What are the benefits of a cedula and residence cards?

The Virginian

Bronze
Mar 16, 2007
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Just talked to a lawyer that took care of this for us last time. Current quote is
$350.00 USD each, plus documents from our bank explaining we are able
to support ourselves. Lawyer takes care of everything else and should take about 2 weeks.

Oh been here with both cards for 6 years.

What are the benefits of having these 2 documents in the DR? Apart from leaving the country and returning.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
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Just talked to a lawyer that took care of this for us last time. Current quote is
$350.00 USD each, plus documents from our bank explaining we are able
to support ourselves. Lawyer takes care of everything else and should take about 2 weeks.

Oh been here with both cards for 6 years.

What are the benefits of having these 2 documents in the DR? Apart from leaving the country and returning.

You have a better chance to fly to the moon on a Moto Concho then to get this done in two weeks for this price.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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While residency renewal is now a major pain requiring what I understand is now at least 2 trips to Santo Domingo, I see no reason why a lawyer would be of any benefit in renewing a Cedula let alone charging $350 US to do that.

Two weeks to get this done legally? I think not.

See the following link for answers to your question:

Residency and Citizenship in the Dominican Republic
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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I think one of the benefits is that you can legally have a gun.

True and not mentioned in the link I provided here on DR1. Perhaps that could be added to the list.

In my case, the only drivers license I qualify for is a Dominican driver's license since I no longer have a residence in the US I cannot get one from my home country.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
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True and not mentioned in the link I provided here on DR1. Perhaps that could be added to the list.

In my case, the only drivers license I qualify for is a Dominican driver's license since I no longer have a residence in the US I cannot get one from my home country.

DR license is valid for use in the US. Just don't tell anyone that stops you that you have been there more than a few days or a week.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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DR license is valid for use in the US. Just don't tell anyone that stops you that you have been there more than a few days or a week.

Of course. I use my DR license whenever I rent a car when I am out of the DR.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
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True and not mentioned in the link I provided here on DR1. Perhaps that could be added to the list.

In my case, the only drivers license I qualify for is a Dominican driver's license since I no longer have a residence in the US I cannot get one from my home country
.


That's a point many forget/overlook -- some people need a residence .. a country for residency.
This facilitates many things including driving licenses.

One cannot be a "citizen of the world" for very long.... sooner or later you need an address
 

Koreano

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Jan 18, 2012
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That's a point many forget/overlook -- some people need a residence .. a country for residency.
This facilitates many things including driving licenses.

One cannot be a "citizen of the world" for very long.... sooner or later you need an address
I would love to stay as one of the citizens of the world but I guess soon I will look for way to get cedula that I had been putting it off for about a year. I would love to do a business visa if I could but there aren't that many info on it as I asked and search. And lawyer I originally asked would say nothing about business visa, my guess because its less profitable? With all these horror stories on obtaining/renewing cedula and higher lawyer asking fees for cedula then posted here, my guess buskness visa would be cheaper and with less headaches. We will soon find out how it all work out.
 

Kipling333

Bronze
Jan 12, 2010
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I am in the final part of the saga to obtain a Dominican Residency card ..it will only last for a year when I eventually get it and then I have to get it again before I can have a card for 4 years , So far I have paid over $3000 for the various fees and corruption money and of course when all the papers were successfully lodged they said they would call my lawyer in 2 to 5 months ,,,that was in November.
If you are not an american , canadian or an european ,the process is even more difficult but it is quite charitableto say that the immigration office is total chaos . The government has asked all foreigners to register for a residency card,,yet all they have done is put up obstacles
 

mountainannie

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Dec 11, 2003
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elizabetheames.blogspot.com
for a US resident the primary advantage is to get the Drivers License. For some reason, Europeans can just swap theirs in but the US folks have to have a cedula to get a local license. Otherwise, you are an illegal driver after 90 days,
 

