Working and being resident in different states

[Dan&Ellen 1]

My wife is a NJ resident and her permanent address is still at her mother's house there, however she is at grad school in Connecticut and that's where we will be living. We are house sharing with her friends until I have a job and have been there a while and then we will buy a house. In order to avoid changing all addresses if we have to move rented accomodation a few times, I was thinking of making the NJ address mine too. I was wondering if it will be a problem regarding taxes or the green card/SSN/driver's license if these are addressed in different locations from eachother (I guess driver's license would be CT). Or if I have everything in CT will the DHS be wondering why my wife is listed at a different address from me? Sorry if this is a daft question, I'm sure it will probably be fine, just want to make sure we don't mess anything up after it taking almost 16 months to get the visa.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

My random thoughts....

It is always good for immigration purposes to have the same address as your wife. You will have to remove conditions in two years and provide paper documentation of living together and commingling finances. They want a paper trail showing two years worth of dates, not suddenly living together (on paper) the month before you file. So think about how to document such.

Generally if you live in a state, they want you to get a driver license for that state. You could get cited for living in NJ but using a CT driver license.

Greencard: USCIS wants to know where you are. Are you living where they think you are living?

Social Security: no real issues right now with address.

Taxes: Federal Income Tax-not so much of an issue. State Income Tax-could be. I don't know much about that because I live in a State with no State Income Tax. Maybe somebody else will comment on that.

[Dan&Ellen 1]

Would tenancy agreements signed by both of us be enough to prove we resided at the same address even if other things are registered to different addresses? It sounds like my permanent address will have to be wherever we are living for USCIS reasons. Or should she just move everything to CT? That's what I wanted her to do but she wasn't so keen until we move out of the shared house. Also less seriously she doesn't want to lose her Jersey plates! .

Also on another note you seem to be answering almost every question I post, and I want you to know I really appreciate it, these forums have made the visa process a whole lot easier

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Would tenancy agreements signed by both of us be enough to prove we resided at the same address even if other things are registered to different addresses? It sounds like my permanent address will have to be wherever we are living for USCIS reasons. Or should she just move everything to CT? That's what I wanted her to do but she wasn't so keen until we move out of the shared house. Also less seriously she doesn't want to lose her Jersey plates! .

Also on another note you seem to be answering almost every question I post, and I want you to know I really appreciate it, these forums have made the visa process a whole lot easier

Tendency agreements are good. So are photocopies of both driver licenses showing the same address, and then if you move, new DLs showing both have same new address. Get both names on the car title and car insurance. I was just pointing out your task of documenting two years of living at the same abode so you make a conscience effort to establish something, even something small, on paper now and save it for later. It will make your removing conditions less stressful than realizing in 2016 that you have nothing showing you lived together in 2014.

[novedsac 355]

Your state income taxes will be a headache because NJ and CT do NOT have a reciprocal agreement on state income tax.

You will need to pay income tax to both the state you live and the state you earn the income, though each state allows you to deduct state taxes paid to another jurisdiction.

Edited June 27, 2014 by novedsac