TexasCHLforum.com

I am moving overseas for work as many Texans do. I have Texas Drivers License and Texas CHL. When I previously moved overseas, I turned in my CHL and kept my DL as my understanding was that CHL had to be returned within 30 days of moving out of state. Turning in my CHL meant that upon my return to live in Texas, I had to start CHL process again and wait months to obtain CHL again. Is it legal to keep Texas DL and CHL while overseas for work??? If not, what are options???

When I took an expat assignment in Singapore, I kept my house here as a home of record. I was able to keep my DL since I still 'officially' lived here in Houston.

Wasn't aware of any requirement to return LTC within 30 days of moving. I just thought it turned into a non-resident LTC when you changed your address (which is supposed to be done within 30 days)

I took a "temporary" job in New Jersey for two years and kept my licenses active here in Texas at my parents address.

If you get a Driver's license overseas you may need to surrender your Texas DL.

I'll neither confirm nor deny taking a handgun with me.

If you still have a permanent address in Texas - it is a non issue.

Wife and I are from Texas working oilfields of West Africa since 2003. We kept our home in Texas as it is being lived in by our adult son who is attending multiple post graduate schools. So we still own our home in Texas and have a permanent address.

I have thought about how we might could keep our CHL/LTC's and Drivers License's if we sold our home in Texas? Not sure if you can get rent a address to use ? Kind of like a mail delivery box or something else that is legal? We are interested in what the options are.

As far as carrying your LTC and Drivers license with you overseas.......We normally only come home to Texas a couple of months per year.

After I left my drivers license in our quarters in Nigeria a few years ago ....I had to get a replacement Drivers License when I got to Texas and realized I had left it in Africa - we decided to get government issued ID cards.

My wife I now leave our Drivers license and CHL/LTS's in our safe in Texas and have ID cards issued by state of Texas that we take with us overseas.

I would also advise you to take at least 2 Credit Cards and tell the Credit Card companies you are working and living international because they will likely hold some orders to get confirmation from you. We like this and we regularly communicate with the credit card companies to let them know when we are traveling and to expect activity on the account.

Again, we are interested in what the legal options for having address in Texas so you can keep your LTC and Drivers license are - if any?

Thanks, gamboolman & gamboolgal...

After lots of research I have settled on obtaining an RV and renting a spot at an RV park. This is my way of keeping a legal permanent residence in Texas with the benefit of being mobile when I am in the USA.
I am not keeping the RV in storage, am spending a bit more to have an actual RV Park space where there is no doubt about it being a legal residence.
I was able to buy a new RV for less than 1 year of property tax on my house!!! It will be so nice not paying property tax any more and still having my own place in the USA yet not tied to one place when I am in the USA.

Mr. Goodname 4, Thanks for posting back on what you decided to do. Sounds like you have figured a good approach with the RV and renting a spot for it. You are right about high property taxes for sure ! We live in one of the highest counties in Texas and it is a lot !

Ms. Gamboolgal and I like your idea about the RV and how you have done it so that you can keep your Texas residence, thus your DL, CHL and Tx ID's. We are nearing retirement. 40 some odd years in the oilfields....and after near to 20 years of working and living oversea's, we know that we don't want to keep our present home in The Woodlands, albeit nice. We'll most likely move to rural area and hopefully on a waterfront lake property.

We are so looking forward to the day when we go thru Passport Control for the last time ! I'm not saying we will not ever travel international voluntarily in retirement - but I doubt it very much as we have seen and experienced enough of the world - that for Ms. Gamboolgal and I - we'll be just fine in Texas and the USA.

Again, thanks for getting back to us on what you figured out

gamboolman wrote:If you still have a permanent address in Texas - it is a non issue.

Wife and I are from Texas working oilfields of West Africa since 2003. We kept our home in Texas as it is being lived in by our adult son who is attending multiple post graduate schools. So we still own our home in Texas and have a permanent address.

