The first step!

Mark Lloyd · Sep 3, 2010

Hi to all the wise sages out there who regularly post to these forums, this is my first post am a little new to all this. Myself, my wife and two children 5 and 10 are about to take the plunge and move out to the Dominican Republic from the UK on a permanent basis as soon as the house is sold. I have read with much interest the posts on the forum but would like to try and get some answers to some specific questions which will not only help us but I am sure others interested in the advice given.

Firstly, as I understand things we enter the country with a return ticket but do not go home. As you fill a tourist visa out on the plane how long do you state you are staying for and do you put the return details. I know this sounds very basic, but I want to ensure we follow the correct procedures and do not get caught out in some mess.

2 We are planning to rent probably on the north coast for at least three months (although probably five) until our temporary residency is approved. As i understand things we will then have the right to work, buy property and open a bank account, amongst other things. what I would like to know is the following:-
Are my understandings correct in relation to property purchase, bank account etc?
Presumably the best way of applying for residency is through a lawyer, I understand the forms etc that will be needed, medical exam etc, but how much should I budget / be expected to pay for this service?
What lawyer would you recommend?
Do I need to apply for my wife and children as well or are they dependants?
With reference to a bank account, I understand that you can put your money in a high interest account (cd?) for a given period of time, is it best to invest in pesos or dollars and what rate am i likely to receive on ?90k plus? It would be an advantage to open a bank account as soon as possible do I have to wait until a residency is approved?

3 I am interested in the Alic New World School for the children, any views on this would be useful and also some idea of fees would also be handy

4 Once I am eligible to work I would like to try to seek employment, I hope to be reasonably bilingual, certainly in reading and speech by the time I am eligible for work (rosetta stone latin spanish 1 to 7 currently burning the midnight oil!). Any tips or places I should seek employment on the north coast would be useful.

5 On moving items out to the Dom Rep, we are currently getting quotes for a container to ship out, I would presume there is little point in shipping it out until the residency comes through as I do not want to pay import tax on my belongings?
Presumably it would be a pointless exersise to move alot of the 230 volt electrical equipment out, things like my pc, LCD tvs etc are dual voltage but many other things are not any advise on this would be welcome?
Does anyone have any experience / advice on moving my wine and liquor collection or would you recommend I just have a big leaving party in the uk!?
Food - any point on moving tins of baked beans etc or is it just not worth the hassle?
Any other tips or advice on importing items would be helpful.

Any other general advice would be gratefully received, we hope, all things being equal to make the move in four months time, all depends on the house sale

Thank you in advance
Mark

sweetdbt · Sep 3, 2010

A use of the search function will give you answers to almost all of your questions based on the many, many times they have been asked and answered here. Just a couple of quick points. You do not need a residency to open a bank account or own property, but you do to work (legally). If you are able to get work,You can expect to get about a quarter the pay or less for the same job in the UK. You are correct about your 230v electrical stuff.

Dominican Banks offer higher interest than in the UK, but nothing like they did a few years ago. Another option to consider is putting some in a private investment house like Anoeca in Puerto Plata. Contact info is in the DR1 directory. Interest will be substantially higher (probably at least 12% for Pounds) and if you do a search here you will see they are highly recommended.

Matilda · Sep 3, 2010

Mark Lloyd said:
.

Firstly, as I understand things we enter the country with a return ticket but do not go home. As you fill a tourist visa out on the plane how long do you state you are staying for and do you put the return details. I know this sounds very basic, but I want to ensure we follow the correct procedures and do not get caught out in some mess.

If you buy your return ticket for a year, you may find you can use it. Or buy a flexible return. Put 2 or 3 weeks on the tourist visa card. Do not worry about this as they rarely look at it.

2 We are planning to rent probably on the north coast for at least three months (although probably five) until our temporary residency is approved. As i understand things we will then have the right to work, buy property and open a bank account, amongst other things. what I would like to know is the following:-
Are my understandings correct in relation to property purchase, bank account etc?

Do not worry about residency immediately. You will need it for most jobs but not for buying a house, banck account etc. There are some jobs also they will not insist on it. The govt talks of clamping down but never has done.

