Initial Permanent Residency Help

Sua Sponte

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Dec 29, 2017
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Hello Everyone,
I would like some advice/help based on your profession or personal experiences with getting a permanent residency.
Firstly, This is where I am at in the process. I am married to a Dominican who already has Dual Citizenship between the US and DR. I plan on dropping off my application for a Residency Visa at a Dominican Consulate in the US in January (I already have or will have everything I need for this, marriage cert, birth cert, etc., all with apostilles). However, since I work out of the country (I don't work in the US or DR), I will need to return to pickup my Residency Visa a couple of months later (I have two passports, one will stay with the DR consulate for the Visa).
Secondly, when I return to get my Visa, I will travel right away to the DR (you have 60 days I believe for a one time entry?). I will then apply for Permanent Residency right away. The justification for a Permanent Residency is I will be qualified for a Special Investors Residency.
Lastly, this brings me to my questions.
1. How long does the process take after I turn in my Residency Visa, to get my Residency Card?
2. Do I have to stay in DR for that entire process or can I still travel back and forth with my Passport (Visa is supposedly good for a one time entry, but I hear conflicting stories stating that I don't need to stay in country after I started the residency process as long as I am there for any necessary appointments)?
3. What is the estimated cost of hiring a lawyer to handle the process for me?

I know there is some info on the forums already, but my situation seems to be more unique. So in order to properly plan a schedule, I would appreciate all advice. Thank you in advance.

Respectfully,

Sua Sponte
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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1. The length of time is a piece of string. Some I know have been a couple of months - others longer. If you are going straight for permanent residency I think it can take a little longer.
2. No you don't
3. The lawyer I know charges US$3,000 more or less - less depending on where you apply from and your circumstances. Given that you have done the first part of the process I would have thought around US$2,000 including all the fees - but to confirm you can contact Maria Abreu at http://www.abreuimmigration.com/ and ask.

Matilda
 

Tom0910

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2015
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1. The length of time is a piece of string. Some I know have been a couple of months - others longer. If you are going straight for permanent residency I think it can take a little longer.
2. No you don't
3. The lawyer I know charges US$3,000 more or less - less depending on where you apply from and your circumstances. Given that you have done the first part of the process I would have thought around US$2,000 including all the fees - but to confirm you can contact Maria Abreu at http://www.abreuimmigration.com/ and ask.

Matilda
I was quoted $3500. by Abreu Immigration Services and $1900. by Guzman Ariza. I personally would advise Guzman not because of the price but because Guzman is a law firm with actual lawyers,Maria Abreu is not a lawyer.
 

Sua Sponte

New member
Dec 29, 2017
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1. The length of time is a piece of string. Some I know have been a couple of months - others longer. If you are going straight for permanent residency I think it can take a little longer.
2. No you don't
3. The lawyer I know charges US$3,000 more or less - less depending on where you apply from and your circumstances. Given that you have done the first part of the process I would have thought around US$2,000 including all the fees - but to confirm you can contact Maria Abreu at http://www.abreuimmigration.com/ and ask.

Matilda


Thanks Matilda!

So one of my main concerns is that once I enter on my one time entry visa, I may have to leave again for work before the Residency process is complete. If that happens, will I still get charged a "overstay fee" if I'm over the 30 day mark for tourist? Or will it slow down the residency process altogether if it isn't complete when I leave?

I know that I should consult a lawyer on these matters, but I figure I'd at least ask for first hand experience as well.

Also, I've been quoted from $1k to $1.5k from a different lawyer for just the Residency portion of the process once I have my visa. But I wanted to see what others are paying to make sure that quote was at least near average. Thanks again.

Respectfully,

Sua Sponte
 

Sua Sponte

New member
Dec 29, 2017
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I was quoted $3500. by Abreu Immigration Services and $1900. by Guzman Ariza. I personally would advise Guzman not because of the price but because Guzman is a law firm with actual lawyers,Maria Abreu is not a lawyer.


Thanks for the input Tom!

Respectfully,

Sua Sponte
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
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If you are in the DR long enough to see all of your residency paperwork submitted to DGM and accepted, you will receive a receipt for that paperwork which can be used to negate overstay fines while your paperwork is being processed. If you don't have this receipt you may or may not be charged depending how "on the ball" the airport folks are at looking at dates in your passport. Most will just see that the entry visa is still valid and you should be fine.

