So confused about visas...

eralc777

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Aug 6, 2005
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I know there are lots of posts out there already on this topic, but I find them all really confusing.

I am moving to the DR in July/August and I would like to know how to go about getting the visas I need to live and work there. I am looking at staying there for one to two years. Do I need to get papers from the UK? If so, what do I need and from where? Do I need to seek legal help when I am in Sosua? If so, how much is this likely to cost?

Do I need to get official documents to let me live and work there, or do I just move there?

Any visa advice for dummies would be appreciated!!
 

AnnaC

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Jan 2, 2002
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Nothing to be confused about. If you want to work legally in the DR you will need residency. Not sure what your place of employment needs so you should maybe ask them.

It costs from 1000 to 1500 US dollars if done by a lawyer. I would not suggest doing the paper work yourself unless you know Spanish well. ;)

Some info


Read all of it here DR1 - Legal


Residency Advantages

What are the advantages to getting a residency?
A resident can work and do business in the Dominican Republic; a non resident cannot do so legally.

Being a resident facilitates a number of business transactions in the DR, including obtaining bank loans and applying for credit.

A resident does not have to post a bond (usually quite high) in court when he decides to sue in the Dominican Republic; a nonresident is required to do so.

A resident can enter the Dominican Republic without having to buy a tourist card; a nonresident must obtain a visa or buy a tourist card.

In case of inheritance, a non-resident beneficiary must pay a 50% surcharge on estate taxes; this surcharge is not applicable to the resident.

A resident is allowed to bring in tax free his household items, ranging from kitchen appliances, to furniture. Article 13 of Law #146-00 expressly exempts from any duty the importation of the personal effects and household goods of foreigners immigrating into the Dominican Republic and of Dominicans coming back home to live permanently after residing abroad for more than two consecutive years. And Law 168 grants a discount that ranges from 20% for one year in your name to 60% for five years on vehicles that will be imported together with your household goods.

A resident does not need to purchase a return ticket when traveling to the DR.

You will be able to get a valid Dominican driver's license so that your insurance plan will cover you if you are involved in a traffic accident. Foreign driver's licenses are only valid for the first 90 days. Otherwise, to keep your foreign driver's license valid, you will need to exit the country before the 91st day to start the 90 day count over.

Disadvantages:
A resident is subject to income tax on worldwide income from investments abroad after the third year of residency in the country. However, this applies only to income from financial investments, not to income from other sources such as personal work. Of course, the resident will also pay income tax on Dominican income.
 

eralc777

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Aug 6, 2005
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Gosh thats expensive. And where do I go to get the paperwork started? So I would be looking at from ?600 to ?800 wow!!!!

Do I start it in this country or in DR?
 

eralc777

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Aug 6, 2005
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Marriage for a visa

My friend has just told me something interesting.....that if I marry a Dominican, then I automatically get residency in DR without having to pay for the visas etc....is this true???

Would there be any down sides to doing that? Gosh, cant believe Im even suggesting doing that!
 

eralc777

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Aug 6, 2005
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Ive just been looking on the DR embassy website for UK which says I can get a residency visa for ?170, but then when I am in DR, I have to apply for another visa. This is so complicated!!! Does anyone know how much it is likely to cost me for the second stage when I am in DR?

Is it really as simple as marrying someone to become a citizen, without all this fussing over visas? Or is there other paperwork needed after getting married?
 

eralc777

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Aug 6, 2005
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Sorry for sounding repetitive but IF I married a Dominican, it would not cost me to apply for visas, I could just get married, then work there and everything is fine? Or would we still need to go to a lawyer to get official papers? Surely I need something to say that I am ok to work there, or would that be the marriage certificate?

I am trying to get an idea of costs of things before I move. I dont want to decide not to get the visa here, then get married only to find out I have to pay however much for some paperwork....I need to know exactly where my money will be going. Failing to plan, is planning to fail!!!

A Dominican marriage is only valid in DR isnt it?
 

Tor

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Jan 1, 2002
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Disadvantages:
A resident is subject to income tax on worldwide income from investments abroad after the third year of residency in the country. However, this applies only to income from financial investments, not to income from other sources such as personal work. Of course, the resident will also pay income tax on Dominican income.

Can anybody say anything about how this is enforced ?
 

AnnaC

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Jan 2, 2002
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Getting married to save money or getting citizenship is never recommended and although I hate it when people give relationship advice in the visa forum I will say that please go live with your guy for a least 6 to 12 months before considering marrying him.

Get on the phone and ask your future employer if they provide the working visa for you or are you responsible for getting one yourself.
 

eralc777

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Aug 6, 2005
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Thanks for that.

So am I ok to start my job without the visa, and then start the paperwork off in August or be prepared and get the visa so I have it for August ready to start work?
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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eralc, i work legally and pay f*&^$% taxes :cheeky: even thou i am in a process of getting my residency (since october, i mean, seriously, how long does it take? :ermm: )

i would never think of marrying minovio as a way of reducing costs and time, love is love but marriage is marriage, paperwork and more paperwork and then (who knows, one has to be ready for everything) a divorce is costly and messy ALWAYS so, at the end of the day no money/time/nerves saved, quite the opposite.

costs of abugado can be reduced if you use one in santo domingo or, even better (money wise, NOT nerve wise) if you do it yourself, although i would not do that, i am lazy and pretty much legally challenged, why bite the end of the pen trying to crack the legal code of paperwork, and in spanish, for all that, when someone can do it for you?

at the end of the day remember, it's DR, anything can be done here, any law can be bent.

:bunny:
 

dchenriquez

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Jan 26, 2005
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Hey there.

Not sure if you've already got all your answers, but I married a Dominican and still had to go through the entire residency process. We'd been married for 9 months before i even applied. I paid a lawyer $1000 US and he took care of it for me. I had to pay $150 more for the medical but i had my residency within 3 months. That residency only lasts one year. You then need to apply again for your permenent residency before your one year expires. Not sure how much it is, but you don't have to pay that full price again. As far as automatic citizenship or residency if you get married to a Dominican, it's not true. I was going to get my citizenship instead of residency and it's a lot more expensive and complicated. Not really worth it in my mind. You do it all once you get to the DR. Just you need to show the lawyer your tourist card from when you entered, your birth certificate and passport. I think that was it. So you don't need to start anything in the U.K before you get there.
Good luck,
 

eralc777

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Aug 6, 2005
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Oh thats good. Got enough paperwork to deal with at work without thinking about visas....I can relax until I get there....that is as long as flight prices go down! Cant believe how much they want for a flight when I wont even be using the return journey! Wish I had my own plane.