Presumably the best way of applying for residency is through a lawyer, I understand the forms etc that will be needed, medical exam etc, but how much should I budget / be expected to pay for this service?

Up to 1000 US$. Less for more than one.

What lawyer would you recommend?

Wait till you get here, and ask around. I am on the south coast so know good ones here but not in the north.

Do I need to apply for my wife and children as well or are they dependants?

Yes they should legally have them, but if you only want yours for work then do not worry. Even if your children go to a private school, they will still take the dominican equivalent of GCSEs, they will need residency to do that. But that is a few years off! You would get a good discount for 4 at the same time.

With reference to a bank account, I understand that you can put your money in a high interest account (cd?) for a given period of time, is it best to invest in pesos or dollars and what rate am i likely to receive on ?90k plus? It would be an advantage to open a bank account as soon as possible do I have to wait until a residency is approved?

You can open a bank account as soon as possible. The longer the time period you invest your money the higher the rate. Peso is higher than Dollars but remember depreciation. Not sure of the current rates - probably up to 10% for pesos in Banco Central for 2 or 3 years.

3 I am interested in the Alic New World School for the children, any views on this would be useful and also some idea of fees would also be handy

sorry no idea

4 Once I am eligible to work I would like to try to seek employment, I hope to be reasonably bilingual, certainly in reading and speech by the time I am eligible for work (rosetta stone latin spanish 1 to 7 currently burning the midnight oil!). Any tips or places I should seek employment on the north coast would be useful.

What skills do you have?

5 On moving items out to the Dom Rep, we are currently getting quotes for a container to ship out, I would presume there is little point in shipping it out until the residency comes through as I do not want to pay import tax on my belongings?
Presumably it would be a pointless exersise to move alot of the 230 volt electrical equipment out, things like my pc, LCD tvs etc are dual voltage but many other things are not any advise on this would be welcome?

Remember the weather here and the variable electricity is not kind to electrical appliances. My house is wired for 220 and 110 as are many here. So you may be able to use them. Depends on where you rent/buy.

Does anyone have any experience / advice on moving my wine and liquor collection or would you recommend I just have a big leaving party in the uk!?

Party! Although good wine is expensive here so you may want to bring a couple of bottles

Food - any point on moving tins of baked beans etc or is it just not worth the hassle?

Wouldn't bother with baked beans. But do think of bringing items that last a long time which we cannot buy here. Custard powder, Bisto, Indian spices, oxo cubes. Apart from those you get used to doing without. Oh and Colemans mustard and branston pickle and HP sauce!! You find that when you do get them you really enjoy them. Suet if you like dumplings!
Any other tips or advice on importing items would be helpful.

All been said before, but tin opener, good knives etc. Forget stuff like saucepans and plates, glasses etc all can be bought here cheaply. Remember good medicines and plasters. Hard to find good range of plasters. Day and night nurse is also useful.

Any other general advice would be gratefully received, we hope, all things being equal to make the move in four months time, all depends on the house sale

Thank you in advance
Mark

Hope that helps,

Matilda

granca · Sep 3, 2010

Good answers from Matilda but as I am on the North East coast can't help with local, local knowledge but just couple of points. If I were advising me, however, I'd say bring lots of baked beans and corned beef you can't get 'em here and as weight in a container is not a problem bring all your cast iron cookware, I can't find any here.
Uk electrical goods, computers, hifi, kitchen tools and gadgets all work better than the imported chinese rubbish they sell, it all works fine on 220 volts. The only thing that doesn't is anything using an electrical mains clock, the cycles per second here are as in the US.
Whenever I go back to blighty my return luggage always contains: paracetamol, germoline, TCP oinment, Elemens linament (spelling), new heads for electric toothbrushes,
Good luck with it all, I like it here.

Ken · Sep 3, 2010

Fabio Guzman, the lawyer who answers questions posted in the Legal section, would be a good choice for all your legal needs. The main office is in Sosua, but he also has an office in the Saman/Las Terrenas area and several on the South Coast.

Below is a link couple of items on residency taken from his website, Guzman Ariza Law Firm in the Dominican Republic.

Immigration Publications in Dominican Republic

All questions you have about getting residency, such as your question about family, should be posted in the Legal section of the message board. That is the only section that he monitors, but answers all questions posted there.

