Residency - Do-it-yourself

anonymous1960

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Jul 7, 2004
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I was trying to file for residency on my own, but they stopped me cold, since no matter what my job is, all they want is a Dominican guarantor, which I don't have.

The funny thing is, the company I work for (big multinational) does not give a rat's nest about me being a legal resident.

Filing with a lawyer is around 15-20 thousand pesos, and you DON'T need a Dominican guarantor.

They told me, in another thread, that when using a lawyer to gain residency (mostly for not having a Dominican guarantor), the lawyer, covertly, becomes your guarantor.

How stupid all of this is? What kind of screwed up system is this? Every other country I've been, my job has been good enough for them to make me a legal resident.

Lawyers aren't crazy...what if I leave behind unpaid bills? My lawyer pays my bills? Better said - My Dominican lawyer pays my bills? To me, either they make up a guarantor, or they bribe the visa clerk.

But what takes the cake is when you go to the Immigration building, reach the counter, and there is a big sign above the clerk's head: "Usted no debe pagar ningun dinero a ningun funcionario en esta oficina" - it should say "El abogado dara' el dinero al funcionario"....

Can I do it on my own? Please advise.
 

Adrian Bye

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Jul 7, 2002
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anonymous1960 said:
I was trying to file for residency on my own, but they stopped me cold...

..the company I work for (big multinational) does not give a rat's nest about me being a legal resident.

...Filing with a lawyer is around 15-20 thousand pesos, and you DON'T need a Dominican guarantor...

...Lawyers aren't crazy...what if I leave behind unpaid bills? My lawyer pays my bills? Better said - My Dominican lawyer pays my bills? To me, either they make up a guarantor, or they bribe the visa clerk...

Before I answer this, I think some of these inconsistencies should be cleared up.

How come you work for a "big multinational", yet you need to file for residency yourself? You could easily afford the amount you state above for residency.

I note that you're already talking about leaving behind unpaid bills.

Why don't you tell us your real name, where you live, and the company you work for, and some of the rest of the details for why you can't get in/out of the DR?
 

GringoCArlos

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Jan 9, 2002
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Basically the majority of the fee you pay the abogado is his fee to become your guarantor. They won't be bribing anyone with that fee, and it is also doubtful that in the case you did skate off leaving debts, that they are going looking for anyone anyway. It's just part of their "system" and everyone has to pay "la dieta".

I have been a few places myself, and the DR is still a pretty cheap place for a foreigner to gain legal, official residency.

You can process the residency yourself, but you will (probably) still need to pay someone to be your guarantor, or deposit US$30k here, or invest in some real estate in the DR as your guarantee for the Migracion people. Maybe it will get cheaper after 16 August.

Most abogados are charging between US$1000 and US$2000 to do a residency for a foreigner, and so I might also take a stronger look at whoever quoted you RD$20k in the first place.

I also agree with adrianb, if you work for a multinational company, either they aren't worth working for, or you did a poor or uninformed job of negotiating your work before you got here, if getting residency for you was not part of the deal. They are on the hook to pay taxes on your work/payroll, and you have to be a resident to legally work in the DR.
 

simpson Homer

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Nov 14, 2003
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I dont see the point for a foreign to have Dominican Residency

There not to much stuff that you can do with Dominican residency.

For what do you really need it ?

The reason that I am asking you is because, many many many many foreigner are working in the Dominican Rep. for years and they don't have work permit or residency what I experienced is that they put more pressure in it to Haitian than to any other foreign.

If you go to Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, Boca chica, las terrenas and many other places you see, The Tour representative who is foreign not having work permit, even I know 2 Colombian girls who were working for a hotel with out work permit they were in the Dominican Rep, with a visitor visa. Also I have other friend from Venezuela working with out permit.

I dont understand the reason you are having hard time to get it. I dont even know the price of it I think is around US 1,000 I dont know.

Who ever is asking you that stuff is just for give you a hard time.

Your passport is enought down there,


I have a friend from Haiti that he is was married with a Dominican girl and still they ask for a guarantor.

Dont get stress for that unless you think is worth the sacrify for you to have it!

I think that they ask a Police record from your country and from the Dominican Republic also, medical examination and the fees.

Full citizenship take lik 5 years when you get Dominican passport wich one you need a stamp visa even to go from Santo Domingo to Sosua or From Santo Domingo to Punta Cana. :classic:
 
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Dolores1

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May 3, 2000
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Just to mention one advantage to being a legal resident...

You need to be a legal citizen to drive here. Your international license is not valid after you have been here for three months.
 

gringo in dr

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May 29, 2003
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Dolores said:
Just to mention one advantage to being a legal resident...

You need to be a legal citizen to drive here. Your international license is not valid after you have been here for three months.

What is legally on the books here and what is practiced are two different things. I've been here for over one year. I don't have a dominican license and have been stopped a couple of times. The cops could care less. The car could be stolen, they don't check the papers anyways.

You can hand them a license from any country, expired or not, they won't say anything. You can hand them a copy of any license. You can tell them that your license was taken the day before by a cop and you haven't gotten it back yet.

If you really want a dominican license, there are people that can get you one. With or without your residency.

You can have your residency in 1 day if you know the right people.

Bottom line, a drivers license is not something to worry about in this country. Worry about getting an invertor, tinaco and generator.
 

simpson Homer

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Nov 14, 2003
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you are right gringo...! just a little bit

Gringo you are right just a little bit.

Do you want to see law working for you in the DR, about driver permit.

Just kill some body in a car accident and you will see how are they going to treat. just for the reason that you dont have a driver permit according to the legal rights. If you or any friend of you don't have it you better get it.

