Dependant Visa

fafemtp

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Oct 11, 2015
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I am here living in Santo Domingo, I am an American, I have a student visa. My wife is a Filipino currently living in Hong Kong on a work visa. She is coming to visit me here in Santo Domingo. She does not have a US Greencard yet, just haven't applied for it yet because I will be here in DR for 4 more years. We plan to apply for her green card while I am living here , maybe next year . My question is she is coming to see me here for a couple of months on a DR Tourist Visa that she obtained in Hong Kong. If I want her to stay here and live with me in DR full time, can she apply for a Dependent Vise here in Santo Domingo?
 

drSix

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Oct 13, 2013
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I'm so confused right now. I think you may need to consult a professional on this one. Too many countries...

I have no advice.

You a Paramedic?
 

drSix

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Oct 13, 2013
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Cool. I work offshore, as a medic. You working as a Paramedic in Santo Domingo? I had heard that they had some US Paramedics there.
 

Cdn_Gringo

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Apr 29, 2014
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I do not think you can sponsor anyone else while here on a student visa. If you had a business visa that would be more straightforward process.

Contact immigration or a lawyer.
 

fafemtp

New member
Oct 11, 2015
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In Miami at the Dominican Consulate they told me yes she can come here on a dependant visa attached to my student visa but that she would have to apply for it in hong kong or china or in her home country of the Philippines. But what i'm trying to find out is if they will give me a hard time trying to get it here. Instead of sending her back to the other side of the planet to get the dependant visa, i want to just apply for it while she is here on tourist visa. It would save us about $2500 round trip airfare.
 

fafemtp

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Oct 11, 2015
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No drSix, I'm not working here. I'm going to dental school.
 
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Aguaita29

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Jul 27, 2011
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I don't think she can. As far as I know, you can't adjust a visa while being in the DR. The person needs to come to the DR with that visa category from abroad, or go back to their country and apply for another one.

As for "dependent", you're a student! How will you prove that you'll support someone?
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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Check with the US embassy on applying for a green card for your wife. I also doubt you can do that here in the DR without having legal residency in the DR, but do confirm with the embassy. As has been pointed out, you also have the support issue being unemployed.
 

HUG

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Feb 3, 2009
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Your best bet is to write to a lawyer, explaining the situation and what would be the best approach. Once they have advised you then you can go about it yourself. Lawyers will not give you the ins and outs in the first instance, but are useful to use as a general guidance when clueless on something like this.
Write to a couple, see if they come back with the same solution, then run with it yourself.
 

Cdn_Gringo

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Apr 29, 2014
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Providing incorrect information for an inquiry is not limited to functionaries who are in the DR. The same no me importa attitude seems to be prevalent with functionaries stationed abroad as well.

You asked and you were told. Based on our collective wisdom, a person here on a student visa will have a very difficult time sponsoring someone for a dependent visa. A student visa is not structured to provide a mechanism to bring one's family into the country. It is for a student to attend school. Sorry this is not the info you were hoping for but if you can't accept that reality, how about this, "Sure go for it it. You'll have no problems. The DR will welcome your esposa with open arms and will even give you a small stipend for increasing the population by 1."

Talk to an immigration lawyer or the immigration department directly. Do not rely on the information that you were told by someone in Miami when your wife will be applying from Hong Kong. You cannot begin immigration processes from within the DR. In all cases, a visas must be secured from outside before arrival on DR soil.

This is your answer, good, bad or indifferent.
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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And do not make the mistake of starting the process too early. If she does not live in the USA full time after getting her green card, they can remove her green card.
 

fafemtp

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Oct 11, 2015
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I don't think she can. As far as I know, you can't adjust a visa while being in the DR. The person needs to come to the DR with that visa category from abroad, or go back to their country and apply for another one.

As for "dependent", you're a student! How will you prove that you'll support someone?


The same way I proved that I can support myself while here. I went thru the process at the Dominican embassy in the States.
 

Aguaita29

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Jul 27, 2011
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So someone who used to work at Immigration told me the following " A work visa is not a residence. It's for you, not for your family; they are not entitled to come with you......unless you get an investor's visa...that's a whole different level."
I am curious as to how someone with a work visa is not entitled to bring his family, but how come they told him that with a student visa he can have his wife as a "dependent".
 

fafemtp

New member
Oct 11, 2015
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So someone who used to work at Immigration told me the following " A work visa is not a residence. It's for you, not for your family; they are not entitled to come with you......unless you get an investor's visa...that's a whole different level."
I am curious as to how someone with a work visa is not entitled to bring his family, but how come they told him that with a student visa he can have his wife as a "dependent".

Your friend gave you the wrong advice. Work visa in DR also qualifies for Dependent visa

http://consuladord.com
 

HUG

Silver
Feb 3, 2009
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There are members on this site who have their wives with them while working, can't remember their ID's, but live in SD and Bavaro.
There will be a way around it, it is just finding out what that is. I think your biggest issue will be IF your partner wants to spend 4 years doing nothing. DR is very boring, young and doing nothing would be utterly depressing.
 

Riva_31

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Apr 1, 2013
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San Pedro de Macoris
If you have student visa you can not sponsor your wife. If you become a legal resident in the Dominican Republic for sure you could sponsor her. Student visa only let you live here for studing.
 

fafemtp

New member
Oct 11, 2015
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OK guys thanks for your help, I appreciate it, but on a subject like this my best bet is talking to a Dominican Immigration Attorney. I know here in DR where there is a will there is a way and if that fails a few pesos in the right hand can make an exception. My wife has a legal visa to travel here, that wasn't the question, the question breaks down to can she adjust status while here or does she need to go to a consulate abroad and apply for a new visa or is there a way to do it here. Someone said no she cant apply for change of status here and someone said yes. I think best thing to do is hire a lawyer and let him figure out a way to do it and save myself the aggravation. Thanks again.

Mas...
Visa de Dependencia
Las visas por dependencia son expedidas en raz?n de dependencia familiar de los usuarios, de los beneficiarios de visas diplom?ticas, oficiales, cortes?as, negocios y de estudiante, sujeto al tipo de visa otorgada al familiar principal o al patrono de quien dependan.