Re baked beans, I can get them at the Playero Supermarket in Sosua. I believe they have corned beef, too, but can't swear to it. I am presently in the US visiting family so can't check and let you know, but I am sure somebody who knows will see your question and respond.

Re your electrical devices, aren't their adapters? I know if taking things from US or DR to UK, there are adapters that permit their use there.

But if you are not sure you are going to stay, maybe you should put your wine and anything else not needed to help you make the decision in storage temporarily.

Ken · Sep 3, 2010

I have bought baked beans in Playero Supermarket in Sosua. I think I have seen corned beef there also, but am presently in US visiting family so can't confirm that. However, I am sure somebody who knows will see question and let you know.

Mark Lloyd · Sep 3, 2010

Thanks everybody for your responses, re the baked beans, I was really just using them as an example, we had been advised it may be difficult to get food stuffs through customs in a container even if we have our residency, just wondering if anyone had experiences of it. If it were no problem it would make sense to go out and bulk buy some home comfort essentials to put in the container.

Reference the electrical items, is the supply 220/230 or 110, if the supply is 220 then we could just buy a whole load of three pin to two pin adapters, which would save a whole bundle in buying out there, it would also then make sense shipping some of the larger white goods and light fittings rather than buying in Dom Rep.

Also any advice on bilingual schools in north coast would be appreciated

Buster1 · Sep 3, 2010

you do not need to be a resident to buy or open a bank account we did this a year ago and are not permanent residents..

Mark Lloyd · Sep 3, 2010

For Matilda

You asked what skills do I have, I have been working in the luxury hotel industry for the past 22 years and been a General Manager for the past ten years, managing hotels with spas and golf courses. I am fully computer literate in all the usual word, excel, powerpoint etc. Can turn my hand to more or less most things.

Mark Lloyd · Sep 3, 2010

Hi Buster 1, thanks for the reply, what is the process for opening a bank account, what documentation is needed and is transferring funds from uk account to Dom Rep easy?

Matilda · Sep 3, 2010

It is easy to transfer money here from UK. You can take up to 1000 pounds a day from your Uk account anyway with your debit card ( well I can First Direct). When you transfer money the bank will hold onto it till you can prove where it came from if over 10,000 US$. ie house sale etc. I tend to leave UK cash in UK and just take it out when I need it. If you can take out 1000 pounds a day then put some of that in a peso account, unless you want to put in a CD.

Job wise, you may be able to find something with those skills, but I would think only if your spanish is perfect. It really is not easy finding work here and the pay is nothing like the UK, as Windeguy says, you cannot rely on having a job to live off. You do need enough in savings, and 90,000 pounds invested may only deliver you 9000 to live off a year, with school fees and rent it wil be tight.

Matilda

Ken · Sep 3, 2010

Have you contacted the big hotel companies that have properties here?

laurajane · Sep 3, 2010

miloskorac said:
For opening a bank account (savings) you need a refference letter of your bank, that you are a good customer, one page document sent to email or fax of one of the managers of the Dominican banks of your choice. If you are transfering more then 10,000 usd at once, then you need to write one paper of declaration, why you are transfering money (ex. I am tranfering money as I want to buy...or, my grandmother is sending me money to buy a car...)

Then to transfer funds, you will receive a paper with intermediary banks (choose one) for international transfers. (aba and swift codes).

In the same day, you can open account with prepaid card. (for supermarkets for example).

Leon prepaid cards can be used for buying on Internet (and not Popular or BHD, even if they tell you that is possible).

Banks: Popular, BHD, Banreservas, Leon...

I opened an account with Banco Leon and did not supply a reference letter nor was i asked, I opened it with passport alone. They have to send a request to head office in Santo Domingo and usually hear back in 5-10 days. I have never known anyone to be refused.

Yes a pre paid card for internet purchases is a very good idea.

As for shipping personal items, i would not bother with too much. I know a couple who shipped everything but the kitchen sink and paid thousands to ship it and when they received it half the stuff had mysteriously vanished.

For the cost of shipping you can pick up most of what you need here.

