Temporary Residency: My Experience

Gringonazo

Member
Sep 27, 2014
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My wife, son, and I are currently in the process of obtaining our Temporary Residency. We've been here for almost a year on the NM1 or Labor Visa. A few months ago, we started the process for Temporary Residency. Here's what's happened to us in the process since December 17, 2015:

A few weeks ago, we handed in ALL the necessary information to my organization's attorney team. Last Thursday, December 17th, we headed down to the Direcci?n General de Migraci?n & Pasaportes (DGMP) and, after two hours staring at the people behind the glass windows, handed in everything. We found out later that day that our marriage license had not been appropriately translated into Spanish. This seems more than false because the Dominican Embassy in Washington DC translated the apostilled copy of the marriage license on December 18th 2014 at our appointment to secure our NM1 or Labor Visa that is good for a year (we've been in the country for the last year under that visa). That wasn't sufficient for DGMP. The officials here in the country stated that it had to be translated "in country". That meant that all of the apostilled documentation that the Dominican Embassy in the US had translated now had to be translated into Spanish within the Dominican Republic. This seems odd to me, but we had it done. Upon that, they would "legalizar todo". Once we had everything translated, they stated to us yesterday that the sized 2x2 photos of each of us (6 copies of frontal and right-profile poses) were not going to work for the immigration purposes. Their reason, the background was not white enough: The hue or shade of white was too "cream" in color. It wasn't white enough. LORD HAVE MERCY!!! So, my attorney called me yesterday while I was at one of the Juan Dolio beaches enjoying my second day off from work and told me we'd have to have the photos retaken so that we could provide DGMP the photos this morning. We cut the day-trip short, hauled our rear-ends back to the city, showered, and then went in search of a Passport-photo place. We found one, and three hours later, we were in possession of the photos. I met our attorney at DGMP this morning, and, after two hours of waiting, we submitted all of the paperwork so that we could later pay $RD 42,000 after all had been approved. Upon approval, we can then go have our medical checks done. However, my attorney just called me a few moments ago and stated that DGMP is now demanding to see the Presidential Act or Document that states the legitimacy of the agency for which I work and the fact that it is an NGO or Non-profit organization (this is not one of the required documents). To me, it seems like they are trying to jerk us around and making up things as they go. Thoughts???
 

charlise

Bronze
Nov 1, 2012
751
0
0
And people ask me why I've been here for 4 years and don't bother to get "legal" ??? DUH !!!....

Merry Christmas to all DR1 members. Have fun and be safe.
 

Gringonazo

Member
Sep 27, 2014
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We are using an attorney who is well-versed and experienced. In fact, he was able to procure our NM1 in 10 actual days last year. We submitted the paperwork at the Dominican Embassy in DC on December 18, and the visa was stamped in our passports on December 28. Mind you this was during the Christmas season, and we all know the importance of Christmas to Dominicans. I really don't feel its our attorney. He has been responsive and pro-active for us from day one, some 15 months ago. I think some of the DGM officials are looking for some extra "cualto navide?o".
 

drSix

Silver
Oct 13, 2013
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So glad I never did any of those. From the stories I've heard, deportation would be cheaper and easier.
 

drSix

Silver
Oct 13, 2013
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I have to ask, why are you doing this. Just renew the labor visa. Or don't.
 

Gringonazo

Member
Sep 27, 2014
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I have to ask, why are you doing this. Just renew the labor visa. Or don't.

Great question!!! I asked the same of our attorneys at the outset. It looks like we arrived to the DR just in time for MAJOR changes within the immigration system and process. Remember the big "to do" with all the Haitian population earlier this year? The NM1 is now granted (and such is our case) to be able to work in the country for one year under the supposition that the worker will apply for his or her Temporary Residency within the time frame of that one year. Believe me, I would much rather prefer to be able to just apply for a yearly work visa. It would save me paying the Dominican Social Security Tax.

