residency

Jennie McEwen · Nov 7, 2003

I recently had an e-mail from Guzman saying he wanted US$2,500 each for processing residency applications.

Bearing in mind that there are now only two stages to go through, I thought the price more than a little steep.

After all it is the Dom Peso that has gone through the floor not the US$.

Any comments would be welcome

Ken · Nov 7, 2003

What sort of comments are you expecting? You apparently asked what the cost of getting a residency would be and he responded. You now have the choice of accepting the price or rejecting it and look for another attorney.

What is it that you want from the board? Suggestions as to other attornies? It certainly isn't the place of this board to jump on a business or professional because of the price they/he quote a prospective customer/client.

ricktoronto · Nov 7, 2003

Alternative

Jennie McEwen said:
I recently had an e-mail from Guzman saying he wanted US$2,500 each for processing residency applications.

Bearing in mind that there are now only two stages to go through, I thought the price more than a little steep.

After all it is the Dom Peso that has gone through the floor not the US$.

Any comments would be welcome

One option: Do it yourself and have it take forever or fail.

Another: Shop around and take your chances.

A lawyer who has probably always charged US$ has a US$ price and the peso value is irrelevant. Just as my hotel, who always charges US$, charges the same US$ now as when the peso was 14;1.

If I pay in pesos, I pay more pesos. But I haven't "lost" money, since I am paying the same, as Fabio is charging the same.

Adrian Bye · Nov 7, 2003

> I recently had an e-mail from Guzman saying he
> wanted US$2,500 each for processing residency applications.
>
> Bearing in mind that there are now only two stages
> to go through, I thought the price more than a little steep.

Is that $2500/person/stage, or $10k total?

Or is it $2500/person including both provisional and permanent residency?

Jennie McEwen · Nov 8, 2003

Or is it $2500/person including both provisional and permanent residency? [/B][/QUOTE]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

$2500 each, including both provisional & permanent.

I just thought it was a tidy sum for shuffling a few papers and if that is typical of the way foreigners get ripped off, then I do not think the DR is for me.

Now you may call me odd or anything else you like, but I do not see why I (or anyone else) should pay prices the locals cannot afford just because I am a foreigner.

If the going rate is, whatever, for everyone, I have no complaints.

However if, like Cuba, they charge tourists/foreigners more, just because they are tourists/foreigners, I do not want to know.

Tourists/foreigners bring needed foreign exchange into a country, they should be treated well, not ripped-off, the locals may not like them but they do like their money

After all where does it stop?

Why should foreigners not pay more for beer, petrol (gas), bread, sugar or anything else?

Jennie McEwen · Nov 8, 2003

Ken said:
What sort of comments are you expecting? You apparently asked what the cost of getting a residency would be and he responded. You now have the choice of accepting the price or rejecting it and look for another attorney.

What is it that you want from the board? Suggestions as to other attornies? It certainly isn't the place of this board to jump on a business or professional because of the price they/he quote a prospective customer/client.

What I wanted were answers not silly, self-opinionated questions from those of your ilk.

Ken · Nov 8, 2003

Jennie McEwen said:
What I wanted were answers not silly, self-opinionated questions from those of your ilk.

Good grief. That is exactly what I was thinking about your posts.

First, you don't have to worry about paying more than Dominicans. This is their country; they don't need to apply for provisional/permanent residency.

Second, although $2,500 for both permanent and provisional residencies is not out of line, you can very likely find an attorney who will charge less. And if he doesn't deliver, then what? For sure you are going to be out at least part of the money. If you think I am making this up, then you don't know much about how lawyers operate in the Dominican Republic.

Third, with Fabio Guzman, you are guaranteed that he will deliver both the provisional and permanent residencies. However, if you think his price is too much, there is no law that prevents you from seeking another attorney.

Jennie McEwen said:
Any comments would be welcome

I see now that I misunderstood your first post. What you meant was that comments would be welcome from those who agree with you. And certainly you didn't mean from people of my ilk. To prevent this sort of misunderstanding in the future, I'd suggest that when you post you indicate which ilks you would "welcome" comments from.

