<p>It doesn't make me a resident right? (ergo I shouldn't be punished for not registering my car in 20 days of entrance?)</p>
<p>Also I just got my w2 form back. To what state should I file my taxes to?
The thing is, I will probably never live in my home state again. Actually, I have no 'permanent place of residence' because my parents live abroad.</p>
<p>How do I exactly become a california resident if I want to become one?</p>
<p>Sorry i'm yet again bombardin you with questions again. I have no body that can help me so I need figure out stuff on my own... (sounds like my college application days)</p>
<p>As someone who moved to cali last august and is currently attending a ccc this is of importance to me as well so I'll try to help you out. I'm applying to USC and UC's, and for the UC's I wanted to do everything possible to help me establish residency. Many things do it, drivers license + registered car will do it. Registering to vote in california will do it. I wouldn't reccomend doing it if you're not actually planning to make cali ur home though, cuz if u leave ur gonna have to change it all back.</p>
<p>Actually, I don't believe that doing the things LaxAttack mentioned will make you a resident of CA. From the UCLA website:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Residence for Tuition Purposes
To establish your California residence, you must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen who has been physically present in the state for more than one year, and you must be able to provide convincing evidence that your intent for the entire year has been to establish a permanent residence in the state. You must also be financially independent, as defined by the UC Office of General Counsel, if you are not dependent on a parent who meets the University's requirements for residence for tuition purposes (one year physical presence with intent to remain in the state). . .</p>
<p>To establish residence you must be physically present in California for more than one year and you must have come here with the intent to make California your home, as opposed to coming to this state to go to school. Physical presence within the state solely for educational purposes does not constitute the establishment of California residence, regardless of the length of your stay. You must demonstrate your intention to make California your home by severing your residential ties with your former state of residence and establishing those ties with California. If these steps are delayed, the one year durational period will be extended until you have demonstrated both presence and intent for one full year. If your parents do not meet the requirements for residence for tuition purposes, or you were not previously enrolled as a UC student, you are required to be financially independent in order to be a resident for tuition purposes. Your residence cannot be derived from your spouse or your parents.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>They also specifically talk about students whose parents live abroad. Residency follows the parents, even in that instance. You simply have no "state" of residence, but you do have a "country of residence."</p>
<p>I believe that you do not have to re-register your car in California if you are simply attending school there. Check with the Division of Motor Vehicles (or whatever it's called in CA) to be sure. Is your car registered anywhere? If not, it will have to be registered.</p>
<p>You file your state taxes in whatever state you earned the money, regardless of residence. Your state of residence will then give you a tax credit for the taxes you paid to CA. (For example, we lived in NJ, but my father worked in NY - he had to file both NJ and NY tax forms, but NJ credited the NY taxes.) If you have no state of residence, then you just pay in CA.</p>
<p>LaxAttack, are you considered an independent student for FAFSA purposes (i.e., over 24, married, veteran, etc.) so that you don't have to report their income on your financial aid forms? If not, then you are likely not an independent student for residency purposes. </p>
<p>Most state schools have some degree of discretion in determining who is a resident for tuition purposes (but remember that one of their goals is to maximize revenue, so it is to their benefit to classify you as out of state if they can). Your best bet is to provide whatever evidence you have of your independence and see what they say.</p>
<p>Yeah I'm obviously not independent so I don't know how that's going to fly. The thing is, I still don't know where to file my taxes too... I'm probably going to live in California after graduation though. There aren't that many jobs in OK.</p>