Residency Visa - Important Update

Alfredo Guzman · Aug 31, 2012

The Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that, effective yesterday, foreigners either married to a Dominican national or with children born in the Dominican Republic will be able to apply for their residency visa directly through said Department in Santo Domingo, as long as the applicant can prove that he or she had been residing in the Dominican Republic prior to June 1st, 2012.

For additional information please feel free to email Guzman Ariza or call our Santo Domingo office at (809) 255-0980.

Givadogahome · Aug 31, 2012

So nothing on the permanent residency status for spouses and parents of Dominican citizens, still only able to apply for temporary visa?

windeguy · Aug 31, 2012

Givadogahome said:
So nothing on the permanent residency status for spouses and parents of Dominican citizens, still only able to apply for temporary visa?

I did not see where the OP mentioned if the visa was permanent or temporary in this situation so from that post it is not possible to tell. Wild guess? Go directly to permanent is my guess, but we shall see.

Alfredo Guzman · Aug 31, 2012

Givadogahome said:
So nothing on the permanent residency status for spouses and parents of Dominican citizens, still only able to apply for temporary visa?

For the sake of clarity, this applies to everyone. Both temporary and permanent residency applicants are required to first obtain their residency visa. By permanent residency applicants I mean those who are applying directly for a permanent residency without first having obtained their provisional one.

According to the new law spouses and foreign parents of Dominican citizens are able to apply directly for their permanent residency (See page 1 of Guzman Ariza's Residency Summary):

"The following applicants may apply immediately for permanent residency status without having to previously obtain temporary residency status:

1) Investors of at least 200,000 USD in local businesses (including free zones and government
contracts) or in local financial instruments.
2) Retirees with a monthly pension of at least 1,500 USD (plus 250 USD per dependent).
3) Applicants with monthly income of at least 2,000 USD for five years or more (rentistas).
4) Applicants related to Dominicans or to foreigners with permanent residency status in DR (spouses
and children)."

windeguy · Aug 31, 2012

I think the big difference is that residency visa in this case, which is applied to your passport, can be applied for within the DR and hopefully avoid any trips back to the applicants home country, correct?

Alfredo Guzman · Aug 31, 2012

windeguy said:
I think the big difference is that residency visa in this case, which is applied to your passport, can be applied for within the DR and hopefully avoid any trips back to the applicants home country, correct?

Exactly.

Before: All applicants needed to first obtain a residency visa at his/her home country's nearest Dominican Consulate.

Now: If you meet the criteria, you can apply for the visa here in Santo Domingo sparing you the hassle of having to fly back to your home country.

Smart · Aug 31, 2012

Alfredo Guzman said:
According to the new law spouses and foreign parents of Dominican citizens are able to apply directly for their permanent residency (See page 1 of Guzman Ariza's Residency Summary):

"The following applicants may apply immediately for permanent residency status without having to previously obtain temporary residency status:
4) Applicants related to Dominicans or to foreigners with permanent residency status in DR (spouses
and children)."

This is becoming very frustrating to say the least. First we can, then we can't and now we can again, all within the space of 5 days.
When you say 'according to', does this mean 'you think', or this regulation/ruling has definitely been passed and is now in place?

Givadogahome · Aug 31, 2012

Slowly but surely the slump back to how it was begins.

Ken · Aug 31, 2012

Smart said:
This is becoming very frustrating to say the least. First we can, then we can't and now we can again, all within the space of 5 days.
When you say 'according to', does this mean 'you think', or this regulation/ruling has definitely been passed and is now in place?

You are frustrated only because you have been lapping up all the rumors on DR1 and treating them as gospel.

The best off are those who don't read DR1. They have gone about their normal lives, unconcerned about all the "imminent changes". Their blood pressure has stayed low, they haven't started searching the travel web sites for another country to move to, and they have not put their property on the market, hoping for a quick sale before the sky falls.

They are not expecting any major changes and it is not likely they will ever know how lucky they are that they were not reading these threads.

caribeman · Sep 1, 2012

Clarity on Resident Visa

Hello to All. I have read the many posts. Based on them I went to the Consulate here in NYC and picked up a 2 page list " Requirements for Resident Visa". Most of the items I have or are in process of obtaining( FBI Background, Birth Cert, Copies, etc, etc...)

The goal is permanent residency and citizenship. If I understand correct provisional residency is first for a period of years- UNLESS you had one of the several of 3 or 4 criteria met.

The kick is I had previously lived in the DR and invested in real estate. I noted:

"1) Investors of at least 200,000 USD in local businesses (including free zones and government
contracts) or in local financial instruments."