Jennie McEwen · Nov 8, 2003

Re: Re: residency

The ilks that I would welcome replies from are those who can at least chew gum and walk at the same time.

Why is it in Spain, England and other European countries when foreigners apply to become residents, the whole process if free?

How come it can cost thousands of dollars in DR, Central America and South America for residents permits.

It is just a big rip off and lines the lawyers pockets with gold

Ken · Nov 8, 2003

My ilk says that not everyone should relocate to the Dominican Republic. It is not the US, Canada, or Europe, and many of the skills/attitudes/customs related to those places are not applicable here.

My sense is that it would be a mistake for you to take up residency, whether with or without documents, in the DR. I offer this kindly, based on my experiences and observations during 17 years living here, and in no way am I being sarcastic. If you are determined to go ahead, I would strongly recommend living in the DR for at least 6 months before thinking about applying for residency.

Eddy · Nov 8, 2003

If memory serves me, you need to have resided here for a minimum "3 or 6 months" before applying for residence.

AnnaC · Nov 8, 2003

Click here you might find this interesting but of course maxxjaxx hasn't posted for about a year and a half so not sure what has happened to him. You only get what you pay for. So if you want one of the best it's the Guzman office. Like others have said shop around if you're not happy with the price. If other countries do it for free what would make you want to come to live in the DR?

MrMike · Nov 8, 2003

Jennie, locals here love ripping off foreigners. If this is a big problem for you or makes you angry don't move here, you will die of high blood pressure or have a nervous breakdown almost immediately.

Lawyers in this country are twice as dirty as anywhere else I've been, twice as lazy and have absolutely no shame about lying to your face, think nothing about charging an arm and a leg for relatively easy services and then NEVER ACTUALLY PROVIDING THEM.

If this guy is known to actually guarantee results then that right there puts him a cut above any Dominican lawyer I have known, none of whom acknowlege any connection between getting results and getting paid.

If you can afford it, pay it. If you find someone cheaper let us know, and then let us know if the whole thing works or not.

I am having my residency attended by a friend of my wife's family. He is inexpensive but inexperienced ( so far he mostly handles collections of bad debts) If things work out I will let the board know about him.

Dominican Babe · Nov 8, 2003

Jenny, I really think you should stay in Spain, you'll be happier there I'm sure because it's like England only with better weather (usually). I don't understand why you are even still pursuing this line, because everything you have posted so far has been negative.

Listen to what Ken and other expats say to you and don't knock it if you don't agree. What would be the point in you asking any questions otherwise?

And just remember, you are going to be a foreigner wherever you go - unless of course you come back to England.

Adrian Bye · Nov 8, 2003

Jennie,

I have delved quite deeply into the residency process.

The price Fabio is charging you is a little higher than some good attorneys will charge. But not by much.

Here's the difference: you won't have any problems with Fabio. He is extremely well organized and gets things done quickly. Most other lawyers will not tell you that you need to pay twice for residency. They just imply its a one off, which is not true. You have to come back the following year.

It comes down to what your time is worth. If you can afford it, I would suggest going to Fabio.

Whatever you do, don't go to a lawyer who offers it for $500 or less, coz you will lose your money and get no residency.

(And the DR is NOT like Cuba. I know exactly what you are talking about, and its very frustrating. Yes, here you are different as a foreigner and will occaisionally be taken advantage of. But the difference here is that they do it to each other as well, unlike the Cubans do to the tourists).

Peter & Alex · Nov 9, 2003

Jennie McEwen

"OK blue eyes, of all the countries in all the world, you had to pick this one"!!
Stay in Spain my dear, you'll never cope down here. The frustration will give you grey hairs.
You've now posted only 14 times in 3 threads and your negative diatribes have managed to provoke a lot of people to respond out of character, when their initial responses were intended to help!!!
You seem to have a different agenda to those of us who live here?
Apologies for being outspoken but you are getting a little boring.
Peter
PS: I'm sure that Fabio would prefer to be referred to as Fabio or even Mr. Guzman and not just Guzman??

