What is considered domicile of origin?

Domicile of origin refers to the legal concept that determines an individual's permanent home or the place they are considered to belong to from a legal standpoint. It is a status that is typically inherited from one’s parents. This means that at birth, an individual is assigned a domicile based on the domicile of their parents, usually their mother or father, depending on the jurisdiction's laws.

This fundamental legal concept highlights that an individual does not have to take any active steps or make explicit choices regarding their domicile of origin; it is automatically established based on familial ties rather than personal choices or residency decisions.

The other choices, while related to concepts of residency and personal choice, do not accurately encapsulate the definition of domicile of origin. Chosen residency refers to a place an individual actively selects to reside in, and establishing domicile through living in a country pertains more to acquired domicile rather than the inherent legal status conferred at birth. Determining domicile by birthplace could be misleading because birthplace does not always dictate domicile, especially in the context of parents’ legal domicile at the time of one’s birth. Thus, the inheritance from parents accurately captures the essence of what domicile of origin signifies.