If you switch up passports mid process your results may vary. Also keep in mind for renewals and certainly for citizenship, the govt wants to see your entry exit/history so try to enter and leave on the same passport or you will end up confusing the functionaries here. If you make them think too much, your file may end up languishing in a drawer somewhere.

In many cases now-a-days, any foreign passport that has been registered upon entry into the DR is automatically "locked" and cannot be used to exit the country until overridden by the border people. It is at this point that you will need to show that you do not need to pay the fine. Even Resident's passports get locked after 30 days and you need to show a valid residency card when leaving Paradise.

The process will take as long as it takes. Your Lawyer may be able to grease the wheels somewhat and keep the process moving forward but it can and sometimes does take a long time.
 

Sua Sponte

New member
Dec 29, 2017
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If you are in the DR long enough to see all of your residency paperwork submitted to DGM and accepted, you will receive a receipt for that paperwork which can be used to negate overstay fines while your paperwork is being processed. If you don't have this receipt you may or may not be charged depending how "on the ball" the airport folks are at looking at dates in your passport. Most will just see that the entry visa is still valid and you should be fine.

If you switch up passports mid process your results may vary. Also keep in mind for renewals and certainly for citizenship, the govt wants to see your entry exit/history so try to enter and leave on the same passport or you will end up confusing the functionaries here. If you make them think too much, your file may end up languishing in a drawer somewhere.

In many cases now-a-days, any foreign passport that has been registered upon entry into the DR is automatically "locked" and cannot be used to exit the country until overridden by the border people. It is at this point that you will need to show that you do not need to pay the fine. Even Resident's passports get locked after 30 days and you need to show a valid residency card when leaving Paradise.

The process will take as long as it takes. Your Lawyer may be able to grease the wheels somewhat and keep the process moving forward but it can and sometimes does take a long time.


Ok, that is good to know. I plan on being in DR for at least 60 days before I have to leave again for work. So hopefully that should be enough time to get that receipt. Do you know how it would work if I attempt to enter again on that visa if I already used it and it's already passed the 60 day mark? I would assume that the receipt from DGM should serve the same purpose for reentry?

As far as my two passports, I will only use the second one, one time and that's when the Dominican Consulate has my original passport. After I get my visa, I will solely use my original passport that has my visa in it.

I'm familiar with the passport getting locked. My wife is a dual citizen, but she travels on her US passport. Every time we leave, she has to pull out her cedula or DR passport.

I am familiar with "Island Time" to say the least haha. I do not care how long it takes as long as it doesn't interfere with my work and travel. I am being told by my current lawyer that the wheel greasing is very possible haha.

Thanks for the help!

Respectfully,

Sua Sponte
 

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
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Which passport are you using to obtain residency since you say you have two ?
If your are using a US one it is likely faster. What is your country of origin? You may have to do two law enforcement checks and two validations of marital status, depending on how long you've had a US residency and your age.
Your passport will be returned to you after you submit it to the US Dominican consulate and they process it. They do not keep it (Do all document transfers via FED-EX. Dominican Consulate will require you pre-pay them for the return service)
 

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
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Ok, that is good to know. I plan on being in DR for at least 60 days before I have to leave again for work. So hopefully that should be enough time to get that receipt. Do you know how it would work if I attempt to enter again on that visa if I already used it and it's already passed the 60 day mark? I would assume that the receipt from DGM should serve the same purpose for reentry?

As far as my two passports, I will only use the second one, one time and that's when the Dominican Consulate has my original passport. After I get my visa, I will solely use my original passport that has my visa in it.

I'm familiar with the passport getting locked. My wife is a dual citizen, but she travels on her US passport. Every time we leave, she has to pull out her cedula or DR passport.

I am familiar with "Island Time" to say the least haha. I do not care how long it takes as long as it doesn't interfere with my work and travel. I am being told by my current lawyer that the wheel greasing is very possible haha.

Thanks for the help!

