Establish Arizona residency by meeting the time, employment and physical presence requirements. Various agencies have different check lists, so be sure to confirm why you need residency and what those requirement are. These requirements regard employment or business, school attendance, physical presence and non-residency in other states. The University of Arizona has different criteria for evaluating residency than the Game and Fish Department. Therefore, if your goal is residency for reduced resident tuition, follow the school's guidelines.
Determine how long you need to be in the state. For tuition purposes, university students must be in the state for at least a year and have other purpose in the state other than being a student. That means they need to work and subside, perhaps be married in the state.
Read More: How to Get Residency in Another State
The Arizona Game and Fish Department require residents to spend at least six consecutive months a year in the state. For tax returns, the guidelines state those who spend more than nine months of the year in Arizona are considered residents. A dated rental contract with proof of payment will most likely work, as will utility bills with your name on them.
Hold a job in Arizona that is not derived from seasonal agricultural work. A paycheck stub from a business with an address in Arizona would demonstrate this employment. Seasonal work in agriculture does not meet residency requirements because these workers move from state to state with great frequency.
Have a child in the state's school system and do not pay non-residency fees. If the school system has accepted you as a resident, this may be sufficient proof for other agencies.
Possess an Arizona driver's license. If the Motor Vehicle Division has accepted you as a resident, this can go a long way toward proving to other agencies that you are a resident. When you get a driver's license, Arizona makes it easy to register to vote simultaneously. Proof of voter registration would also serve to establish residency for any inquiring agency.
Work and pay state income tax in Arizona. This begins the process of establishing residency.. As long as you were in Arizona for at least a nine months, you are considered a resident for tax purposes. If you aren't, you may be considered a part-time resident or resident of another state.
Meet any of the above criteria without being a resident of another state. Residency in another state negates the opportunity to be a resident of Arizona, no matter how many criteria you meet.
Note that getting a license or a lease alone doesn't satisfy residency requirements in most instances. These serves as a time stamp to mark the start of duration requirements.
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Writer Bio
Robert Paxton has been writing professionally since 2002 when he published his first novel. He has also published short stories and poems and writes ad copy for various websites. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in creative writing. Paxton is a trained Montessori instructor who has taught at both the elementary and the secondary levels.