I recently spent the month of May in the Punta Cana area staying in the Villa Del Sol I complex of the Coastal Bavaro developments. I met a young lady there and we became friends. She doesn't work and when I asked why she said she had no official documents of any kind and therefore can not get a job. I asked if she had a birth certificate or any legal document saying who she was. She said nothing. I am completely amazed by this. When I tried to explain to her how she may go get these documents to apply for an ID she seemed confused. Is it that big of a deal? That hard to obtain? Does she need a lawyer? At present I believe she is solely dependent on her family members for support. I have no intention of helping her in anyway but providing advice or suggestions but I do feel sorry for her. Should I lol or not? What can I tell her to do that would point her in the right direction?
- Thread starter sammy85430
- Start date
Dominican Identification Requirememnts And How To Obtain?
Bueno, the other thing you should be concerned about is if she's really young and doesn't want to show you her ID.
I know it's tempting to think if there's grass on the field then 'play ball', but always check their ID just in case hay un maco!
I know it's tempting to think if there's grass on the field then 'play ball', but always check their ID just in case hay un maco!
It is quite possible she is telling the truth. She may, for example, been born at home and the birth was not registered.
Hopefully Fabio Guzman will see your post and give you information on how it might be possible to get documents.
"and we became friends" - ah, to be young and in love wanting to help another person in distress. What could be more honest and noble. Dont worry, she will tell you exactly how you can help out. Have fun and be patient. It will all become clear to you in a little while.
Maybe so, but I don't agree that you can rule out the possibility that she doesn't have ID.
Sometime in the past, I posted a piece from the Sosua News about a school in the campo outside of Sosua run by Mrs. Katz that was trying to provide some very limited educational experience to children who were unable to attend school. One reason was inability to buy books, clothes for school, etc. But another reason for some children was that they had no documentation. Their birth had never been registered so they lacked the documentation necessary to attend school.
I know there are many that think it is cute to make assumptions they can make a meal out of, but reading the OP's post and request for help, and recalling what I read previously about others in the same situation, I much prefer to respond in a helpful manner than to try make what may be unwarranted jokes at the OP's expense.
Glad some of you find this amusing. Glad to brighten your day. I am well aware of the potential lies, scams, half truths and plots associated with this situation. I have been to the DR three times and realize what their young girls are capable of or not. I severed in the US Navy and "visited" many third world nations with similar "ways of life". I have not or will I "donate" to their cause. I simply have not been able to piece the information provided me as to why she does not have documentation. She speaks no English and we communicated via a smartphone app.(worked great btw). So enough of the stupid jokes and please answer the question if you can. Ken said "Their birth had never been registered so they lacked the documentation necessary to attend school." If that were the case what does she need to do?
There is a process for legally registering late, as it's a common problem.
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j...3WeLR3SghHaAeMHdA&sig2=KuBeww0yYg7I29QDx-mzZQ
Do you know is she was born in the DR? Was her birth mother a Dominican or legal resident at the time? Unless the law has changed anyone born in the DR whose parents were not legal residents is not considered a Dominican citizen and will not be issued a Dominican birth certificate.
I'll give you this link to read. It's about getting a Dominican passport but you might find some helpful hints in there while you wait.
Hi Sammy,
Try not to get too mad at all those who make fun of you and your post. This country and this site are packed with that kind of people, and there is only one thing you or I can do about it: ignore the heck out of them.
Now addressing the matter you bring to our attention, I have some experience with it that might be helpful to you. Please excuse my poor writing style as English is a foreign language to me.
I have lived in Bavaro for about five years now (in Costa B?varo, like you), and the last two and a half years I have been living together with my dominican girlfriend, who is currently 23 years-old.
When I met her she told me she had no ID. She did have a job, at a "sal?n" (beauty parlour), but of course she was not legally employed and had no Social Security.
Like the girl you mention, she had no idea how to really obtain her c?dula. She and her parents had already tried to start the process several times, to no avail.
Naturally, I did not believe her fully at first. It didn't seem true to me that an intelligent, hard-working adult could not obtain her ID card easily in her own country. Oh how wrong I was.
Now for the last two and a half years we have been doing this thing together, and I can tell you that obtaining that c?dula is anything but fast, easy or cheap.
We started the process with two different lawyers who had been recommended to us, one in Santo Domingo and one in Barahona. And at the same time, in parallel, we started doing it on our own at the Registro Civil in Barahona province.
The two lawyers are still calling us every now and then to ask for money, but by now it is clear to us that they are not really working on the matter, so we are not sending them money anymore. When we get the c?dula I will make sure to call them and insult them at ease.
The process we started in Barahona without a lawyer didn't take us anywhere either, as some eight months after we deposited the first documents we were told by the official that our file was lost and we had to start again. Which we didn’t.
During these years, we have approached dozens of other people in search of a solution to our problem, and every time we have been taken by fools by these so called "professionals", who have only wanted to scam us.
Thank God one of the people we approached was the "Juez Civil" of the little town where my girlfriend was born. This person (maybe due to the fact it’s a small town?) is one of the very few (relatively) honest, professional people I have ever encountered in this country. Admittedly, he should be doing this for free (as he gets paid by the Dominican Government to do just that), but he asked that we "help" him with 12.000 dop, half at the beginning and half after we have the birth certificate. We accepted. He said that the matter would be solved in some three months.
We are in our seventh month now with him, but at last a few weeks ago we obtained a Sentence from a Court in the city of Barahona, mandating that my girlfriend's birth be registered. We deposited the said sentence at the Junta Electoral Central in Santo Domingo, and they gave us a voucher saying we should come back to get her birth certificate next 22 of June. With that birth certificate she will be able to apply for her c?dula and her passport, and then I will start applying for her Spanish Visa so we can finally leave this place behind.