Also (and my attorney feels this way), forcing persons like myself to get their Temporary Residency while on the NM1 seems to be a money grab. It is much more expensive to the the TR than the NM1.
 

harry myrtle beach

New member
Sep 16, 2015
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you say your lawyer is well versed in the law,That is hard for me to believe when they let you hand in a 5 year old birth certificate. That is info you can find out yourself. As for the translations my lawyer said right up front they would be of no use,but not to worry she would take care of the translations and she did. All the things the lawyers do for you can be done by yourself. I filed for my naturalization myself and took 4 weeks from start to my interview. I am just waiting for my ceremony date now. The cost of doing it myself was $300 compared to $1500 with a lawyer.If your lawyers can't translate your docs there are registered people here that can do it.
 

Gringonazo

Member
Sep 27, 2014
131
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you say your lawyer is well versed in the law,That is hard for me to believe when they let you hand in a 5 year old birth certificate. That is info you can find out yourself. As for the translations my lawyer said right up front they would be of no use,but not to worry she would take care of the translations and she did. All the things the lawyers do for you can be done by yourself. I filed for my naturalization myself and took 4 weeks from start to my interview. I am just waiting for my ceremony date now. The cost of doing it myself was $300 compared to $1500 with a lawyer.If your lawyers can't translate your docs there are registered people here that can do it.

It appears as if you are assuming some things that are not so in my case. I'll help you out in that regard. It was not I who handed in a five-year-old birth certificate. Another member of DR1 recounted his story to us via this forum. My attorney did handle the translations; it was just bizarre that DGM would assert that the translations done by the Dominican Embassy in DC were not valid.

I've had better luck when I read all the information and when I do not assume things to be true when, in reality, they are not. Also, I'm not paying for the residency. The organization for which I work is doing so. It may be of benefit to read my post(s) anew so that my situation can be better understood. Also, we have not officially filed, yet.
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,502
5,930
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I had a very easy and smooth Temporary residency with Guzman as a lawyer, no problems whatsoever, however with my naturalization I have been waiting for 6 months plus for my police reports to be completed.
 

Gringonazo

Member
Sep 27, 2014
131
0
16
I had a very easy and smooth Temporary residency with Guzman as a lawyer, no problems whatsoever, however with my naturalization I have been waiting for 6 months plus for my police reports to be completed.

This is why I suspect that DGM is just trying to jerk us around. We have provided all of the necessary information. I looked at the first passport-sized photos we submitted and the background was more than white enough. The demand by DGM the my employer submit documentation from the Direcci?n General de Impuestos proving that the organization has an RNC and is an non-profit is completely out of left field and not part of the required set of documentation. My documents were appropriately apostilled and translated BY THE DOMINICAN GOVERNMENT. To say that this could be do to an incompetent attorney would be a ridiculous notion. None of this could have been anticipated.

And Bob, I'm not saying that you have asserted that our attorneys are incompetent, but others have, and such is patently false.
 

ju10prd

On Vacation!
Nov 19, 2014
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Accountkiller
. To say that this could be do to an incompetent attorney would be a ridiculous notion. None of this could have been anticipated.

.

I would perhaps suggest that within DGM they deal proactively with certain 'immigration' lawyers, so one needs to select ones lawyer with this in mind.

Back in pre 2010, there were many 'lawyers' touting their services within the premises of DGM. That changed and certain 'lawyers' got removed.
 
Sep 4, 2012
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To the OP,

LOL....hang in there buddy, the process or lack thereof will for prepare you to really become dominicanized to say the least.
 

Gringonazo

Member
Sep 27, 2014
131
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To the OP,

LOL....hang in there buddy, the process or lack thereof will for prepare you to really become dominicanized to say the least.

I appreciate the kind words. I went into this expecting the worst hassle ever. When one sets his expectations low, he typically will not be disappointed.
 
Sep 4, 2012
5,931
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It won't change, this time is the residence process, the next will be DL or getting electricity hook up or register a vehicle or opening a bank account, and on it goes. At he end, you will run around and around until you get to know the right people at the right places. All will come to that. DR is a system w/o a system, total organized chaos but fun place to say the least.
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,502
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This is why I suspect that DGM is just trying to jerk us around. We have provided all of the necessary information. I looked at the first passport-sized photos we submitted and the background was more than white enough. The demand by DGM the my employer submit documentation from the Direcci?n General de Impuestos proving that the organization has an RNC and is an non-profit is completely out of left field and not part of the required set of documentation. My documents were appropriately apostilled and translated BY THE DOMINICAN GOVERNMENT. To say that this could be do to an incompetent attorney would be a ridiculous notion. None of this could have been anticipated.

