When you become an expat one of the things you have to do is decide whether or not to give up your state residency. If you're like us you're going to ask some questions about the consequences. You'll be told that since you don't have any children approaching college age you don't need to worry about state residency. Unless you're talking in-state tuition vs. out-of-state tuition, who cares about state residency, right?
Wrong. You must also consider one other thing.....
When does your driver's license have to be renewed?
Let's say you didn't consider it....what happens?
If, in fact, your birthday shows up during your expatriation, and along with it comes a nice license renewal application present from the DMV, you will have to answer some sticky questions about your state residency. You'll try to ignore the fine print that indicates that you may not be able to renew by mail this time. You'll realize this is really important as you have to have both your international license and your valid US license to drive in your adopted country. You will launch a hasty email chain to the expatriation-powers-that-be that ends with you frantically re-applying for the state residency you gave up four months ago. You'll say a prayer over the license application and make like Lance Armstrong to the post office to mail it off a mere eight days before your birthday. You'll hope that the fact that you are simultaneously using both your Japanese address and your parent's SC address doesn't bring the DMV or either country's postal service to a screeching halt. You'll resist the urge to include a bribe.
But, of course, this won't happen to you because now you know better, right? You're welcome.
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