That was (part of) my personal story regarding Dominican birth certificates.
Now regarding your QUESTIONS:
1. Is it that big of a deal?
Yes
2. That hard to obtain?
Yes
3. Does she need a lawyer?
Yes, but one who is REALLY and honestly going to work for you. I cannot recommend you any lawyers.
4. Should I lol or not?
She might be lying to you, but what she is saying is not outlandish. In fact it is VERY common. This article claims this problem affects 25% of the population: 25% de dominicanos sin cdula de identidad
5. What can I tell her to do that would point her in the right direction?
You can tell her she will need lots of money, tons of patience, bunches of insistence, plenty of time, and more than a pinch of good luck.
Sammy, if you need any further help, do not hesitate to pm me.
As for the usual, ignorant, bad-intentioned trolls, you can try as hard as you like, I will not pay the least attention to your bad writing. And it’s a pity for you, because you’d love to pick on this story: my girlfriend is black, poor, of Haitian ascendance, and she is also beautiful, intelligent and loving. I am white, affluent, young enough and reasonable attractive, and I am taking her home to Spain with me. Ok, you can start feeling jealous now.
Finally, to the rest of dr1.com readers, I salute you and I wish you a good day.
Try not to get too mad at all those who make fun of you and your post. This country and this site are packed with that kind of people, and there is only one thing you or I can do about it: ignore the heck out of them.
Now addressing the matter you bring to our attention, I have some experience with it that might be helpful to you. Please excuse my poor writing style as English is a foreign language to me.
I have lived in Bavaro for about five years now (in Costa B?varo, like you), and the last two and a half years I have been living together with my dominican girlfriend, who is currently 23 years-old.
When I met her she told me she had no ID. She did have a job, at a "sal?n" (beauty parlour), but of course she was not legally employed and had no Social Security.
Like the girl you mention, she had no idea how to really obtain her c?dula. She and her parents had already tried to start the process several times, to no avail.
Naturally, I did not believe her fully at first. It didn't seem true to me that an intelligent, hard-working adult could not obtain her ID card easily in her own country. Oh how wrong I was.
Now for the last two and a half years we have been doing this thing together, and I can tell you that obtaining that c?dula is anything but fast, easy or cheap.
We started the process with two different lawyers who had been recommended to us, one in Santo Domingo and one in Barahona. And at the same time, in parallel, we started doing it on our own at the Registro Civil in Barahona province.
The two lawyers are still calling us every now and then to ask for money, but by now it is clear to us that they are not really working on the matter, so we are not sending them money anymore. When we get the c?dula I will make sure to call them and insult them at ease.
The process we started in Barahona without a lawyer didn't take us anywhere either, as some eight months after we deposited the first documents we were told by the official that our file was lost and we had to start again. Which we didn’t.
During these years, we have approached dozens of other people in search of a solution to our problem, and every time we have been taken by fools by these so called "professionals", who have only wanted to scam us.
Thank God one of the people we approached was the "Juez Civil" of the little town where my girlfriend was born. This person (maybe due to the fact it’s a small town?) is one of the very few (relatively) honest, professional people I have ever encountered in this country. Admittedly, he should be doing this for free (as he gets paid by the Dominican Government to do just that), but he asked that we "help" him with 12.000 dop, half at the beginning and half after we have the birth certificate. We accepted. He said that the matter would be solved in some three months.
We are in our seventh month now with him, but at last a few weeks ago we obtained a Sentence from a Court in the city of Barahona, mandating that my girlfriend's birth be registered. We deposited the said sentence at the Junta Electoral Central in Santo Domingo, and they gave us a voucher saying we should come back to get her birth certificate next 22 of June. With that birth certificate she will be able to apply for her c?dula and her passport, and then I will start applying for her Spanish Visa so we can finally leave this place behind.
That was (part of) my personal story regarding Dominican birth certificates.
Now regarding your QUESTIONS:
1. Is it that big of a deal?
Yes
2. That hard to obtain?
Yes
3. Does she need a lawyer?
Yes, but one who is REALLY and honestly going to work for you. I cannot recommend you any lawyers.
4. Should I lol or not?
She might be lying to you, but what she is saying is not outlandish. In fact it is VERY common. This article claims this problem affects 25% of the population: 25% de dominicanos sin cdula de identidad
5. What can I tell her to do that would point her in the right direction?
You can tell her she will need lots of money, tons of patience, bunches of insistence, plenty of time, and more than a pinch of good luck.
Sammy, if you need any further help, do not hesitate to pm me.
As for the usual, ignorant, bad-intentioned trolls, you can try as hard as you like, I will not pay the least attention to your bad writing. And it’s a pity for you, because you’d love to pick on this story: my girlfriend is black, poor, of Haitian ascendance, and she is also beautiful, intelligent and loving. I am white, affluent, young enough and reasonable attractive, and I am taking her home to Spain with me. Ok, you can start feeling jealous now.
Finally, to the rest of dr1.com readers, I salute you and I wish you a good day.
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I was married to a Dominicana for fourteen years. Her birth was registered about two years after the fact. A gf that I had in Villa Mella, same deal. Current gf born in Moca, also. For anyone truly familiar with DR it's not at all surprising that some people never get their births registered. If they're of Haitian descent and the "legality" of their residence is hazy, even less so. Good luck, Sammy.
Thank you trangalanga and the rest of you for your support and very informative answers and comments! I really appreciate it and now know where to begin! Everyone have a great day!
The Junta Central Electoral is trying hard to solve this problem, now that the Haitian situation has been somewhat dealt with by the new immigration regulations.
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