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Thanks for sharing your story!!!  Its very helpful.

Rule of thumb -  never ever ever pay everything up front!!!  There is no reason for them to help you or work to push things througb unless you owe money!!!

katiejay,

Your story is affirming my decision to abort my plans to move my family of nine (seven children, my wife, and me) to this land of thieves.
I really like the location and most of the people.
Sadly, a corrupt government can render even the best of locations a veritable disaster regarding living conditions.  This is especially true for the United States and is a primary motivator for my seeking a place of refuge from the dictates of tyranny.
Simply, I do not have the time and resources to tolerate this nonsense.  The leadership of this nation is proverbially shooting shooting itself in the foot, especially since the foundation of the economy of this nation rests largely on a healthy, vibrant tourist industry.
It is tragic that this government is so myoptic and corrupt.
As a sidenote: I thank Bob and Planner for all of their efforts.  In fact, Bob was kind enough to meet with me over lunch to answer many of my questions.  Thanks, again, Bob.

Clearly this country is not for everyone.  I hope you find your "home".

In this country Planner is right NEVER pay in full up front for anything! Even using vendors we have use in the past we will pay for materials (requiring a receipt immediately after purchase) up front but that is it.


Bob K

Mike you are welcome.  I had a great time meeting  you and after that lunch I thought that the DR may be what you are looking for.  I do wish you luck and I am happy you did not make the move and then regret it afterwards like many coming here do.

Doing you homework is so important.

Bob K

Hi, your blogs (especially this one on residency) have been very helpful for us. We are also in the process of obtaining our residency visa and believe we now have all required documents. However, we have not found anywhere in DR where we can get our doc's apostiled. Can anyone let us know if we can get our US doc's apostiled on the DR (hopefully near Santiago where we live)?

I believe you cannot do it here. This needs to be done before arriving in the DR.

And thank you! Glad its helpful!

I will ask our lawyer..as they made a mistake on our Criminal Records Check..we are in R.D. now and went through a process to get proper CRC  sent to us( still waiting) but I do know our lawyer said she would have to take the documents to be translated/apostiled ?? I believe somewhere in Santo Domingo.
   We love it here but life is definitely not without it's pitfalls! If you need a lawyer referral let me know..

  K D..

I would never pay for anything up front in full here for anything. Down payment yes... pay in full...NO.

Not sure who you are using as a lawyer here but not sure she is doing  a good job for you, but maybe time for a second opinion.  I believe that the whole process after submitting all of your paperwork should be about 2 - 3 months MAX

Let me know if I can be of any help.

I have forgotten (it's a getting old thing) where did you end up living?

Bob K

That would be great...thanks!

Tony what would be great?

Bob K

Sorry Bob, I am kinda new at this blogging stuff. My response was intended for katie jay for be willing to ask her lawyer.

The local office here in the DR told me that Americans have to apply from their country ONLY and NOT in the DR initially.  So that means if you are already in the DR you have to fly out to apply. Obviously, one of the brain dead legislators came up with this one.

That is correct!

dreamtime wrote:

The local office here in the DR told me that Americans have to apply from their country ONLY and NOT in the DR initially.  So that means if you are already in the DR you have to fly out to apply. Obviously, one of the brain dead legislators came up with this one.

That is not just for Americans!..we had many  documents that had to be translated and stamped at the Dominican Embassy in Canada. For people who qualify there is a process in place to legalize foreigners but 1 requirement is having lived here for the past( 3 + years) ..I believe that is the number I was quoted.
Not too many countries you can just fly into..stay and apply for Residency anymore..!  and definitely not at this cost! I  was asked more questions /interrogated!! just to fly from Canada through Newark Liberty to get here last month!!
.

Hello:

I was informed that now one requires a Certificate of Good Conduct from the FBI. Is all this worth it? I wanted a retirement visa which is faster than most visas but the process is just as costly. What are the advantages and disadvantages? Seemingly, if one wants to work they will require residency. If not, is obtaining the visa worth it?

Bill.

Bill firs of all welcome to the forum.  There is lots of good information here and lots of threads on this subject as well as others topics to read.

If you are here on a basically full  time basis they yes you should go through the pain of getting your visa/residency. Fees for staying  over 30 days  have increased and rumor about is that  they will be increaisng again.  Driving here  after 90 days  with out a DR drivers lic is also illegal and may  effect any   insurance coveage you have.  The government is starting to tighten things up to requre folks to be here "legally".  Thinik about it you cannot saty int he US wiht out getting green card.  Why should things be different here.

Hope this helps

Bob K

I second the welcome.   Reality is no matter what visa "type" you apply for it is pretty much all the same!  It costs what it costs and it will take longer than you think.

Eventually the overstay fine situation will be dealt with by the government and it will change.

Thanks Bob.

Personal question, do you have your cedula? If yes, I assume you went the the costly and long process to obtain it. Yes? Also, I do respect the regulations for immigration but my argument is that it is extensive for us Americans which bring dollars. In comparison, they are expediting cedulas to Haitians who are in the DR illegally. Thus, Americans with extended stay need to return back to the USA to commence the VISA process.

As for the comparison between the USA and DR, that's apples and oranges. The DR needs US investors to continue development therefore should make the process easier. As you can see, the Haitians living illegally more than 3 years are being easily processed through an expedited process which will expire on July, 2015. The DR government should welcome the same for Americans that have over extended stay and are will to seek residency.

I have to firmly agree with Bob K and Planner. You are a bit off base and are mixing apples and oranges. D.R. as a Sovereign nation can dictate policy that you or  I and any foreign visitor should respect and abide by. Life is a beach and I suspect that may be a reason to come to the tropics. Sand, sea and sun. Remember love, peace and respect.