And Bob, I'm not saying that you have asserted that our attorneys are incompetent, but others have, and such is patently false.

I have no clue about your lawyers. I know what worked for me. I didn't use a lawyer for renewals and turned out I didn't need to and saved myself $1000 us. I didn't use a lawyer for the citizenship application and it wasn't much fun, but with my wife handling the necessary stuff when the Spanish was too complicated for me, we managed now we are just waiting for interpol to do their thing, supposedly.
 

harry myrtle beach

New member
Sep 16, 2015
226
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0
all my paperwork is completed. All my fees except the final 5000 rd,and that is included in the $300 cost. I am just waiting for my ceremony date. We found the process not too difficult. If we had to do again it would be easier because of being familiar with the process. When i got my temporary using the lawyer it went very smooth. The lawyer did about 6 of us at the same time . That is why I question any lawyer letting some one go with out having proper documents or legal translations. The thing about translations here and doing it in the USA is here they have a stamp like a notary public does. In the USA any one can translate. I had all my documents translated by my neighbor when they were sent to Washington DC embasy. There they were accepted for my visa but were worthless for my temp residency. If any one needs copies of letters need to imigration requesting citenzipship just ask me. I will be happy to share. Any one needing a translator here in the capital Olga V. is excellent. Any other questions please ask.
 

Gringonazo

Member
Sep 27, 2014
131
0
16
all my paperwork is completed. All my fees except the final 5000 rd,and that is included in the $300 cost. I am just waiting for my ceremony date. We found the process not too difficult. If we had to do again it would be easier because of being familiar with the process. When i got my temporary using the lawyer it went very smooth. The lawyer did about 6 of us at the same time . That is why I question any lawyer letting some one go with out having proper documents or legal translations. The thing about translations here and doing it in the USA is here they have a stamp like a notary public does. In the USA any one can translate. I had all my documents translated by my neighbor when they were sent to Washington DC embasy. There they were accepted for my visa but were worthless for my temp residency. If any one needs copies of letters need to imigration requesting citenzipship just ask me. I will be happy to share. Any one needing a translator here in the capital Olga V. is excellent. Any other questions please ask.


Great news, my friend. It sounds like you are well on your way.

It also appears that you used an attorney for your Temporary Residency, which is what we are doing. I'll reiterate that we used the same translated, apostilled documents that were used for our NM1 (Labor) visa. I'll also reiterate that the translations were done by THE DOMINICAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON DC AND NOTARIZED (LEGALIZADOS or stamped/stamped) BY THE DOMINICAN EMBASSY in WASHINGTON DC. This is why we feel they are jerking us around. Their comment was that the translations had to be done in the Dominican Republic. This threw me for a loop because the Dominican Embassy staff in Washington DC told me last year that the when one is within the four walls of any of its embassy he or she is in the Dominican Republic.

Our attorneys are doing an exemplary job.

It appears that DGM is trying to syphon as much off of my employer as is possible.

Merry Christmas to all!!!
 

harry myrtle beach

New member
Sep 16, 2015
226
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Great news, my friend. It sounds like you are well on your way.

It also appears that you used an attorney for your Temporary Residency, which is what we are doing. I'll reiterate that we used the same translated, apostilled documents that were used for our NM1 (Labor) visa. I'll also reiterate that the translations were done by THE DOMINICAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON DC AND NOTARIZED (LEGALIZADOS or stamped/stamped) BY THE DOMINICAN EMBASSY in WASHINGTON DC. This is why we feel they are jerking us around. Their comment was that the translations had to be done in the Dominican Republic. This threw me for a loop because the Dominican Embassy staff in Washington DC told me last year that the when one is within the four walls of any of its embassy he or she is in the Dominican Republic.

Our attorneys are doing an exemplary job.

It appears that DGM is trying to syphon as much off of my employer as is possible.

Merry Christmas to all!!!

So did you have your documents translated by the lawyers you are using? How many docs needed translation and how much did they charge? I still question how you lawyer let you use a 5 year old birth certificate.