Instant Florida Residency?
Someone presently domiciled outside of Florida asked whether they could do something in Florida which would allow them to be a Florida resident and still work and live in their present domicile. The answer is clearly "no way." There is no instant Florida residency, and Florida residency is not portable. Florida residency requires demonstrated intent to make Florida your permanent and primary place of residency. True, many Floridians work in other states, are at school in other States, or they live in other States part of or most of the year. But, these people either own Florida real estate, have previously lived here full time, or have other facts which give them Florida roots. One cannot come into Florida, fill out drivers license and voters registration form and a declaration of Florida domicile, and then turn around on the next plane back home with Florida residency in their pocket. Courts have often said that Florida's asset protection laws are not available to tourists.
