Temporary Resdidencia - first steps!

Thanks Bob!
Well Planner,it was mutually agreed on that we get married!
& yes, Catalina is as close to perfect as you can
get without wings!
Also her (our) kids are great. We have 2 in SD Universities.
The youngest wants to open a bike repair shop.
Did you hear Danilo's speech this morning?
It was great!

I am very happy for you honey!!!  Now your next job is to find me the male version  please....... I am still taking applications.....

I missed Danilo's speech.  Start a thread to discuss it if you want.

Please start a thread on it as I did not hear it.

Is he running (fingers crossed)

Bob K

Hi!

That's all great information about the procedures for temporary residence, thank you.

I have a  couple of questions that might sound a bit naive, but it's actually to define my "strategy" before moving to DR.

I am moving to DR in a couple of months, still not sure for how long (probably a year or two). My boyfriend is dominican, and he told me I could go under a tourist visa and then change my status when I'm there. But I just read another post about fees for overstay (by the way, the max stay under tourist visa, is it 30 or 90 days?)
Is it hard to change stats from tourist to temporary residence being already there? Or would you advise me to get a temporary residence right away, before going to DR?

Thanks in advance!

FeKrassuski welcome to the forum.

To try and answer your questions. NO you must start the residency process in your home country NOT here. If you pay the over stay fees you are looking at between $9500 and $11,000 pesos depending on how long you are here.  That is under current laws. However the government is starting a crack down on those that stay and do not apply for residency so this may change and probably will over the next couple of years.  Also there is a rumor about (which may mean nothing) that these fees may double again this year.

Please tell me your are NOT moving here for a "boyfriend" who  you met on vacation.

Do you plan on working while here and if so again  you will need your residency and Cedula (national ID card much like a green card back in the US) to work here legally.

Hope that this helps and again welcome.

Bob K

Welcome to the forums.   Bob is absolutely correct - the process MUST be started at home  and CANNOT be started here.  A work visa is exactly the same, it MUST be started at home.

Make sure of everything before starting this process.

Hi Bob and Planner,

Thanks for the info, it clarified my thoughts. I'll do the residency process before going. I'm just concerned about me not being part of the groups described in their website. Do they give residence for no matter what reasons? (Such as moving to spend some time in the country and be able to work)? Or what should I say in my letter "of intentions"?

I appreciate the concern, but no, that's not the case with my boyfriend. Lol

Cheers!!

Can't really help with the letter as we came "retired".

Do know that if  you plan on working here you will need the residency and cedula card. AND that wages are very low here not nearly what you are used to back home.

Glad to hear about the boyfriend

Bob K

You will need a sponsor  for your residency.  Contact a lawyer regarding the residency letter. I suggest Wilson (Billy ) Rood,  [email protected]    He can help you with that, he speaks English and Spanish.

Now one requires an FBI Letter of Good Conduct. I went to the NYC consulate and was informed of the new procedure. You might want to update your post as an f/y/i. I wish there was an easier way but that's the regulations.

Thanks, another change.....

Back in Dec/2014, I needed that letter from the RCMP.

I'm interested with this subject since I am planning to stay here forever. Last time I exited the country I paid the overstay fee of 4,000 RD$ since I had been there for over 3 months. By the way they count time from your 1st day in the Dominican Republic, and not the first day after the expiry of your tourist card. Then I re-entered 2 weeks later, bought a new tourist card and the clock got restarted. So far it's not expensive and I'll never work here since wages are so low (I'll work FROM here but for Canadian clients so that's a whole different story). However I'd like to be a legal resident to avoid adverse consequences of potential changes of law.

I've seen the categories for which you can ask residency and none applies to my situation so far. However I heard between the branches that you can still apply for your residency after having been here for a certain period of time. Does anybody know about that?

Otherwise I could always marry my Dominican girlfriend if need be.

Hey MP!
Are you engaged?
Actually I have never read the requirements.
I don't think they are available in English.
Catalina looked after it all for me.
From what I understand, it can cost between
80 & 160 thousand pesos.
Unless you are like me, LUCKY!

Great info

Cost for initial residencia -  depends on cost of documents where you are,  cost of translation and then legalizing them.

THEN the cost of actually applying here is another stopy -  without a lawyer count on  800 to 1,000 US with a lawyer,  between  1200 US and  up to  2500 US for just this first part.  This does not count trips to the capital -  at least 2 of them.