Ask to people in your Embassy what could happen in case of that,

" killing somebody in car accident Having a expired foreign driver permit"

remenber this is an Example, I am not saying you personally

Homer

gringo in dr said:
What is legally on the books here and what is practiced are two different things. I've been here for over one year. I don't have a dominican license and have been stopped a couple of times. The cops could care less. The car could be stolen, they don't check the papers anyways.

You can hand them a license from any country, expired or not, they won't say anything. You can hand them a copy of any license. You can tell them that your license was taken the day before by a cop and you haven't gotten it back yet.

If you really want a dominican license, there are people that can get you one. With or without your residency.

You can have your residency in 1 day if you know the right people.

Bottom line, a drivers license is not something to worry about in this country. Worry about getting an invertor, tinaco and generator.
 

gringo in dr

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May 29, 2003
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Just having any accident in the DR and being a foreignor means you are most probably going to jail. I don't care what type of id you have.

Along with not giving your license to cops, if you car is still running, leave the scene.
 

Fabio J. Guzman

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Jan 1, 2002
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It is strange that the multinational company you work for in the DR does not help you on this issue.

I am the Dominican counsel for a very large international immigration law firm which refers residency cases of Fortune 500 companies to my firm on a continuous basis. Generally, the multinational pays 100% of the fees and expenses involved in obtaining residency for its foreign employees in the DR. Strict compliance with Dominican immigration laws is often standard operating procedure for multinationals doing business in the DR.
 

anonymous1960

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Jul 7, 2004
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Fabio J. Guzman said:
It is strange that the multinational company you work for in the DR does not help you on this issue.

I am the Dominican counsel for a very large international immigration law firm which refers residency cases of Fortune 500 companies to my firm on a continuous basis. Generally, the multinational pays 100% of the fees and expenses involved in obtaining residency for its foreign employees in the DR. Strict compliance with Dominican immigration laws is often standard operating procedure for multinationals doing business in the DR.

Dear Mr. Guzman,
"often" is the right word.

When I was hired, I asked the HR representative about my residency, and she pointed me to a lawyer who was a friend of hers, who would "do it for cheap".

That was a reality check, a welcome greeting to DR.

Can I force my employer to file for my residency?
 

Escott

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Jan 14, 2002
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Dolores said:
Just to mention one advantage to being a legal resident...

You need to be a legal citizen to drive here. Your international license is not valid after you have been here for three months.
Funny thing is that I thought you had to be a legal resident to even work here. Silly me.

Scott
 

Fabio J. Guzman

DR1 Expert
Jan 1, 2002
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The law does not penalize the employer for hiring illegal aliens. This will change if the immigration bill presently in Congress passes. Provisions in the bill establish fines for the employer of 2 to 100 minimum salaries. Here are the relevant articles in the bill:

?ART?CULO 102: Todo empleador, al proporcionar trabajo u ocupaci?n o contratar a alg?n extranjero, deber? constatar su permanencia legal en el pa?s y que el mismo se encuentra habilitado para trabajar, para lo cual le exigir? sin excepci?n la presentaci?n de los siguientes documentos:

a) Carn? de Residente Permanente o de Residencia Temporal, seg?n corresponda, en el cual se especifique plazo legal de permanencia y si est? o no autorizado para trabajar.
b) C?dula de Identificaci?n Personal para Extranjeros en la que conste que el extranjero es Residente Temporal o Residente Permanente.
c) Carn? de trabajo para Trabajadores Temporeros No Residentes

ART?CULO 132: Ser?n sancionados con multas de dos a cien salarios m?nimos, los empleadores que contraten o proporcionen trabajo a extranjeros ilegales o no habilitados para trabajar en el pa?s.?
 

anonymous1960

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Jul 7, 2004
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Fabio J. Guzman said:
The law does not penalize the employer for hiring illegal aliens. This will change if the immigration bill presently in Congress passes. Provisions in the bill establish fines for the employer of 2 to 100 minimum salaries. Here are the relevant articles in the bill:

?ART?CULO 102: Todo empleador, al proporcionar trabajo u ocupaci?n o contratar a alg?n extranjero, deber? constatar su permanencia legal en el pa?s y que el mismo se encuentra habilitado para trabajar, para lo cual le exigir? sin excepci?n la presentaci?n de los siguientes documentos:

a) Carn? de Residente Permanente o de Residencia Temporal, seg?n corresponda, en el cual se especifique plazo legal de permanencia y si est? o no autorizado para trabajar.
b) C?dula de Identificaci?n Personal para Extranjeros en la que conste que el extranjero es Residente Temporal o Residente Permanente.
c) Carn? de trabajo para Trabajadores Temporeros No Residentes

ART?CULO 132: Ser?n sancionados con multas de dos a cien salarios m?nimos, los empleadores que contraten o proporcionen trabajo a extranjeros ilegales o no habilitados para trabajar en el pa?s.?


Thank you for your reply Mr Guzman.

Now I'm looking forward to my firing when the law passes, and the people that live here know this is not an exaggeration...but obviously I still like the place, despite the Hipolitos, the blackouts, the buscones, the marpiolos, and on and on and on...
 

Snuffy

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May 3, 2002
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Please Clarify Drivers License...

I happen to need a clear understanding of the law for driving here. I have my USA license...but when I went to get a license in the DR I was told I need a residency. I would like to be legal just in case. What is the real cost of residency and can you do it yourself? You need a guarantor? Can this be just any friend?

Yes, talk about this subject more please.
 

audboogie

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Jul 4, 2004
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i am american and when i was down there nov 2003 and had an interview at casa de campo i was told yes, they had a job for me, BUT due to some new law being passed or rule being made they now require all foreigners to have a work permit to work there...just my experience