Moving to DR from US

akmendoza · Mar 14, 2012

Hello!

My name is Arlene. I will be moving to Las Terrenas this summer to be with my fianc? and have started making my "list" in preparation for the move. I am seeking any advice, tips, guidelines about the process. The three big things that are top of mind for me:

Resident visa: Apply through the DR consulate in DC (where I presently live) or wait until after I've moved to the DR? Pros and cons to doing either?
Pet: I have a large dog that will be coming with me. Looking for recommendations on airlines, risks, challenges, considerations.
Financial: Banking is hot button for me. When I lived in London I maintained two accounts (one UK, one US) which was a hassle. I am hoping to avoid that this time around, but, of course, I will still have debts here in the US (student loans) that will need to be paid out of a US account. I have been debating opening an "international" account, but from what I have read so far it's as much of a hassle as maintaining two accounts. Thoughts? Considerations?

I look forward to any and all feedback and even more so starting a new chapter of my life in Las Terrenas!

Cheers

Arlene

pi2 · Mar 14, 2012

You can maintain a multi currency account with the likes of www.internaxx.lu and transfer money to any account you wish either direct or via the US account.

pi2

akmendoza · Mar 14, 2012

There are branches of TD Bank in the metro area so I will check into it. TY!

Ken · Mar 14, 2012

It is not clear to me what you are thinking with respect to banking. There is no reason why you can't keep your US account and write checks on it to get money at a banco de cambio in Las Terrenas. That is why I and many other expats do.

I have an account in a local bank with a little money in it, but most of my banking is done with my bank in the US. That works for me because my sources of income are in the US and the deposits are made into my US account.

If your sources of income will be here, that is a different story. But even if your major account is here you can still keep your account in the US if you have a means of getting money into the account to pay off your student loans, etc.

akmendoza · Mar 15, 2012

Hi Ken -- Thanks for the info. Seems like I will need to maintain two accounts. My primary source of income will be coming from the DR. Now time to recruit someone to be my bank b**** here in the States.

windeguy · Mar 15, 2012

All banks in the DR are actually independent of banks in any other country. They might be owned by the same corporation, such as Scotia bank here and in Canada, but they are treated a separate entities. No problem keeping a bank in the US and then starting an account in on here when you are ready.

Unless something has changed, there will be a charge for all wire transfers into DR accounts. Writing a check to the account does no incur a charge for US dollar accounts in the DR.

JuanDolioLiving · Mar 15, 2012

Hello Arlene,

as someone says you can have 2 bank accounts one in pesos and another one in USD in the DR. all banks here have that option. to send money from the DR to anywhere in the world throught your bank you a one transfer fee of 50.00USD regarless on the amount that you are transferring, receiving money from abroad to your local bank account in the DR takes about 3 to 5 business, and there is a 2 ways transfer fees. I suggest that you use BHD bank, To open an account you will be subject it to provide your current USA bank referrence letter, personal letter and a business letter. The banks will also ask you fillout a form to so that the bank can conduct an international credit check on you. getting a DR resident card is better to do it when you get here

bob saunders · Mar 15, 2012

I can transfer online from my RBC account in Canada to my BHD account up to $2500 per day. Cost $13 from the Royal Bank and $7 from BHD for a total of $20. Money is available in account 3-4 days. If you chose BHD the bank they deal(AGREEMENT WITH) with in the USA is the Bank of America.

windeguy · Mar 15, 2012

bob saunders said:
I can transfer online from my RBC account in Canada to my BHD account up to $2500 per day. Cost $13 from the Royal Bank and $7 from BHD for a total of $20. Money is available in account 3-4 days. If you chose BHD the bank they deal(AGREEMENT WITH) with in the USA is the Bank of America.

Interesting information for Canadians. For US citizens, they would have to check if Bank of America provides a similar deal on transfers of money to the DR. I suspect the answer is no. Checks are free but take weeks to clear.

william webster · Mar 16, 2012

You will not be bringing the dog in the summer..... heat embargo for the summer months.

Ask your airline for more details...........

Not always easy --- 100lb limit includes cage

william webster · Mar 16, 2012

windeguy said:
Interesting information for Canadians. For US citizens, they would have to check if Bank of America provides a similar deal on transfers of money to the DR. I suspect the answer is no. Checks are free but take weeks to clear.

RBC is available in the US ---- works well.

Local branches up/down the east coast --- wealth mgt too

I have a good contact if you want...

william webster · Mar 16, 2012

akmendoza said:
There are branches of TD Bank in the metro area so I will check into it. TY!

The Cdn TD's and ScotiaBanks aren't interchangeable w/ the US or RD counterparts....

Totally separate............. sadly..... refernce letters help the proces but its not seamless

akmendoza · Mar 17, 2012

william webster said:
You will not be bringing the dog in the summer..... heat embargo for the summer months.

Ask your airline for more details...........

