In order to receive a veterans' bonus, applicants must submit, alongside required documents and a complete application, a Certificate of Residency from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Overview
In order to receive a veterans' bonus, applicants must submit, alongside required documents and a complete application, a Certificate of Residency from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Obtaining a signed and sealed Certificate of Residency
If this is your first time applying for the bonus, you must go to the city or town hall that you resided in 6 months to 1 year prior to your entry into the military. For example, if you entered the service between January 2010 and May 2010, the year of residency we need is 2009; or, if you entered the service between June 2010 and December 2010, the year of residency we need is 2010.
If you are reservist or member of the National Guard, please have the certificate of residence for your home of record filled out according to the date that you were activated for your latest deployment. This can be found in block 12A of your DD214 “Date entered AD this period”.
If you are applying for multiple subsequent bonuses and have multiple DD214s for each deployment, a certificate of residency is required for each DD214 that you are using to apply for a bonus.
For individuals currently living out of state
Contact your local VSO or city/town clerk to see if they will allow for someone in your family to have the Certificate of Residency filled out on your behalf.
Other documents accepted in lieu of Certificate of Residency
The Certificate of Residency is the preferred document to prove that you were a resident of Massachusetts six months immediately prior to entering the Armed Forces. If you are not able to get a Certificate of Residency signed we will accept copies of W2 tax statements, excise tax statements, or lease agreements dated immediately prior to you entering the Armed Forces. If you enlisted within a year after graduating from high school, we will accept a copy of your diploma or a GED.