I have thought about how we might could keep our CHL/LTC's and Drivers License's if we sold our home in Texas? Not sure if you can get rent a address to use ? Kind of like a mail delivery box or something else that is legal? We are interested in what the options are.

As far as carrying your LTC and Drivers license with you overseas.......We normally only come home to Texas a couple of months per year.

After I left my drivers license in our quarters in Nigeria a few years ago ....I had to get a replacement Drivers License when I got to Texas and realized I had left it in Africa - we decided to get government issued ID cards.

My wife I now leave our Drivers license and CHL/LTS's in our safe in Texas and have ID cards issued by state of Texas that we take with us overseas.

I would also advise you to take at least 2 Credit Cards and tell the Credit Card companies you are working and living international because they will likely hold some orders to get confirmation from you. We like this and we regularly communicate with the credit card companies to let them know when we are traveling and to expect activity on the account.

Again, we are interested in what the legal options for having address in Texas so you can keep your LTC and Drivers license are - if any?

Thanks, gamboolman & gamboolgal...

What use is a Texas ID overseas?

We have, at times needed additional identification in addition to our passports in Europe and Africa. The Texas ID has been accepted just fine since it is issued by State government.

We got the ID's after I left my Drivers License in Nigeria and had to get a replacement.

gamboolman wrote:We have, at times needed additional identification in addition to our passports in Europe and Africa. The Texas ID has been accepted just fine since it is issued by State government.

We got the ID's after I left my Drivers License in Nigeria and had to get a replacement.

I used my Texas DL as identification in Argentina when I was working there, because I didn't like to carry my Passport Book. I later got a Passport Card for that reason. If I was on a longer term work permit I would have gotten a national ID with a CUIL number (El Código Único de Identificación Laboral) basically like a SSN, but I worked less than 180 days there in each calendar year.

Keeping Texas residency is more important if you need to keep your CHL. Also one time I moved overseas and used my Mother's address to receive mail. A few years later I was hit with a lien for back taxes for her state!!! To get out of the taxes they demanded proof of residency for Texas such as electric bill, phone bill, copy of lease, etc. I had none of these so my lawyer advised I just pay the taxes for that state. The liens were listed on my credit report for many years.
Keeping the Texas residency will keep me State tax free, a valid CHL holder, mailing address that is not just PO box. Another weird thing is that car insurance company wants physical address and not a mail box. Now as part of my solution I have a Travel Trailer to use when I am in USA.

Goodname4id wrote:I was able to buy a new RV for less than 1 year of property tax on my house!!!

That speaks volumes about the size of government now versus 1776.

Goodname4id wrote:After lots of research I have settled on obtaining an RV and renting a spot at an RV park. This is my way of keeping a legal permanent residence in Texas with the benefit of being mobile when I am in the USA.
I am not keeping the RV in storage, am spending a bit more to have an actual RV Park space where there is no doubt about it being a legal residence.
I was able to buy a new RV for less than 1 year of property tax on my house!!! It will be so nice not paying property tax any more and still having my own place in the USA yet not tied to one place when I am in the USA.

If you don't mind me asking, how big is your RV and what did it cost? I briefly had high hopes for the Republicans draining the swamp, but their feet dragging on Obamacare makes me think I had the right idea before the surprise election results. I should quit my job, kick back and enjoy the decline, unless the Republicans reverse the socialist tide. I'm trying to decide between going mobile and putting a small cabin on some cheap land.

I purchased a 2017 Starcraft 19BHS. It is 23 ft long with a queen size bed slide out that goes out the back to make it more 6 ft longer. I got the extreme package so it is 5 inches higher with larger tires the I changed the 20 lb propane bottle for 2 x 30 lb bottles and added an extra spare tire and carrier. It weighs 4000 lb dry and 5000 lb max. I paid around 20 grand for it. I could have gotten a lot more trailer for less if I went used but look up the video reviews of this model trailer and see what you get for the size and weight.