts and Nevis is the one with a citizenship by investment program, and it is a program GoldPassports is authorised to work on. The other program countries have their own personal tax rules, which we cover country by country in separate guides. If tax is the reason you are looking, compare the program country’s tax rules before you compare its passport. The mobility side of that comparison is in Most powerful passports in the world.
A sensible way to use this list
- Start with your own tax residence. Where and when your current country stops taxing you matters more than where you land.
- Check your citizenship. US and French nationals have rules that follow them.
- List the taxes that replace income tax in the destination: VAT, payroll, property, duties.
- Check how your income is earned. Salary, business profit and investment income are often treated differently.
- Look at the right to live there. Most of these places grant residence only with an employer, a large investment or a long process.
- Re-check before you commit. Oman shows that a zero can be dated.
Want to know which option fits your situation? Request a free call and an advisor will give you a straight answer, including when moving for tax reasons is not the right tool.
Last verified against the sources below on 18 October 2026. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Tax rules change and depend on personal circumstances: confirm with a qualified adviser before relocating.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries have no personal income tax?
Government sources confirm no personal income tax on individuals in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, The Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Monaco, Brunei and St Kitts and Nevis. Oman has none today but introduces a 5 per cent tax on income above 42,000 Omani rials from 1 January 2028.
Do I pay no tax at all in a country with no income tax?
No. These countries raise revenue through VAT or duties, payroll tax, property and stamp taxes, and taxes on business activity. Bermuda charges payroll tax, Qatar taxes business income at 10 per cent and the UAE charges 5 per cent VAT.
Does a US citizen stop paying US tax after moving to a zero-tax country?
No. The IRS taxes US citizens on worldwide income wherever they live. The foreign earned income exclusion, capped at $132,900 for 2026, covers earned income only and requires filing a return.
Does Monaco tax French citizens?
Yes. Monaco's government says French nationals are excluded from the exemption and fall under the 1963 France-Monaco convention, so they generally remain within French income tax.
Is the Maldives a no income tax country?
We do not list it. The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority has a page on income tax for individuals referring to the Income Tax Act (Law No. 25/2019), but we could not open it to confirm current rates, so check mira.gov.mv.
Does a second passport remove my tax obligations?
No. A second citizenship does not by itself end tax residence in your current country or your obligations to a country that taxes on citizenship, such as the United States.
Official sources
Figures on this page come from the sources below and were last verified on 18 October 2026. Rules change; always confirm the current position. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
- UAE Government portal: Taxation
- General Tax Authority of Qatar: Investors
- Government of The Bahamas: Frequently asked questions
- Cayman Islands Government: Finance and economy
- Government of Bermuda: Types of taxes in Bermuda
- Government of Bermuda: Calculating payroll tax for the period April 1, 2026
- Government of Monaco: Tax in Monaco
- Ministry of Finance and Economy of Brunei: Corporate tax FAQ
- Inland Revenue Department of St Kitts and Nevis: Income tax
- Government of St Kitts and Nevis (SKNIS): No intention to introduce personal income tax, 17 November 2020
- Sultanate of Oman: Royal Decree 56/2025 issuing the Personal Income Tax Law
- Decree.om: The Personal Income Tax Law, what you need to know (13 October 2026)
- Maldives Inland Revenue Authority: Income tax for individuals
- Bahrain National Bureau for Revenue: VAT FAQs (Arabic)
- Internal Revenue Service: U.S. citizens and residents abroad, filing requirements
- Internal Revenue Service: Figuring the foreign earned income exclusion
