Pros and Cons of a Residence Card

waytogo

waytogo

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I have tried to find this info on previous residence card threads to no avail.
Just curious, exactly what are the benefits of having a Residence Card?
When I opened my account at Banco Popular, had utilities put in my name, credit established at a furniture store, a local Visa credit card, credit at Claro for a new Apple 3Gs touch phone, NOBODY was concerned in the least if I had a residence card. NOBODY even wanted to look at it.....
The only benefit I can see is not having to pay anything when you leave the country.
So, why have there been so many threads looking for information about getting one?
It appears that they are not really necessary......
 
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bigbird

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waytogo said:
I have tried to find this info on previous residence card threads to no avail.
Just curious, exactly what are the benefits of having a Residence Card?
When I opened my account at Banco Popular, had utilities put in my name, credit established at a furniture store, a local Visa credit card, credit at Claro for a new Apple 3Gs touch phone, NOBODY was concerned in the least if I had a residence card. NOBODY even wanted to look at it.....
The only benefit I can see is not having to pay anything when you leave the country.
So, why have there been so many threads looking for information about getting one?
It appears that they are not really necessary......
Click to expand...

You were able to do all of the above with just your cedula? If so, I agree a residence card is useless.

Seems that the cedula should be all that is necessary to "legally" live and or work in the DR. I am currently waiting for my permanent cedula and residence card. When I filed the permanent application my temporary residence card was taken from me and submitted with the documents. Like you, I have never had to show anyone my residence card. When I arrive at the airport they ask for my cedula and that is it. A few times I presented my residence card and cedula as ID and the residence card was just shoved back to me.

A residence card is just as useless as a tourist card. Who bothers to even look at them?
 
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bigbird

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waytogo said:
Have a cedulla, Banco popular wanted my passport only.
Claro wanted my passport only, so know another question,
what are the pros and cons of a cedula?
Click to expand...
Since I obtained my cedula I use that for ID and don't bother to carry my passport at all. Car rental, bank, Orange phone all accepted the cedula without asking for my passport. I much prefer carrying the cedula so if it gets lost I can still get home.

From my limited knowledge a cedula/residence card is required to legally live, work, and drive in the DR (over the 60 day limit). A cedula also carries a small amount of clout when the policia pulls you over.
 
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playacaribe2

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Jan 9, 2004
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As has been pointed out already..

waytogo said:
I have tried to find this info on previous residence card threads to no avail.
Just curious, exactly what are the benefits of having a Residence Card?
When I opened my account at Banco Popular, had utilities put in my name, credit established at a furniture store, a local Visa credit card, credit at Claro for a new Apple 3Gs touch phone, NOBODY was concerned in the least if I had a residence card. NOBODY even wanted to look at it.....
The only benefit I can see is not having to pay anything when you leave the country.
So, why have there been so many threads looking for information about getting one?
It appears that they are not really necessary......
Click to expand...



one of the pros is your ability to work legally in the country.

The con that I am aware of, which I do not believe has ever been discussed on DR1, is that if you have a "problem" in the DR, the US Embassy will simply tell you that as a Dominican resident you should avail yourself of those remedies within their (DR) governmental framework.

No one at the embassy/consulate level has yet defined what "problem(s)" are covered but, unless and until I choose to live and work there full time, I will continue to pay the tourist fees and any attendant overstay fines.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 
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Black Dog

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Dominican driving lisence! There have been many debates here about the risks of driving on a foriegn lisence beyond the permitted time and the impact on your insurance cover if you have an accident. You need residency to get a Dominican lisence.
 
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tht

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I flew from Madrid to Las Americas early June on a return ticket. Iberia requested to see my residency card at check in, if I didn't have I would have to by a return ticket back to Europe. American Airlines used to do the same but don't seem to care anymore, at least in Miami.
 
waytogo

waytogo

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This is why I have asked this, I started the process for my Permenent card back in December. When I had applied I was 3 months late. After paying the attorney her monies for the paperwork only, then paying for the medical, police report, and 4, not 3 months late fee back in January, they now want 6500 more DP for the card and added months late fees. I have to wonder why would there be 6 more months of late fees when the paperwork was turned in in January and I already paid the fees when it was turned in. Why would they charge for months when in their possession and they drag their butts. Plus, the office in Santiago told me they would contact me when finished and they never did costing me an 2 added months in penalties.
So, it has gotten to the point where I ask myself is it really necessary.
And, I love taking taxi's so I will never buy a car.
 
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bigbird

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playacaribe2 said:
.....The con that I am aware of, which I do not believe has ever been discussed on DR1, is that if you have a "problem" in the DR, the US Embassy will simply tell you that as a Dominican resident you should avail yourself of those remedies within their (DR) governmental framework.......
Click to expand...

Someone correct me if I am wrong but this only applies when you get DR citizenship, which I would never, ever do.
 