It is not a cheap process for sure.  Unless you speak a fair amount of Spanish get yourself a lawyer.  It will add $400-$500 to your cost and be well worth it.

Bob K

I agree Bob, it is not an easy process and well worth the additional cost to get it done right.

Types of residency visas available see the website. domrep.org/visa.html

Thanks.

Tanks for the site

Bob K

When time comes I'll hire a lawyer. Money well spent! I'm not yet engaged with my gf but give me six months and that could change. Still testing the relationship now, but so far so good.

Thank you all for the useful info!

You are welcome and good luck

Do keep us posted on your progress on "both" fronts

Bob K

Yes please do.................

Hey MP, test lots & unless she scores 100 per cent,
keep exploring chum!
Really!

Words of wisdom Tomas! We're not there yet, not even close. 

Good stuff MP.
You've been down this trail before, I think.
One of these days we'll have a beer at Mannys!

"apostilled" - What does that really mean? Notarized and Certified as a true copy or what?

Nope it means some process done at the Dominican Consulate.  You just pay for it...........

It actually falls under the category of BOHICA tax.  Which stands for Bend Over Here It Comes Again.

Bob KI

HAHAHAHA

Hello everyone!

I have not introduced myself on the newbie thread yet (and I will do so) but I wanted to jump in here because I have just - last Monday - completed the Temporary Residencia/Cedula process and thought I might be of some use having had a very recent experience.

I have been at this for a leisurely year and a half and did much of the preliminary work myself - getting all the documents certified & Apostilled, translated, obtaining the Visa at the NYC consulate.

For the rest, I did hire an Attorney in the DR (will recommend). I had to make 3 appearances at Immigration in SD - I think the usual is 2 but wasn't charged any extra by my Attorney. She charges a flat fee.

After all was said and done, it has cost me about USD $1500 - $1800 to become legal.This is without travel expenses. Honestly, hiring an Attorney for the full process wouldn't have cost any more. But I do have the advantage now of knowing the process - at least for a US citizen. 

Planner gave a very accurate list of the requirements - the only exception now being the FBI report instead of a local police report. I had the same problem as some of you - mid way through the process, the police report requirement changed. What is now required (for those of us from the US) is an FBI background check WITH fingerprint.
It is not hard to get but it does take a month and is only good for 1 year so don't get it too early in the process. Get it in the same time frame as your letter from your doctor and after you mail off all your docs to the consulate for your Visa meaning close to before you go to the DR for immigration.

Another thing I wanted to mention  - if you are not in a hurry - is that after obtaining your initial personal documents (birth/marriage certs) and having them certified and Apostilled, you could have them translated in the DR when/if you go there for a visit and THEN send them to your consulate in the US to get your Visa.
It requires a little foresight but is much cheaper than having them translated at the consulate in the US ($2 - $5 per page - thinking of the guy with the 7 kids!)  My husbands and son's birth certificate etc are there now being done. I took them with me last week and left them with my Attorney. This is part of the process that is timeless. Those Apostilled, translated documents will not expire - so while you're at it, get an extra set for your file.
~Pat
PS - yes, it says I'm a member since 2013 - true - I've been reading the threads for years and finally - my first post! I will formally introduce myself within the NEXT 2 years!  just kidding! lol

Great post,  thanks for the update and info for all of us!!! AND welcome to posting......

Congrats Patti!
So, do you actually have your Cedula in hand?
Tom.

Thank You Planner!

And Yes Tom - Cedula AND Resident card IN HAND!

BTW Tom, - you and I may be neighbors - sort of - one day.

We haven't moved yet - still in the US - but I am being retired early from my job and we have already downsized just about everything here so we are getting ready to build a shack on our land in Cabrera and start out by spending our winters there - next year - hopefully.

Wonderful Patti!
Where in Cabrera?
& did you get your Cedula right then & there?
Tom.

Is there such a thing as a pensioner's visa/residencia?

An Apostile is an international "notary" stamp.  In the US it is issued by your state or federal government, depending on the document.  Been there, done that!  It actually was not difficult to do.  Even sending away to the UK to get my birth cert apostiled was fairly easy.

Yes there is - you need to meet pension income standards and then go thru the process!

Thanks!  I didn't see it mentioned on the government link provided.