Respectfully,

Sua Sponte

You used to be able to hold and travel with two passports from the same country (not legally). With today's magnetic reader and soon RFID chips you can not travel on two separate passports from the same country. You have to sign an affidavit stating another one was lost or destroyed before getting a replacement. (If anyone successfully uses two, please correct me) - I did it years ago in the Middle East as I would go into some countries where travel to other countries were red flags. But that was pre-computer.
My understanding is if you travel on an older canceled passport they will stop you once they swipe it at US passport control and it comes back as invalid.
 

Sua Sponte

New member
Dec 29, 2017
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0
Which passport are you using to obtain residency since you say you have two ?
If your are using a US one it is likely faster. What is your country of origin? You may have to do two law enforcement checks and two validations of marital status, depending on how long you've had a US residency and your age.
Your passport will be returned to you after you submit it to the US Dominican consulate and they process it. They do not keep it (Do all document transfers via FED-EX. Dominican Consulate will require you pre-pay them for the return service)



Hey Chico Bill, I have 2 US Passports. The second one is for this very purpose of getting a visa for a different country. The second one is a temporary one, only good for 4 years. I will use this one while the DR Consulate processes my primary one with the visa. I know that they mail it back to you, but I will be traveling abroad for a couple of months for work while they have it so I needed the second US passport.

Respectfully,

Sua Sponte
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
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Assumptions can be disastrous here. The way something unfolds on Tuesday may not be the way it unfolds on Wednesday.

In theory the DGM residency application receipt can be used to negate the need for a tourist card but in reality can be slower at the airport than just handing over the tourist card handed to you on your flight. It is only important to enter on the immigration visa the first time - you may need to specifically show it to the immigration counter person if they do not flip pages and find it on their own. After than it doesn't matter and since the visa is a one-time use visa, basically becomes useless except to take up a page in your passport.
 

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
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Hey Chico Bill, I have 2 US Passports. The second one is for this very purpose of getting a visa for a different country. The second one is a temporary one, only good for 4 years. I will use this one while the DR Consulate processes my primary one with the visa. I know that they mail it back to you, but I will be traveling abroad for a couple of months for work while they have it so I needed the second US passport.

Respectfully,

Sua Sponte

I just read you can apply for a 2nd passport for the reasons of Visa, but the passport office said it was only valid for two years. Maybe they gave you a longer period.
 

Sua Sponte

New member
Dec 29, 2017
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Assumptions can be disastrous here. The way something unfolds on Tuesday may not be the way it unfolds on Wednesday.

In theory the DGM residency application receipt can be used to negate the need for a tourist card but in reality can be slower at the airport than just handing over the tourist card handed to you on your flight. It is only important to enter on the immigration visa the first time - you may need to specifically show it to the immigration counter person if they do not flip pages and find it on their own. After than it doesn't matter and since the visa is a one-time use visa, basically becomes useless except to take up a page in your passport.



Understood. I'm definitely learning that more as I go. There doesn't seem to be a definitive answer on my specific question/issue. However, that won't be a big deal because it will just mean I have to pay a little more when leaving and returning to the country until the Residency is complete. I shall find out as I go haha.

And to answer your second question, they changed it from 2 years to 4 years in 2017 I believe.

Respectfully,

Sua Sponte
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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Sus Sponte, why not go the temporary residency and then apply for citizenship. You don't have to give up your American citizenship and as your husband is Dominican he can sponsor you. I would use Guzman as they are very good and worth the price. I used them for my initial residency but after that my wife felt capable of doing the other renewasl plus the citizenship and she was correct.
 

Sua Sponte

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Dec 29, 2017
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Sus Sponte, why not go the temporary residency and then apply for citizenship. You don't have to give up your American citizenship and as your husband is Dominican he can sponsor you. I would use Guzman as they are very good and worth the price. I used them for my initial residency but after that my wife felt capable of doing the other renewasl plus the citizenship and she was correct.



Hey Bob,

For a couple of reasons. My Wife* is Dominican, yes. However, with a Special Investors Residency, I can get my Permanent Residency right away without have to do the Temporary Residency renewals for however many years. Once my initial Permanent Residency gets approved, I can then apply for my Citizenship 6 months later. It is the quickest possible way to get your Permanent Residency and then your Citizenship. Even quicker than being married to a Dominican. It takes a 7 year process down to a less than a year process.

