I was asked a while back to give an update when I finally applied for my residencia definitiva, so here it is.
First off, to qualify for the definitiva you have to have had your residencia permanente for at least 10 years. Secondly, you have to request the change of category, it doesn't happen automatically. I had to write up a letter for the Director General de Migración asking for a change of migratory category from permanente to definitiva and I was lucky enough that the Punta Cana office was willing to send it to Santo Domingo so I didn't have to do the trip. While my request was being processed, instructions apparently came through that satellite office could no longer do this so I would guess people now need to deposit the letter in Santo Domingo and pick up the confirmation a few weeks later. Took a while for mine to come back so by the time it did, I was already expired (but at least it saved me 2 extra trips to SD).
After creating an account, I uploaded the following documents to their system and 2 days letter got a message back saying I could deposit the originals at the Punta Cana office:
1) 3 copies of my passport picture page
2) Original + 3 copies of my residency card
3) 3 copies of my cedula
4) Original + 2 copies of the confirmation letter from the Director de Migración
5) 3 copies of my car matricula (this is the proof of solvency, other options are accepted such as bank statement, property title, guarantor, etc)
6) Pictures front and right side
7) Certificación de no antecedentes penales - got this off the JCE website, paid online, piece of cake
No medical and no insurance in case of deportation so at least it does get a bit simpler the longer you're here.
Yesterday I went to deposit the documents and everything was in order but ended up withdrawing the documents to go do it in Santo Domingo after all. Normal process is you upload, a few days later you can deposit, 3-4 business days later you get the bill that you go pay at the office in cash then about 8 days later you have to go to Santo Domingo on the stipulated date and time to get picture and prints done and withdraw your card. I was not going to be able to go to Santo Domingo by then due to my job (if you don't go, they charge you a penalty and reprogram you) so the assistant told me that since I already had the go-ahead to deposit, I could simply take the paperwork to Santo Domingo and get all that done (deposit, pay and get card) in one day with the 1,000 pesos VIP payment. So I'll be heading down to the wonderful capital in a few days to hopefully complete the process then I'll renew my cedula when I'm back in Punta Cana and driver's licence in January when it expires. At least then I'll be good for a few years...
First off, to qualify for the definitiva you have to have had your residencia permanente for at least 10 years. Secondly, you have to request the change of category, it doesn't happen automatically. I had to write up a letter for the Director General de Migración asking for a change of migratory category from permanente to definitiva and I was lucky enough that the Punta Cana office was willing to send it to Santo Domingo so I didn't have to do the trip. While my request was being processed, instructions apparently came through that satellite office could no longer do this so I would guess people now need to deposit the letter in Santo Domingo and pick up the confirmation a few weeks later. Took a while for mine to come back so by the time it did, I was already expired (but at least it saved me 2 extra trips to SD).
After creating an account, I uploaded the following documents to their system and 2 days letter got a message back saying I could deposit the originals at the Punta Cana office:
1) 3 copies of my passport picture page
2) Original + 3 copies of my residency card
3) 3 copies of my cedula
4) Original + 2 copies of the confirmation letter from the Director de Migración
5) 3 copies of my car matricula (this is the proof of solvency, other options are accepted such as bank statement, property title, guarantor, etc)
6) Pictures front and right side
7) Certificación de no antecedentes penales - got this off the JCE website, paid online, piece of cake
No medical and no insurance in case of deportation so at least it does get a bit simpler the longer you're here.
Yesterday I went to deposit the documents and everything was in order but ended up withdrawing the documents to go do it in Santo Domingo after all. Normal process is you upload, a few days later you can deposit, 3-4 business days later you get the bill that you go pay at the office in cash then about 8 days later you have to go to Santo Domingo on the stipulated date and time to get picture and prints done and withdraw your card. I was not going to be able to go to Santo Domingo by then due to my job (if you don't go, they charge you a penalty and reprogram you) so the assistant told me that since I already had the go-ahead to deposit, I could simply take the paperwork to Santo Domingo and get all that done (deposit, pay and get card) in one day with the 1,000 pesos VIP payment. So I'll be heading down to the wonderful capital in a few days to hopefully complete the process then I'll renew my cedula when I'm back in Punta Cana and driver's licence in January when it expires. At least then I'll be good for a few years...