Foreigner Moving to the Dominican Republic

gringobachata7

New member
Sep 19, 2009
296
0
0
I found a job online and I am moving to the Dominican Republic and plan to become a citizen so that I have a citizenship in the USA and the DR. Is Santo Domingo, Santiago, Bonao, La Vega or Puerto Plata a good idea? Which place would be the most comfortable?
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
I found a job online and I am moving to the Dominican Republic and plan to become a citizen so that I have a citizenship in the USA and the DR. Is Santo Domingo, Santiago, Bonao, La Vega or Puerto Plata a good idea? Which place would be the most comfortable?
Unless you're a Dominican citizen, you can't have both.
 

DRob

Gold
Aug 15, 2007
8,234
594
113
I found a job online and I am moving to the Dominican Republic and plan to become a citizen so that I have a citizenship in the USA and the DR. Is Santo Domingo, Santiago, Bonao, La Vega or Puerto Plata a good idea? Which place would be the most comfortable?

Congrats on the gig.

Those areas are all very different. In what manner do you want to live? What's your budget? What will you be doing online? What do you like to do offline?

While trying to figure that out, I'd take a trip (or three), spend some non-vacation-tourist time in each of the areas, and decide where you'd like to stay.

Good luck, and TREAD CAREFULLY AND SLOWLY.
 

mido

Bronze
May 18, 2002
1,522
14
38
Where is your job? Maybe you should start looking in the area where are you going to work.
 

drescape24

Bronze
Nov 2, 2011
1,918
0
36
Unless you're a Dominican citizen, you can't have both.
That's not true. Americans can have two passports. Its easier if your parents are from different countries and the child has both citizenships from birth. If you go through the process to obtain Dominican citizenship and you don't renounce your American citizenship you'll be both. I know this from experience because my children are dual nationals, German and American, and they travel with both passports on their person.
 

gringobachata7

New member
Sep 19, 2009
296
0
0
Congrats on the gig.

Those areas are all very different. In what manner do you want to live? What's your budget? What will you be doing online? What do you like to do offline?

While trying to figure that out, I'd take a trip (or three), spend some non-vacation-tourist time in each of the areas, and decide where you'd like to stay.

Good luck, and TREAD CAREFULLY AND SLOWLY.

My budget will be 35-45k per year USD. Offline, I will spend time with friends and my girlfriend and son. I like to eat in restaurants and ride pasolas in my time off. Thanx for the advice.

I was unaware that I am not able to have dual citizenship int he USA and DR. I will just get my permanent residency in the DR if that is true.
 

gringobachata7

New member
Sep 19, 2009
296
0
0
Where is your job? Maybe you should start looking in the area where are you going to work.

I will be writing articles online for sites such as aol.com as a freelance writer. I will also teach English as a second language online to Russians.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
how hard was it to obtain and how long did it take?

I got it almost 10 years ago, and it was real easy at that time. Had it in less than 2 years, don't think this is possible now. Maybe 3 or 4 years I am guessing.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
That's not true. Americans can have two passports. Its easier if your parents are from different countries and the child has both citizenships from birth. If you go through the process to obtain Dominican citizenship and you don't renounce your American citizenship you'll be both. I know this from experience because my children are dual nationals, German and American, and they travel with both passports on their person.
But you have to be Dominican to get a Dominican passport and citizenship.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
One can get Dominican Citizenship thru the process known in the USA as naturalization, and then one is Dominican, and then can get a Dominican Passport. Probably not the same process, but they have one of their own.
I just checked, and dual citizenship is recognized by the US, but not encouraged.

I recall recently a US citizen giving up their citizenship because of high taxation.
 

Zulu

New member
May 27, 2012
106
1
0
Yup plenty of people do that 2 avoid paying taxes like the co-founder of facebook now resides in Singapore , but once in trouble you give up all your rights and could be subjected to the local law system. If i were you i would just apply for a residents permit but be careful the process tends to be shady a lot of paper work and expenses in the DR they use lawyers for everything plus you may have 2 get some documents notarized
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
My three children have both passports,DR,and US.They were all born in RD.The DRpassport was very easy,the US "Record of birth abroad",and US passport was more difficult,and time consuming.I paid a Dominican lawyer to do all the paprwork,only about $300 US,but you will need a lot of photos,hospital record,plus anything else that showes you were in the DR when your DRwife got pregnant,nd thay yu are active in the child's life.When we all went for the interview the woman was very nice to all of us.How she got the job I'll never know,every other time I have had to deal with the US consulte staff,I wanted 2 minutes alone with them in a locked room!
Your tax dollars at work!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

barker1964

Silver
Apr 1, 2009
3,413
2
38
I just checked, and dual citizenship is recognized by the US, but not encouraged.

I recall recently a US citizen giving up their citizenship because of high taxation.


One of the founders of Facebook to avoid paying taxes after the IPO hit but congress is going after him. But he was born in Brazil and now lives in Japan.
 

Isobel

New member
Jul 21, 2011
120
0
0
My understanding is that it takes 5 years to get citizenship after you have your cedula, but I was also told that if you get into trouble here, your original homeland will have difficulty getting you out or helping if you have Dominican citizenship...
 

Isobel

New member
Jul 21, 2011
120
0
0
There are some horror stories. Make sure you use someone who has a reliable reputation. MANY people pay the fees and never get the residencia or the cedula. I've come across some people who are already on their third attempt to get it having lost all their previous investments in getting residency! Find some people who have actually got it and see who they used!
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
I just checked, and dual citizenship is recognized by the US, but not encouraged.

I recall recently a US citizen giving up their citizenship because of high taxation.

Duality is allowed but you MUST use the US passport on entry into the US

Many US citizens are forfeiting their passports for their adopted country