Around 2 month ago I followed HB's advice and contacted the "Doctora".
As some might know, due to some circumstances (loong story) I was in the country for 15 years without residencia.
What I would like to report might not be applying for everybody but might clarify some things for some.
I need to mention that I am married (legally) to my Dominican wife since 1997 and that we have a 9 yr old son together.
I met the Doctora for a first interview and we found we would need the "acta de nacimiento / birth certificate" and "papel de buena conducta / police report" from my home country, Germany. Funny, police report for 15 years I wasn't even over there... anyway, being not able to go to Germany to visit the Dominican embassy there to apostille these papers because of my job etc. I arranged for getting them via the German Embassy, which was of great help.
Having the papers here we sent them via fedex to the Dominican Embassy in Germany to be stamped there (Having the right lawyer , she knows the Dominican Embassador there in person, it was possible to do so...).
This took about 10 days and the papers arrived.
Next step we had to go to Santo Domingo, to the "cancilleria" to apply for the visa. We met our lawyer, entered, got through to the right person right away and deposited our paperwork.
We went then to have a snack and after 2 hours the lawyer called and we met her at the cancilleria where she already had my passport with the visa in it.
It was a little bit too late to go right away to "imigracion" to get the medical exam same day so we went back to Bavaro agreeing to go there the next week Thursday (that was last week).
Thursday, October 11:
Immigration Office
We arrived in Santo Domingo at 9:30 AM, met our lawyer at the entrance of "imigracion". We went in, right through to the guarded door without to sit and wait turn etc. (again, having the right lawyer rocks !), at 10:45 AM we were done, went out, took pictures in the container outside, drove to the clinic to get the x-ray and where back by bus on the way to Bavaro at 1 PM.
Today my lawyer called me that the result from the medical exam came in and yeah, thats it. I have succesfully applied for residencia.
Without hassle, without bribes, without any other "horror story heard (or read before guess where?) before" complications, just like that as smooth as I never had it expected!
Of course I was absolutely lucky with my lawyer.
And, yes I've seen other "gringos" coming out discussing with their lawyer like "why you haven't told me that before? Now we have to come again..." or "What? Another 4,500 RD$ to pay?" Probably they had chosen the "Saturday law academy for 6 month educated "lawyers" ".
What I want to say: If you chose your lawyer wisely it is absolutely painless and NO hassle at all to get your residency and I hope I can encourage some more to get it done now!
Sorry for the long post...
As some might know, due to some circumstances (loong story) I was in the country for 15 years without residencia.
What I would like to report might not be applying for everybody but might clarify some things for some.
I need to mention that I am married (legally) to my Dominican wife since 1997 and that we have a 9 yr old son together.
I met the Doctora for a first interview and we found we would need the "acta de nacimiento / birth certificate" and "papel de buena conducta / police report" from my home country, Germany. Funny, police report for 15 years I wasn't even over there... anyway, being not able to go to Germany to visit the Dominican embassy there to apostille these papers because of my job etc. I arranged for getting them via the German Embassy, which was of great help.
Having the papers here we sent them via fedex to the Dominican Embassy in Germany to be stamped there (Having the right lawyer , she knows the Dominican Embassador there in person, it was possible to do so...).
This took about 10 days and the papers arrived.
Next step we had to go to Santo Domingo, to the "cancilleria" to apply for the visa. We met our lawyer, entered, got through to the right person right away and deposited our paperwork.
We went then to have a snack and after 2 hours the lawyer called and we met her at the cancilleria where she already had my passport with the visa in it.
It was a little bit too late to go right away to "imigracion" to get the medical exam same day so we went back to Bavaro agreeing to go there the next week Thursday (that was last week).
Thursday, October 11:
Immigration Office
We arrived in Santo Domingo at 9:30 AM, met our lawyer at the entrance of "imigracion". We went in, right through to the guarded door without to sit and wait turn etc. (again, having the right lawyer rocks !), at 10:45 AM we were done, went out, took pictures in the container outside, drove to the clinic to get the x-ray and where back by bus on the way to Bavaro at 1 PM.
Today my lawyer called me that the result from the medical exam came in and yeah, thats it. I have succesfully applied for residencia.
Without hassle, without bribes, without any other "horror story heard (or read before guess where?) before" complications, just like that as smooth as I never had it expected!
Of course I was absolutely lucky with my lawyer.
And, yes I've seen other "gringos" coming out discussing with their lawyer like "why you haven't told me that before? Now we have to come again..." or "What? Another 4,500 RD$ to pay?" Probably they had chosen the "Saturday law academy for 6 month educated "lawyers" ".
What I want to say: If you chose your lawyer wisely it is absolutely painless and NO hassle at all to get your residency and I hope I can encourage some more to get it done now!
Sorry for the long post...