Texas Bill · Nov 10, 2003

Jenny McEwan;

It has always intrigued me that some people beg a question, then go off half cocked when they don't get the answer they want.
You asked a question, got your answer, then whined your head off like a child whose candy had been taken away.
Maybe you should take up the residency question with your government and see if they can pass a law for you to get your residency free???
From your comments, I thought at first you were a disgruntled Statesider, but learned differently. It seems we from the USA are not alone in demanding "Our Rights"!!
In the meantime, accept the world as it is.
It's not your personal playpen.

Texas Bill

Jigglebelly · Nov 19, 2003

Is Fabio Guzman really so expensive when he offers to facilitate your starting of a whole new lifesyle?..... I think not. When you are talking about constructing a new life in a distant land, quibbling over price just does not make much sense. You are not buying a pair of new shoes. You are buying a new country and new culture. FWIW

Criss Colon · Nov 19, 2003

Dominicans say;"Lo Barato Sale Caro"!

which means;"The "Cheap" comes out "Expensive"!
In this country,you can pay a "Lawyer" 2000 pesos about 10 times for the same job,=20,000,or you can pay a GOOD LAWYER 10,000 once,and get the whole job done!Saves 10,000 pesos. The "Trick",is finding that Good Lawyer! I have never heard anyone say that "Doctor Guzman" didn't give them exactly what they paid for! The common practice here is to quote a fantastic low price,then once you have paid,they keep coming up with one more payment! Often you end up with NOTHING!!

My advice to you would be to not come here to Bad Mouth someone who has been shown to be an excellent Lawyer!

May I suggest you try "Bermuda"?????
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Jennie McEwen · Nov 19, 2003

Many thanks to all those who have replied to my postings.

I find it very difficult to agree with all those who seem to think that being 'ripped off' as a foreigner is acceptable.

Perhaps you were all 'ripped off' and can see no good reason why the next wave of ex-pats should not be 'ripped off' as well.

If you think (as you obviously do) that actually getting paid for the job, automatically entitles your lawyer to charge more than he could get in the USA for the same work, then all I can say is that you dummies deserve all the 'ripping off' you get.

Ask yourself how much you would be prepared to pay for the same service in the USA and compare the prices charged in the DR.

Do you not realise that these inflated DR prices are the direct result of Yanks turning up with a bag full of dollars and comparing prices in the local market with those in the US and running away with what they think was a bargain, but they were in fact 'ripped off' on the price.

The Germans did the same here on the Costa Blanca.

More brains less $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

' If it is less than Miami, it must be cheap, never mind that it is xxxx% more than the locals can afford.

Why do Yanks think that the world is full of Yanks who just happen to live in a different country and speak a strange language, but are just the same as themselves?

Look at Iraq.

And why do they have to export their daft 'tipping' culture with them wherever they go.

I recently read on a web site of a chap who had imported his goods into Panama.

The importer charged him $150 for his work.

The dumb Yank gave him a $100 tip.

Any prizes for guessing how much the next dumb Yank is going to be charged for this man's work?

$250 and where is my tip?

Best place for Yanks is the 'good 'ol USA' they have no conception of dealing with foreigners, check out

FDR

Nixon (best of the bunch)

Carter

Bush

to name but a few

The Yanks today have lost their 'bottle' and their direction

Nobody in the USA today has the balls to say 'Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead'

You are all to busy wondering if your female soldiers (joke) have sufficient tampons in the front line, to worry about winning a war.

If ever a country has lost its way it is the 'good 'ol USA'

Strange to think that IN THE 1WW the Americans were noted for their total disregard of casualties

I doubt I will get any worthwhile replies, but you never know.

Regards to all

Jennie McEwen · Nov 19, 2003

yanks

Typical 'all mouth and no trousers' reply.

It never ceases to amaze me just how dumb Yanks are.

They have the ability to spout pages of 'slogan speak' but never utter a single word they thought of themselves.

Teddy R must be turning in his grave to see what a mess the USA has become.

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