I do appreciate the referral for the legal services, but my wife already has a couple of lawyers in her family that we are most likely going to use. Thank you though.

Respectfully,

Sua Sponte
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
5,485
338
63
I personally would advise Guzman not because of the price but because Guzman is a law firm with actual lawyers,Maria Abreu is not a lawyer.

Just for information, Maria Abreu is a lawyer and she has a team of lawyers working for her. I would suggest the OP contacts a few lawyers, including Guzman and then makes a decision. The most important thing, in my experience, is that the lawyer chosen really knows immigration law backwards, knows any new requirements (they change almost daily) and has the contacts within the Migracion Department to make things go quickly and smoothly.

A couple of things to bear in mind. Investment Residencies - ie straight to permanent, state that they take 45 days from the date the paperwork is submitted - but they can take 2-3 months. Usually not longer. The second point is that what is needed to qualify for a investment visa, is not always the same as for the actual residency. The consulates come under MIREX (Foreign Affairs Ministry) and the actual residency under Migracion. Ne'er the twain shall meet. Often Migracion ask for additional and different paperwork for the actual residency, hence the importance of contacting an investment residency specialist to find out exactly what will be required to save having to return to the home country to collect it.

Welcome to the DR!!

Matilda
 

Sua Sponte

New member
Dec 29, 2017
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Just for information, Maria Abreu is a lawyer and she has a team of lawyers working for her. I would suggest the OP contacts a few lawyers, including Guzman and then makes a decision. The most important thing, in my experience, is that the lawyer chosen really knows immigration law backwards, knows any new requirements (they change almost daily) and has the contacts within the Migracion Department to make things go quickly and smoothly.

A couple of things to bear in mind. Investment Residencies - ie straight to permanent, state that they take 45 days from the date the paperwork is submitted - but they can take 2-3 months. Usually not longer. The second point is that what is needed to qualify for a investment visa, is not always the same as for the actual residency. The consulates come under MIREX (Foreign Affairs Ministry) and the actual residency under Migracion. Ne'er the twain shall meet. Often Migracion ask for additional and different paperwork for the actual residency, hence the importance of contacting an investment residency specialist to find out exactly what will be required to save having to return to the home country to collect it.

Welcome to the DR!!

Matilda


Thanks Matilda,

I will keep that in mind. As far as I know from the latest info I received, the only extra thing I will need for a Special Investment Residency for Migracion (after I received my Visa from the DR consulate), is a proof of investment or pension. I will look into a few lawyers like you suggested to make sure that I'm getting correct information and timely service. Thanks for your advice!

Respectfully,

Sua Sponte
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,504
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dr1.com
Hey Bob,

For a couple of reasons. My Wife* is Dominican, yes. However, with a Special Investors Residency, I can get my Permanent Residency right away without have to do the Temporary Residency renewals for however many years. Once my initial Permanent Residency gets approved, I can then apply for my Citizenship 6 months later. It is the quickest possible way to get your Permanent Residency and then your Citizenship. Even quicker than being married to a Dominican. It takes a 7 year process down to a less than a year process.

I do appreciate the referral for the legal services, but my wife already has a couple of lawyers in her family that we are most likely going to use. Thank you though.

Respectfully,

Sua Sponte

My mistake I assumed when you said Dominican instead of Dominicana that you were female. Either way you can do the same process from temporary residency as well. I still recommend Guzman and associates.
 

AAIS

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Feb 24, 2016
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www.abreuimmigration.com
Abreu & Associates Immigration Services, which is headed by Maria Abreu, is a firm that specializes in Immigration. The firm consists of multiple lawyers and paralegals distributed between our offices in Santo Domingo and Santiago.

The price quoted includes the visa not just the residency process.  The entire process involves the visa issued by the consulate in the country of origin, translations, Dominican legalizations, Immigration fees, medical exam in the Dominican Republic, repatriation insurance, transportation to Immigration office in Santo Domingo and legal fees. We also provide guidance during the length of the process in order to simplify the laborious tasks associated with obtaining the visa and residency.

Guzman Ariza is a respectable law firm and we enjoy a cordial relationship.  We have had the pleasure of collaborating on cases in the past and can assure that they are professional and ethical in their dealings.

Good luck with your process.