Anybody have any stories of being denied in-state status in VA when they thought they were a shoo-in? The policy states that the burden of proof is on the applicant to establish legal domicile (at least one year before the first day of classes for the year in which you hope to begin school)- which means showing clear intent to make VA your home, basically. Things typically used to demonstrate this include paying resident income taxes, registering your car, owning property, registering to vote, etc.

Anybody out there feel like they did everything they were supposed to do but were denied for some reason? Just trying to figure out how far that burden of proof must go....

If you take a look at the app it's pretty straightforward. I'm not exactly sure of the rules, because I've never lived outside of Virginia so I was pretty much a shoo-in, but the things you've asked are exactly what they ask on the app. I'm not sure of the definite rules but if you did most of the things named above (taxes, voting, property, etc.) then I would imagine you'd be fine.

there is an isntate tuition fourm and you fill it out. It's as simple as that.

I didn't have a problem getting approved if that's what it mean...it was quick and painless.

Awesome. Thanks for the responses. My concern is that I live in a rental house in Arlington but am not on the lease and I haven't changed my driver's license because I don't own a car or drive in the DC area (Metro all the way)...so by "surprises" I was really fishing for stories like these factors becoming an issue.

I can change my driver's license now and see if the owner of my rental house will put me on the lease (it's in just one of the roommate's names), but would it be grounds for dismissal if I did this a year after I first moved to VA/registered to vote/changed the address on my checks, etc (that was January 2008 - yay for voting in 2008 and turning Virginia blue)...? I.e. would it show some sort of lack of real intent even though I have legitimately been living in VA/paying taxes, etc and will have been doing so for more than the required one year when I apply? I am applying for the 2011 cycle, so it will have been at least another year after I get the drivers license...but again, the concern is the gap in between.

I bring this up because a friend was recently denied in-state tuition in California on the grounds that he had not changed his driver's license in time (even though he does not own a car) and despite the fact he had been paying California income taxes, etc. While I know that is obviously a different state and a different case, it spooked me a bit. Just looking to see how stringent they applied the burden of proof.

I didn't have a driver's license last year or hadn't voted here, but had paid over 14.000 in taxes or whatever the questions was.

S.