Does anyone know if the Dominican Republic would issue a residency or business visa to someone from the U.S. with a misdemeanor on their record assuming that they meet all other requirements?
- Thread starter Cltaylor23
- Start date
Dominican Visa Criminal Record
So you would at least find out when applying for the visa from the state rather than applying for residency in the DR?
Depends on class of misdemeanor on your record. For the most part unless it's a repeat thing, a one time strike on your record will not bar you from getting a DR business Visa or residency. Citizenship is another ballgame.
It is my understanding that tourists and short term visitors rarely encounter any problems with their past unless they have been in the press for their transgretions.
If applying to live here or for a lengthy buisness or work visa, all applicants are now screened by Interpol. Someone somewhere will review that report. If your crime is considered to be one that reflects a breach of trust like theft or fraud you may have a a problem as opposed to being a convicted murderer. Crimes that suggest a character flaw are often considered more telling than if one drives drunk or off their family. Any crime that is drug related is an automatic failure.
If applying to live here or for a lengthy buisness or work visa, all applicants are now screened by Interpol. Someone somewhere will review that report. If your crime is considered to be one that reflects a breach of trust like theft or fraud you may have a a problem as opposed to being a convicted murderer. Crimes that suggest a character flaw are often considered more telling than if one drives drunk or off their family. Any crime that is drug related is an automatic failure.
I guess then one 1 out of every 3 Americans would be denied.
The American Police State Has Arrested a Third of Us
The American Police State Has Arrested a Third of Us
Wow, I did not think that it would be this strict. I think I have a 20 year old dope charge for parifanalia and a few DUI's. As I have been sober now
for a while I have not given any of this much thought. But now as I read this thread, well I am.
for a while I have not given any of this much thought. But now as I read this thread, well I am.
This I cannot believe. Did they put him on a plane home? By the way you would have to prove to me this is not total Bull****.
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Agree with Sky totally. Almost anything a long time ago is ok. You a convicted murderer fresh out of the can maybe not. You a convicted narcotics trafficer fresh out of jail probably not unless you have good bribe money. Its a big deal then just do like all the rest. Come on down and dont go back. Keep a good amount of cash in your back pocket in case you run into the cops. Unless you resume your past criminal career you will be ok. The DR is full of current and ex criminals from all over the place. The US unloads them by the plane load in SD after they serve their time in US prisons.
I thought you just needed a letter from a police station that you were a good student and had no out standing warrants. What is with the FBI?
Dui's or a small dope charge could keep u from getting a resident?
Dui's or a small dope charge could keep u from getting a resident?
From my understanding, a certificate of good conduct is only issued when someone has no criminal record while I believe someone who has a record could get a certificate of relief. Of course they may also just want a copy of your rap sheet. The part that throws me off is that the requirements are often described in a slightly different fashion.
One small question. If you found it hard to believe why did you post it as fact? Or even post it at all? Some people actually use the information posted here in their lives as facts.
When I applied in 2012 all I needed was a letter from the Sheriff's Department of the county in Florida where I had last resided before moving to the DR. I sent it to Tallahassee to be apostilled before submitting it to my Dominican attorney in Santiago.
Maybe now it's different and it needs to be from the FBI but a letter from the local police, apostilled by the state that the police agency is in, was all that was needed three years ago.
I was told by an attorney at Guzman that I needed an apostilled FBI background check. This is done by having prints taken at any police station. then sending them to the FBI, waiting like 12 weeks....then sending the report to the State department to be apostilled.
The attorney told me that misdemeanors are no problem - they have had clients with up to 10 who have been accepted. The issues that they are looking for are SERIOUS crimes - particularly violent ones.
And while it may be true that it will all depend on the whim of the guy at the visa desk at the Consulate - I suspect that having a top attorney's firm be your "guarantor" will go a long way in the process.
We were told by one consulate (in NY) that we'd need an FBI check. However, when we got around to actually applying through Miami we just submitted a background check from our local Sheriff's office in Florida. No questions asked. Had work visas in about a week. This was as of 2 months ago.
...sent by smoke signal from Cigar Country
...sent by smoke signal from Cigar Country
It depends on the nature of the offence and whether it is a single occurrence or one of several.
Work/student visas have a threshold that needs to be met. Residency has a different threshold. For one type, you come, you do, and then you eventually go. The other, you come and you stay. Those staying get more specific scrutiny than those who will eventually leave.
A misdemeanour is not usually an automatic barrier to success unless the charge contains to word "drug", is indicative of violence towards others or pertains to the propensity to breach the trust placed in you by others such as an employer or someone else to whom you have a fiduciary responsibility. Most of these offences do not result in misdemeanours unless by way of a plea bargain.
Work/student visas have a threshold that needs to be met. Residency has a different threshold. For one type, you come, you do, and then you eventually go. The other, you come and you stay. Those staying get more specific scrutiny than those who will eventually leave.
A misdemeanour is not usually an automatic barrier to success unless the charge contains to word "drug", is indicative of violence towards others or pertains to the propensity to breach the trust placed in you by others such as an employer or someone else to whom you have a fiduciary responsibility. Most of these offences do not result in misdemeanours unless by way of a plea bargain.