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william webster

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Leaving POP last April, my temp residency card had been submitted w/ my application for permanent.
They would not accept my cedula as proof of residency and i got dinged for the fine !
I argued but nada !
In fairness, I'm told that other airports are more lenient.

I have always thought the residency qualified you for the cedula and that the combination of the two is like having a US Green Card.... effectively, you are a non-voting citizen.... permission to live and work but no vote, no passport entitlement.

You have these to a get driver's license which covers you for accidents when you own a car here (foreign licenses won't be accepted).

In theory, banking is easier, credit, etc.
But, as we said before , some banks want a cedula to open an account.
Personally, I had to submit proof of a bank account with my cedula application.... just the opposite.

Some people need proof of an official country of residence (as opposed to being a "citizen of the world" ). I expect the cedula/residency combination does that.

Its really not that straightforward..... at least to me

WW
 
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Black Dog

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bigbird said:
Someone correct me if I am wrong but this only applies when you get DR citizenship, which I would never, ever do.
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I believ you are right. If you have dual citizenship and are in your 2nd country of citizenship, your embassy wont help, this is certainly true of Britain anyway. Straight from the Ambassador's mouth.
 
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SKY

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Black Dog said:
I believ you are right. If you have dual citizenship and are in your 2nd country of citizenship, your embassy wont help, this is certainly true of Britain anyway. Straight from the Ambassador's mouth.
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This is not true of the US Embassy, they will still help you. They won't be much help, but they will not shun you because you hold two passports.

This from personal experience.
 
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playacaribe2

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Well, I can only give you...

bigbird said:
Someone correct me if I am wrong but this only applies when you get DR citizenship, which I would never, ever do.
Click to expand...

a first hand experience trying to help an individual (non DR citizen) with a "problem." Technically, I believe it is probably the same thing if you are in the US as a legal permanent resident (green card). You are not a citizen of the US, but your birth country, or the country you may hold a passport for, will no doubt tell you that your "problem" is no longer within their jurisdiction.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 
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william webster

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waytogo said:
This is why I have asked this, I started the process for my Permenent card back in December. When I had applied I was 3 months late. After paying the attorney her monies for the paperwork only, then paying for the medical, police report, and 4, not 3 months late fee back in January, they now want 6500 more DP for the card and added months late fees. I have to wonder why would there be 6 more months of late fees when the paperwork was turned in in January and I already paid the fees when it was turned in. Why would they charge for months when in their possession and they drag their butts. Plus, the office in Santiago told me they would contact me when finished and they never did costing me an 2 added months in penalties.
So, it has gotten to the point where I ask myself is it really necessary.
And, I love taking taxi's so I will never buy a car.
Click to expand...

Wow, listen to this!

Our residency expired in Sept 2009. We were told by our lawyer that it was really a calendar year thing, not to worry.

We presented ourselves in SD in December2009 for the full aplication.... were notified of the submission in January 2010.... were approved April 2010.... went back to SD in June..... began at 8:45am, got both Perm Residency and cedula done by 11:30am.

Paid the VIP fee thru Guzman office.

The Wow was because the time lines were virtually identical and the costs and results are dramatically different.
Maybe you need to have a chat with your lawyer

Feel free to use me as an example.

btw there is a lot of info on the thread about renewing in Santiago that will be useful to you.

WW
 
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Bob K

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Not only do you need it for drivers lic, and not paying exit fee, and being able to flly on a one way ticket (don't need a return) But you also need it if you plan using you one time tax exoneration to ship a container in. This needs to be done within 6months of getting residency.


Bob K
 
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william webster

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Bob K said:
Not only do you need it for drivers lic, and not paying exit fee, and being able to flly on a one way ticket (don't need a return) But you also need it if you plan using you one time tax exoneration to ship a container in. This needs to be done within 6months of getting residency.


Bob K
Click to expand...

And, supposedly, a better deal on an incoming vehicle.

Advice,,,,,, I regret doing both mine and my wife's at the same time.
If I was to do it again, I would space them b/c there is always something(s) a year or two later when you say - Darn, I wish I had my conatiner

WW
 
waytogo

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
6,407
580
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Santiago DR
Bob K said:
Not only do you need it for drivers lic, and not paying exit fee, and being able to flly on a one way ticket (don't need a return) But you also need it if you plan using you one time tax exoneration to ship a container in. This needs to be done within 6months of getting residency.

Bob K
Click to expand...

I screwed up, I originally thought that the 6 months was on the permanent residence card, not the temporary card and now I have to go back to the states and sell everything I was going to ship here, a full 20' container of personal belongings which includes a new refrigerator, stove, and bar-b-que still in the boxes that set me back 6 large. I had found this out on the 8th month of the temporary card. I refuse to let customs stick it to me.
 
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