Not always easy --- 100lb limit includes cage

Thanks for this tip. I read on airline sites that they would not fly dogs out when the temperatures were cooler, but nothing about when it's hot. As for the weight, my dog is ~80 lbs. Seems like this is going to be a bigger challenge than I expected.

akmendoza · Mar 17, 2012

william webster said:
RBC is available in the US ---- works well.

Local branches up/down the east coast --- wealth mgt too

I have a good contact if you want...

I looked up information on RBC in the US and it looks like all of those accounts are transitioning to PNC Bank. Challenges challenges. Thankfully I have three more months to figure this all out.

Thanks for the input!

william webster · Mar 17, 2012

akmendoza said:
I looked up information on RBC in the US and it looks like all of those accounts are transitioning to PNC Bank. Challenges challenges. Thankfully I have three more months to figure this all out.

Thanks for the input!

Yes, they are transitioning but if you open a wealth mgt account, you may stay with them.
It can be as small as you want. My friend in Phila works for them if you need help.

As for the dog.... the Cdn airlines, WestJet, only allows 'in the hold' pets from Oct thru April, I think.

Airlines are backing away from animals these days, I find.

Expat-in-Cabarete · Mar 17, 2012

I moved here from Northern Virginia in the summer of 2006. To bring my dog. I had to do a separate trip in early May, and even then had to argue with American because that particular day I had my ticket fo the temp in Miami was expected to be over 80 degrees. Believe me, you will not be able to bring your dog with you in the summer (or in the middle of the winter). Your only alternative is to ship your dog as cargo, which takes about two weeks to get him here.

william webster · Mar 17, 2012

I have done it from Miami on an earlymorning flight = AA.
It was January and April when we used to fly w/ a dog.
We have since stopped,

The rule is ridiculous because its always over 85 here in RD but they draw the line at May 1 for return flights to Canada.

I had a Cane Corso flown from Las Vegas to Detroit in August - Continental thru Cleveland but it was an overnite flight so had cool temps.

akmendoza · Mar 17, 2012

Expat-in-Cabarete said:
I moved here from Northern Virginia in the summer of 2006. To bring my dog. I had to do a separate trip in early May, and even then had to argue with American because that particular day I had my ticket fo the temp in Miami was expected to be over 80 degrees. Believe me, you will not be able to bring your dog with you in the summer (or in the middle of the winter). Your only alternative is to ship your dog as cargo, which takes about two weeks to get him here.

Two weeks as cargo will be too stressful (for both him and me). I'm wondering if (as WW stated above) if I take an evening flight, the airline would be willing to take him on.

Thanks so much for the info. Worse comes to worst, I may have his trainer in SC care for him until fall and then return to the US to bring him back. Also, seems like flying out of Miami is the way to go when I do fly him over, correct? Only direct flights? There's definitely nothing out of DCA, IAD or BWI that is direct.

Thanks so much!

akmendoza · Mar 17, 2012

william webster said:
Yes, they are transitioning but if you open a wealth mgt account, you may stay with them.
It can be as small as you want. My friend in Phila works for them if you need help.

As for the dog.... the Cdn airlines, WestJet, only allows 'in the hold' pets from Oct thru April, I think.

Airlines are backing away from animals these days, I find.

WW - if you would please email or private message your friend's info, I would appreciate it. Would like to have the most flexible option possible as I have no one locally that would be able to help with financial matters. Especially since the mail system in DR appears to be rather un-reliable at best.

Cheers!

Expat-in-Cabarete · Mar 17, 2012

There are no direct flights to the north coast from DCA, and no flights from the US to Samana.

It is a good idea to fly at night to Miami and then take an early flight out (it'll have to be Santo Domingo or Santiago, Puerto Plata has one daily flight only around lunch time), but then you are likely to have to pay more for the stopover plus a hotel that will take you with a large dog, plus transportation to a hotel. My dog was back then about 60 pounds. I couldn't imagine having to go through all that mess with luggage, the dog cage and the dog on my own. It was hard enough to make it to DCA!

Still call the airline. I called several times after going over and over the info available online -- the temperature restriction applies to the place of departure and any stop over because they don't have a/c facilities to store the animals before being put on the plane or while being moved to a different plane.

As I said earlier, I got into an argument the same day we flew because they insisted the temps in Miami were going to be above their cutoff temp (I don't remember now exactly what it was). I finally convinced them by saying we were arriving and departing Miami before noon, and thus it wasn't be as hot as they were claiming. This was American Airlines. Maybe Jetblue or Continental are easier (you'll have to go through Newark or JFK instead of Miami).

Keep in mind that if your dog can't travel, you'll lose part of your ticket if you have to stay. Good luck!

akmendoza said:
Two weeks as cargo will be too stressful (for both him and me). I'm wondering if (as WW stated above) if I take an evening flight, the airline would be willing to take him on.

Thanks so much for the info. Worse comes to worst, I may have his trainer in SC care for him until fall and then return to the US to bring him back. Also, seems like flying out of Miami is the way to go when I do fly him over, correct? Only direct flights? There's definitely nothing out of DCA, IAD or BWI that is direct.

Thanks so much!

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