Does my former large downpayment and loan with a Dominican owner count toward this...? I kept all the records.

Should I just load all the documents into the case and bring them to the attorney there? Is that the answer?

Sorry for long message. The more I read the more confusing it is.

Expat13 · Sep 1, 2012

Alfredo Guzman said:
For the sake of clarity, this applies to everyone. Both temporary and permanent residency applicants are required to first obtain their residency visa. By permanent residency applicants I mean those who are applying directly for a permanent residency without first having obtained their provisional one.

According to the new law spouses and foreign parents of Dominican citizens are able to apply directly for their permanent residency (See page 1 of Guzman Ariza's Residency Summary):

"The following applicants may apply immediately for permanent residency status without having to previously obtain temporary residency status:

1) Investors of at least 200,000 USD in local businesses (including free zones and government
contracts) or in local financial instruments.
2) Retirees with a monthly pension of at least 1,500 USD (plus 250 USD per dependent).
3) Applicants with monthly income of at least 2,000 USD for five years or more (rentistas).
4) Applicants related to Dominicans or to foreigners with permanent residency status in DR (spouses
and children)."

Would by chance the purchase of Real Estate be considered an eligible investment?

windeguy · Sep 1, 2012

Expat13 said:
Would by chance the purchase of Real Estate be considered an eligible investment?

I believe it does and am surprised it is not on that list.

william webster · Sep 1, 2012

Let me ask a simple question (hopefully not a stupid one).

As an existing permanent resident, am I obligated to get the new from of residency - the one stamped/attached to my passport?
Or can I continue with my plastic tarjeta?

What I imagine is that upon renewal, I will be 'stamped' the next time.
I just renewed in March, so it will be a while for that renewal.

Thanks,
WW

Givadogahome · Sep 1, 2012

I thought the stamp was just for the residency visa, nothing to do with residency real. Everyone still gets a card, dont they? No doubt someone knows differently.

william webster · Sep 1, 2012

That's my question..... all of this is getting confusing.

GuzmanAriza will call me when i get offside - I hope.

Givadogahome · Sep 1, 2012

I think even lawyers are flying blindly on this one (words like should and could don't sound good to me when dealing with written regulations) there are different regs being told by different lawyers from what I can make out. I certainly think if there was ever a reason to apply when uncertain if you could get it for whatever reason, financial, criminal whatever, now is the perfect time to apply. On the other hand I can see people who haven't lived in the country long term and are having to do this for the first time, will almost certainly have thrown the towel in by the time it all gets cleared up and gone elsewhere for their relaxed Island paradise dream.
Ive got migraines just reading what everyone is dealing with. Never mind paying over $2000 for the privilege of not knowing what is going on, lol, it's certainly a funny place.

LindseyKaufman · Sep 1, 2012

As my lawyer said and I mentioned in a previous thread.....no one, lawyers, people working in immigration, Consulates, government officials, and even us pathetic gringos know for sure how this is eventually going to work out. We just need to give it time, stop worrying about something we have no control over, and see what happens.

Lindsey

karlheinz · Sep 1, 2012

william webster said:
Let me ask a simple question (hopefully not a stupid one).

As an existing permanent resident, am I obligated to get the new from of residency - the one stamped/attached to my passport?

Will, that passport residency visa stamp is only for those applying for residency the first time around. This gives the permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affiars to enter the country and then you can go to Immigration for the Residency itself. Since you already have yours this is not a requirement.

windeguy · Sep 1, 2012

LindseyKaufman said:
As my lawyer said and I mentioned in a previous thread.....no one, lawyers, people working in immigration, Consulates, government officials, and even us pathetic gringos know for sure how this is eventually going to work out. We just need to give it time, stop worrying about something we have no control over, and see what happens.

Lindsey

As a person much wiser than me said, "We are all just bozos on this bus." [video=youtube;lmWFrMq3qNY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmWFrMq3qNY[/video]

william webster · Sep 2, 2012

karlheinz said:
william webster said:

Let me ask a simple question (hopefully not a stupid one).

As an existing permanent resident, am I obligated to get the new from of residency - the one stamped/attached to my passport?

Will, that passport residency visa stamp is only for those applying for residency the first time around. This gives the permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affiars to enter the country and then you can go to Immigration for the Residency itself. Since you already have yours this is not a requirement.

Click to expand...

I think you are right, Karl. But I'm just checking..

I agree w/ Homerdog.... its all giving me a headache.
I'll just keep handing them my little card until they tell me differently.

It really is odd to hear all the posturing on the subject.

One thing we seem to know for sure...... We're not in Kansas any more ! The new world is a different one.

Residency Visa - Important Update

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