Foreign estates: domicile
The concept of 'domicile' is crucial in this area. Most people assume that your domicile is the country you live in, but this is not necessarily the case, particularly where English law is concerned.
It is also not the same as being resident or non-resident for income tax purposes.
Under English law, everyone has a "domicile of origin" which is usually the domicile of their father if their parents were married when they were born, or the domicile of their mother if not.
This remains their domicile of origin throughout their lives and cannot be changed. You can, however, acquire a "domicile of choice" by moving to a different country and making it your permanent home with the intention to remain there for the rest of your life.
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