Yes I got my cedula and residencia many years ago and the process was easier then but still $$. 

Yes they  are trying ot aliviate the Haitian problem and allowing processing to cedula rather easilty for those that have been here a long time.  Still can be somewhat expensive.  I know because we are footing the  bill for our gardener who has been here for nearly 10 years....working.  He still needed to go back to Hsiti to get some of his paper work done.

If  i am not mistaken is not the US doing something similar (or planning to ) for the 10s of thousands of illegal Mexicans who have been in the US illegally for many years?????

Sorry  I  stick to my argument.

Bob Kp

Agreed, you are comparing apples to oranges. AND it is not just Americans investing money here!  No special treatment  just because you are American.  Supposedly special treatment for ANYONE investing money. Reality -its pretty much the same process.

We are dealing with the Haitian issues because of foreign pressure!  It is a huge expensive problem quite frankly. And the discussion of it has nothing to do with  residencia discussion!

DRTRAVELZONE wrote:

Thanks Bob.

Personal question, do you have your cedula? If yes, I assume you went the the costly and long process to obtain it. Yes? Also, I do respect the regulations for immigration but my argument is that it is extensive for us Americans which bring dollars. In comparison, they are expediting cedulas to Haitians who are in the DR illegally. Thus, Americans with extended stay need to return back to the USA to commence the VISA process.

As for the comparison between the USA and DR, that's apples and oranges. The DR needs US investors to continue development therefore should make the process easier. As you can see, the Haitians living illegally more than 3 years are being easily processed through an expedited process which will expire on July, 2015. The DR government should welcome the same for Americans that have over extended stay and are will to seek residency.

The DR is footing the bill to try and legalize Dominican born Haitians and  those that have been here for many years!Not just Haitian ,I have a friend who applied in the same line-up next to Police in POP..She is American but living here before Oct 2011..the required date. Needed a certificate of good conduct and personal info.We shall follow her progress.
And I do not feel any country should be putting pressure on Dominican Republic regarding this matter!! Can you imagine a delegation of Dominican Lobbyists going to Washington ,D.C. and telling the US Government they should be giving all ..say Mexican Immigrants ..citizenship!!
Dominican Government is trying it seems ,to do the best it can..a costly venture for sure,this along with footing costly medical bills for thousands of Haitian mothers  who get smuggled in to give birth in DR hospitals..and leaving their babies behind for DR to look after!! Stretching an already thin public healthcare system to the breaking point!! Many sides to this story..
So..whatever your reason for being here..take the steps to make your stay a legal one if you plan on living here.It is only going to get costlier and more complicated!! Happy to be done ..at least for this year!!

The current President here in D.R. Danilo Medina recently had about a 93% approval rating. The highest in the Western World. He's trying alright. He has a great habit of showing up at police precincts around the country unannounced. And he is almost always early and well prepared for meetings. Heck yes he's trying. Make your world and the community that you live in wherever a better place. Show up on time, be accountable, be conscientious, be prepared and be kind. Hey may be you can maybe president some day. Smile.

Ohhhh by the way KatieJay, how do you legalize someone who was already legal?
The DR is footing the bill to try and legalize Dominican born Haitians? Are you referring to the ones born after the 2010 revision or the ones from 1929 to 2015 like the government proposes???? The problem is that there are 3 Types that need regulating, but everyone has lumped them into one big group.

Everyone - we are NOT getting into this debate over the Haitian situation.  The subject is OFF LIMITS.  Posts are being removed. 

This is residencia and not about anything else please.

Planner with all due respect I was only trying to answer Katie as to her statement regarding the reason the international community pressuring the Dominican government.....don't you think on the blog we should dispel any erroneous facts and provide accuracy? Is that not what the blog is for? A forum to learn and to teach? Especially when a good part of the info is achieved through talking points and general chat and not based on History? That is why I provided links......I was not looking for a debate, just looking to shed light on a problem which many expats do not fully understand. If she had all the facts, she would not have asked why there is international pressure.

Planner is right.

No worry Massagewiz,  it ends now.

If the blog wants to edit my statements that is fine, but I still think there was useful information on what I wrote to help some of the bloggers understand what is and has taking place on that issue, since it is not just a Dominican problem, it is an international problem to some extent. The links I provided, at least some provide accurate info on the issue overall.  I will leave it up to moderators to decide, but I still think, we should explain what has been happening to these poor people

That is true but NOT ON THIS THREAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I am one of the moderators!

  No harm meant

No problem honey.....

OK!
So, this has nothing to do with Haitians & their no paperwork!

I am just a little confused here.
My Dominican wife, (of 1 year!) & I have been
to the Samana office 4 times before all my paperwork
was deemed to be PERFECT by the local staff.
And I do mean perfect! (typos are not allowed.)
They sent the package to SD, where they, in turn will
check it again. They will then deliver my Cedula to me in Cabrera.

This procedure is quite contrary to all that I am reading here.
Possibly is it because I am married to a Dominican?
Or because I have been, more or less, living here for 4 years.
Or because we own property here together?
So far the cost has been about 10,000 pesos.
+ the 4 trips to Samana. We have friends there, so it's a good thing.
Tom.

Catalina, my Esposa, told me not to worry.
She is a professional Accountant with Lawyer friends.

So you are getting your residencia or renewing your cedula Tomas???

Renewing is a lot different and easier then applying that is for sure.

Bob K

Well Planner, I am applying for my residencia permit.
I want to be legal here.

Yayyyyy  Tomas,  awesome, great price.  Hmmm you pick a great wife honey, or did she pick you????

Congrats on being legal

Bob K