Ordinarily resident status

Let’s pretend that you have a special treehouse. You live in it most of the time, sleep there, keep your toys and clothes inside and do your homework on the porch. That means you are ‘ordinarily resident’ in the treehouse.

In the same way, when people live in a country for a long time, use services like hospitals, schools, and even just walk down the streets every day, they are considered ‘ordinarily resident’ in that country. This means that they have a strong connection to that country and it’s considered their home.

Being ‘ordinarily resident’ is important when it comes to certain benefits like healthcare, education, and voting. Sometimes, people who are not ‘ordinarily resident’ might not be able to get access to these things because they are not considered a permanent part of that place.

So, just like your treehouse is your home, your country can be your home too if you have lived there long enough to be an ‘ordinarily resident’.