Domestic appliances are expensive here and for some reason dont seem to last very long at all, but i am not sure if Uk appliances work here.

As for food stuffs you can actually find quite alot of Heinz products here now; i even picked up a jar of pickled onions today whoo hoo! You can get helmans etc

But bring, dried fruit, suet, tea bags (have them here but awful), indian spices, Oxo cubes, Baking powder, Golden syrup, salad cream, packets of white sauce, cheese sauce, onion sauce, bread sauce, Naan Bread, custard powder.

Believe it or not where i am i find it very difficult to find decent tomatoes, lettuce, green beans etc, so bring packets of seeds and grow your own!!! I am waiting for my first batch or Rhubarb: plant them in pots if you space is small and it also means you can move them easily if you move.

I would bring lots of over the counter meds such as paracetamol, calpol, tummy meds, savlon cream, fabric plasters, antiseptic spray, any womans health products and creams, vicks vaporub, Anti allergy relief, digital ear themometer etc. Find a site on line like NHS direct and when you are here save it as a fav page on your computer as i find i self diagnose and for my daughter more successfully than going to the doctors sometimes who will on occassion admit you to a hospital bed for 5 days for an "infection somewhere in your body" to cash in.

The first thing you do when you get here is buy a good medical plan for the whole family, no residency needed.

granca · Sep 4, 2010

There are both 220 and 110 volt here, just make sure that you have a 220 v supply to your house. You don't even have to buy adapters any more, although its always useful to have a couple knocking about. There are plugholes available here that will take DR plugs, UK plugs, European continent plugs don't know about Australian. Just one little point if you do decide to buy adapters, 110 v have vertical pins and 220 v horizontal. Caught me out at the beginning. If you have to rewire any plugs the ones sold here are the most fiddly I have ever come across, one more warning don't expect brown wires to be positive, blue neutral and green earth they could all be any colour under the sun. Make sure you have a damn good earth! Interesting country!

dr_dreamin · Sep 4, 2010

As far as I can understand, legally speaking the Dominican Republic requires that you have a return ticket when you come. However, it is never checked on this end. The only problem would be if the airline requires you to buy the return portion. On the tourist visa, write in 2 - 3 weeks; it's not like they actually look at the visa! (I just came in from Canada with no return ticket ... no problems at all.)

Make sure you open your bank account within 3 months, while you are still "legal". I opened an account a ScotiaBank, and required a reference from my home bank, as well as two references from Dominican residents.

MikeFisher · Sep 4, 2010

by Law a airline is not allowed to sell you a one way ticket down here without you having residency for the isle.
a agent selling such ticket would get his business closed for doing so if somebody get's in trouble over such.
arriving down here I never saw that somebody had to show a return ticket.
MIKE

belgiank · Sep 5, 2010

I opened a bank account with banco leon with a single reference from a Dominican citizen... but to be honest banco leon is not the best bank for expats (no euro account, and dollars to be transferred through a bank-account of theirs with an American bank... just gives me the jitters to be honest...)

With Banco Popular you officially need 2 references from people holding an account there, and a reference letter from the bank in your country... but if you buy a prepaid plan from the phone-company Claro this carries a lot more weight...

In my case this was a solution as Belgian Banks do not give references... (they check credibility through a black list on the national bank, and that is it... and will never give this info to any bank or agency outside of the country)...

With banco popular I now transfer funds from Belgium to the DR, in just 3 working days, for a very reasonable price... the price from Europe is reasonable, and the price for an account is ridiculous ( half a dollar a month, including your atm card)

If an American resident, your checks will be accepted at local exchange offices, which will give you a very fair deal on the exchange...

Hope this helps

Reidy620 · Sep 5, 2010

Matilda said:
It is easy to transfer money here from UK. You can take up to 1000 pounds a day from your Uk account anyway with your debit card ( well I can First Direct). When you transfer money the bank will hold onto it till you can prove where it came from if over 10,000 US$. ie house sale etc. I tend to leave UK cash in UK and just take it out when I need it.
Matilda

Matilda,
If you don't mind me asking, what does First Direct charge you to use your debit card in the DR? Is it a fixed fee or a percentage?

Thnaks in advance.
Tropical Regards
Ian & Ellie

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