Information Gateway Online Reporter (IGOR)

Following recent enquiries from FIs, we have obtained permission from the OECD to distribute the CRS schema XSD files via the Igor Forum, as these are not yet available from the OECD directly.

You can download the files packaged in the following ZIP file:

CRS schema v1.0.zip

The structure of CRS XML is virtually the same as FATCA XML, and the Igor implementation of CRS is analogous to the implementation of FATCA in all relevant respects, so the transition from FATCA to CRS XML should be straightforward.

The CRS XSD files should be used in conjunction with OECD’s CRS user guide, which is annex 3 of the OECD Standard for Automatic Exchange of Financial Information in Tax Matters, and the Igor Schema Guide also applies equally for CRS as it does for FATCA.

The nil returns functionality has now been added to the system and may be used for the test and live organisations.

You may fulfil your reporting obligation by ticking the nil return tick box for the period selected. This is provided as a convenient alternative to producing and uploading an XML file containing no account reports.

If you record a nil return and subsequently need to submit account reports for the same reporting entity, the XML may be submitted in the normal way and will effectively override the nil return.

If you submit an XML file in error and wish to replace it with a nil return, you will need to retract the XML file first before Igor will permit you to record a nil return. Igor will not allow you to record a nil return for any FI which has already made a return (nil or otherwise) for the given reporting period.

If you submitted the XML file and it has already been forwarded to the destination country then Igor will not permit you to retract the XML file. If you wish to delete some or all of the account reports after this point, you would need to do this by submitting an XML correction file.

To fulfil reporting obligations under the Intergovernmental Agreements, Reporting Guernsey Financial Institutions (“RGFIs”) will be required to submit their reports using XML Schema via bespoke software known as IGOR. The XML schema format is mandatory and returns in any other format will not be accepted by IGOR.

A new version of the Schema Guide has been published and is available from https://igor.gov.gg/About/SchemaGuide. This document should be read in conjunction with the IRS FATCA User Guide and the Common Reporting Standard User Guide.

For the avoidance of doubt Guernsey is a Model 1 IGA jurisdiction, and therefore RGFI are required to submit reports to the Director of Income Tax, using IGOR. The Director will transmit the information to the IRS. For Model 1 Jurisdictions, there is no need for an RGFI to submit reports to the IRS directly.

Please direct any technical queries relating to IGOR, including reporting and the use of the schemas via the IGOR forum at https://igorforum.digimap.gg.

17 April 2015

Please be advised, due to an internal change in the way reports are held, the test reports in the IGOR system will be removed on the 16 / 17 April 2015.

All test and live organisations and Financial Institutions will remain unchanged.

6th January 2015

Copy of e-mail sent by Income Tax office

You have previously indicated that you wished to receive updates in relation to FATCA and also the Intergovernmental Agreements (“IGAs”) with the UK and the USA and as such, this update is being provided to you.

The online bespoke software to be used for all online submissions under the following regimes has now gone live:

• US IGA
• UK IGA
• CRS
• IRIP

This software is called the Information Gateway Online Reporter (“IGOR”).

Although IGOR will be used for all online submissions for automatic exchange of information, at present registration can only be made for the US IGA and will require that a GIIN prior to accepting this registration. Financial Institutions may register for a GIIN using the online FATCA registration tool available at: http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Corporations/FATCA-Foreign-Financial-Institution-Registration-Tool .The registration for the remaining regimes will be brought online at a later date.

A Report will take the form of one or more digital files submitted from an Financial Institution (“FI”) for a Reporting Period. An electronic Report, submitted through IGOR, as described below, is the only accepted means of complying with the above mentioned reporting regimes.

The following functions are now available on IGOR:

• The ability to create logins.
• The ability to create organisations and set up FI’s.
• A Test Organisations option is available so users can test their XML submissions.

The address to access IGOR is as follows: https://igor.gov.gg/

In addition, there is also a user’s forum, which has been created to accompany IGOR. This is open to all FIs with a view to enabling FI’s and / or their software developers to ask technical questions relating to IGOR, which in turn with then form the basis of developing FAQs to assist other FIs. The site is located here: https://igorforum.digimap.gg/

Any future updates will continue to be sent to you via e-mail.

Kind regards

Lee Harris
Compliance & International Manager
Income Tax Office, Treasury & Resources