This country is blessed in so many ways. The fact that many people from various parts of the world are willing to risk their lives to make it to US shores is a testament to this fact. This is not to say that we do not have our issues. However, many people believe in the American dream and are committed to living its reality.

Furthermore, some people would love to legally become residents in the US. Well, such people need to understand that location matters. This is because of the benefits of being a resident in certain parts.

Well, South Dakota is one of the best places to become a US resident. Many people would like to know how to become a South Dakota resident because of the several benefits that this state offers and more. Well, this article will fill you in on some of these benefits and how to go about becoming a resident of this state.

Why South Dakota is Attractive for New Residency

There are 49 other states besides South Dakota. But even at that, Mount Rushmore State increasingly draws the interest of prospective residents for several reasons. Some of the reasons for this include the following:

Low Registration Fees

This state has a thing for making life easy for its residents and it has consistently been this way. One of the ways that it does this is by making most registration fees as cheap as they come. Vehicle registration charges are a prime example.

The cost of sorting this registration is somewhere between 25 dollars and 50 dollars, as of the time of writing this article. The exact amount is usually determined by the vehicle type. The weight of the vehicle also counts.

Zero-Income Tax

There are not many states willing to operate on a no-state income tax basis. Only 9 states are willing to operate without making this deduction, as of the time of writing this article. South Dakota is one of the 9 states. The others include:

• Alaska
• Nevada
• Florida
• Washington
• Wyoming
• Texas
• Tennessee
• New Hampshire

This is one of the several other ways that the state is willing to make life as bearable as possible for its residents. This is why many people are willing to become its residents.

Amazing Sights

It is one place for outdoor lovers. This is because of the amazing sights and even outdoor fun activities that can be engaged in all year round. Speaking of amazing places to be, some of the options include:

• Mount Rushmore – Which is so popular and has even become a common nickname for the state
• Sioux Falls
• Custer State Park
• Rapid City
• Reptile Garden
• Needles Highway
• Keystone
• Bear Country USA
• Sylvan Lake

Frankly, this is just the tip of the iceberg as there is a lot more that it has to offer in terms of sights and outdoor attractions.

The Legal Process: How to Become a South Dakota Resident

It would be an exaggeration to say that South Dakota is the only state where many people are willing to become residents. However, the ease at which it can happen here is one of the things that make this place stand out from amongst the bunch. Well, discussed below is pretty much the legal process for becoming a resident here:

Get a Mail Forwarding Address

This is important both for getting official documents, as well as correspondence. So, it is the first step.

Mail Reception

Once again, this proves how having a mail forwarding address is a crucial part of the process. Receiving mail with the forwarding address is proof of identity and address.

Proof of Stay

You would have to prove that you have stayed in the state at some point. The state makes it so easy that you only have to present proof of stay for a day. This can be a receipt issued for lodging in a hotel or even a campground. You need to hold on to the issued receipt, as it would be required.

Collection of Important Documents

A couple of important documents would have to be collected at this phase. The documents in question include:

• Driver’s license
• Vehicle title
• Insurance card
• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Passport

Securing all of these requires locating the pertinent issuing authority and approaching them as you should. So, you need to find out more about this. For example, the South Dakota Department of Public Safety is in charge of issuing driver’s licenses to eligible people and has an organized program to determine eligibility. You can click here for more information on this.

By the way, you would have to visit any of the DMVs to eventually secure your driver’s license. Just so you know, DMV stands for Department of Motor Vehicles.

Certain receipts, mails, contracts, and documents need to be taken to this venue. You would also need to pay for some charges, fill out forms, and undertake a vision test in this venue. It is only until you have met these requirements and passed them that you can be issued your driver’s license.

Updates

You must have gotten several unique residency details at this point. However, your journey to becoming a South Dakota resident does not end here.

You also need to ensure that your obtained residency information is well-updated. This requires contacting pertinent agencies. Some of the agencies to be contacted include:

• Credit card companies
• Banks
• Insurance companies
• IRS (Internal Revenue Service)
• SSA (Social Security Administration)

The aforementioned are what securing South Dakota residency entails. However, there are also rules for maintaining this status. So, you may want to find out about that, as well.

Wrap Up

In addition to all the benefits of living in South Dakota as discussed above, you should also know that this state has low living costs but high life quality. This is a good reason to consider obtaining residency here. However, this calls for adhering to the steps discussed above. So, take note of these steps if you decide to secure a South Dakota residency.