Things are never easy.... Last January 25th I went through the swearing in and was naturalized in Santo Domingo. Now back in Puerto Plata I went on Monday to request the birth certificate and cedula. Paid 1,000RD and was told to come back on Wednesday, all will be ready. I went back this morning, got the birth certificate, then got into line for the cedula. Surprise, there is a new fee of 3000 DOP for foreigners to get their cedula. I said I am not a foreigner, I am Dominican so cedula is free. No they said, there is a new process so that when the cedula changes category from foreigner to dominican there is a fee of 3000 DOP. She showed me the memo printed on 18th of January. I paid, got photographed (she fixed my hair), got prints taken several times then waited.... they had to call to SD to get authorization to put me in the system. But everyone in SD is in a meeting so will call later to find out if I can go get my (*&)( cedula. By the way, nobody in POP wanted the sealed envelope from MIP... it is sealed so nobody wanted to touch it! LOL
- Thread starter Matilda
- Start date
Citizenship update
I was reborn????
It is part of the process, not my choice! I guess it is a birth of sort as a Dominican? Really, the certificate just says I was born in Montreal on such and such date. So I have 2 birth certificates reassuring me I was indeed born. The Canadian one is the one I use all the time. The Dominican one is for things dominican like getting a voting cedula.
Also required to gt a Dominican passport. Why you say would you want a Dominican passport- travel to Brazil is cheaper and Colombia free. For Canadians it costs 80 dollars to visir Colombia.
As far as I know, you can apply for citizenship under the normal route ie not Dominican,not an Investor and not married to a Dominican. You need to have had residency for two years. Having an adult DR Citizen son gives you no quicker route although it would allow you to have the residency visa issued in your home country to allow you to get residency.
Matilda
I went back to the POP Junta and was entered in the system after they were authorized by SD. Cedula? no, they have to verify the papers first and my cedula will be issued within 1 month. What happens if I have to leave the country before then? In that case I have to call them and maybe the cedula would be ready. Sounds like flexing bureaucratic muscles to me. Time to shrug shoulders and smile.
Immigration in this country is the biggest scam you can imagine and then some. They have to extract maximum $$$ from the ones paying, because there are thousands walking in across the border without paying a cent to the government (it only cost them a few hundred pesos to get in). We pay in our home country to get the entrance visa and then we pay again repeatedly for each renewal. And for them, it's normal....
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If I total up my original temporary residency using a lawyer, my renewals without a lawyer, and my citizenship, without a lawyer my total is less than 3000 dollars.
Darn cheap - I am near $6500 and still waiting on my permanent residency card - Mexico makes it easier, faster and cheaper.
Well you're very lucky Bob. I did residency renewal on my own, but for citizenship, I was right in the middle of the period when they were changing the rules every second day. When I had enough of their bulsh&%# I got a lawyer to complete the file and submit it to MIP. I did not add up the bill, I'm ignoring that part on purpose.
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As far as I am aware they are still the same questions which are on the MIP website - in Spanish and you answer in Spanish. They ask 10-15 of the questions.
Matilda
Well I have the advantage of having a Dominican wife that is very familiar with the way the Dominican government works, and has cousins in Santo Domingo that are willing to run around for her, and yes all done before most of the rule changes. Matidas friend was a great help for translations and paying taxes, at a good price.
WOW, that's a lot of cash-o-la. I did temporary, permanent, and two renewals all with a lawyer and my numbers are lower than that. Then again all mine was done under the old system if that means much.
http://mi.gob.do/transparencia/imag... DE ENTREVISTA DE NACIONALIDAD DOMINICANA.pdf
I have the answers too. If you want them pm me with your email address although I think I posted them on a thread in the Residents forum at some stage.
Matilda
Last week I asked an experienced Immigration Lawyer to quote me on the cost of applying for residency.
Has not yet given a quote.
But I did learn that I have to fly to Ottawa to the RD Embassy to get the ''KIT".
Sounds easy... the $600.oo+- for plane and another $400.oo for hotels and meals.
So before I get started it will cost me a grand.... my problem for sure; I should live closer to Ottawa!!
If my Lawyer says it will be another $4000.oo USD then it is cheaper for me to take a boat ride to Puerto Rico on occasion.
Man! This is one strange YOYO ride to get a residence here in RD.
My Lawyer says it takes about 3 months to process and get granted.
Anyone ever experience a 3 month Residence application?
The fact that I invested over $200,000.oo usd here ; married a DR woman and took guardianship of two kids does not guarantee anything; nor should it.
I guess I am just getting old, cranky and senile ; Might just take everyone back to Canada... ever so simple.
We can always visit for 30 days .
Family longer. But I can use the overstay penalty. LOL
Until my mood gets better....Russell
Russell
Has not yet given a quote.
But I did learn that I have to fly to Ottawa to the RD Embassy to get the ''KIT".
Sounds easy... the $600.oo+- for plane and another $400.oo for hotels and meals.
So before I get started it will cost me a grand.... my problem for sure; I should live closer to Ottawa!!
If my Lawyer says it will be another $4000.oo USD then it is cheaper for me to take a boat ride to Puerto Rico on occasion.
Man! This is one strange YOYO ride to get a residence here in RD.
My Lawyer says it takes about 3 months to process and get granted.
Anyone ever experience a 3 month Residence application?
The fact that I invested over $200,000.oo usd here ; married a DR woman and took guardianship of two kids does not guarantee anything; nor should it.
I guess I am just getting old, cranky and senile ; Might just take everyone back to Canada... ever so simple.
We can always visit for 30 days .
Family longer. But I can use the overstay penalty. LOL
Until my mood gets better....Russell
Russell