Residency is where one chooses to live. Domicile is more permanent and is essentially somebody's home base.Residency refers to where you currently live, while domicile refers to the place you intend to return to after a temporary absence. The term "domicile" has a special legal definition that is not the same as residence. Domicile requires both general physical presence in a particular location and the intent to remain there indefinitely. Based on this experience, we have assembled this list of frequently asked questions and provided brief answers. Domicile is intended to be permanent rather than temporary, whereas residence means living in a particular locality and requires mere physical presence.