The Virginian

Bronze
Mar 16, 2007
929
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Thanks for the info, seems you only need DR Cedula and residence cards for a drivers license. Just got an update from the lawyer. She is telling me she made a mistake. The cost is $500 USD and a lot more official documentation is needed along with a medical exam. But if I only need it for a drivers license, then it is not worth it. thanks again
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
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elizabetheames.blogspot.com
no, you will also need a cedula if you are doing any sort of business,, if you are hiriing or employing or getting a salary. I have only had offers of teacher of English and for that you do not need a cedula so much.. but any employment is going to require one
 

Koreano

Bronze
Jan 18, 2012
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I am in the final part of the saga to obtain a Dominican Residency card ..it will only last for a year when I eventually get it and then I have to get it again before I can have a card for 4 years , So far I have paid over $3000 for the various fees and corruption money and of course when all the papers were successfully lodged they said they would call my lawyer in 2 to 5 months ,,,that was in November.
If you are not an american , canadian or an european ,the process is even more difficult but it is quite charitableto say that the immigration office is total chaos . The government has asked all foreigners to register for a residency card,,yet all they have done is put up obstacles

This is crazy. I have seen round trip ticket cost less then $300. You can fly out and return every 2 months for year and half+ and be legal or you pay the exiting fee and be over with.

Right now that Business Visa sounds better and better everyday.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
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Lawyers here will slaughter you if you let them. $3,000 to get residency sounds like a major rip-off.
Is that the going rate today?

Anybody here ever heard of a business visa for the DR?

Imagine a Haitian worker comping up with $3,000 US to legally live here.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
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So you can use a DR drivers license in the USA to drive legally. And the rental companies have no issues with it?

Yes. I do it all the time. I even did it when I had a phony license (my first one just after arriving in the DR about 10 years ago).

Once the rental car agent could not find the DR on his computer, so for that rental I was from Dominica.
 

jinty05

Bronze
Feb 11, 2005
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My renewal of permanent residency was conducted by Guzman Ariza and took 3 months and cost $(US)1,650
 

Koreano

Bronze
Jan 18, 2012
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Lawyers here will slaughter you if you let them. $3,000 to get residency sounds like a major rip-off.
Is that the going rate today?

Anybody here ever heard of a business visa for the DR?

Imagine a Haitian worker comping up with $3,000 US to legally live here.

Sounds like heaven (if you have company backing you in DR.)

Embassy of the Dominican Republic, in the United States

Business Visa for Employment Purposes

DESCRIPTION
Business visas are issued for work Purposes To Those who by nature of Their occupation Will Remain in the Dominican Republic for a year without having to leave Necessarily the country. This visa is Usually Awarded to Individuals who are fixed-term Fulfilling Contracts in public or private companies in the country Established and may be renewed for further periods of one year while the employment contract is still valid. Beneficiaries of this visa can apply for driver's license, open a bank account and enjoy applicable customs facilities.
REQUIREMENTS


  • Visa Form filled and completed in type or Clearly printed.
  • One (1) front picture size 2 x 2 inches, with a white background.
  • Original passport valid for at least the duration of the Requested visa or longer.
  • Resolution of the Ministry of Labor of the Dominican Republic. This resolution is issued by the Labor Department of the Ministry, legitimizing the applicant's employment contract in the Dominican Republic, Which specifies the employee's position Within the company, contract length and salary to be received.
  • Medical Certificate showing a diagnosis of the overall health of the applicant, indicating if I or she Suffers from any contagious disease. It must be issued by the Health Authorities of the Country in Which the person reside at the time of application. This document must be notarized, translated into Spanish and Both the original and the translation apostilled. Alternatively, eleven is the original document can be apostilled it sent for translation by the Consular Section(see translation services) .
  • Criminal Record Certificate issued by the Appropriate Authorities of the Country in Which the person reside at the time of application. This document must be notarized, translated into Spanish and Both the original and the translation apostilled. Alternatively, eleven is the original document can be apostilled it sent for translation by the Consular Section (see translation services) . If the applicant has resided Previously in the Dominican Republic must be That document issued by the Attorney General's Office.
  • Legible photocopy of National Identity Document of the country of nationality and legible photocopy of the Residence Card if Residing in a second country.
  • Legible photocopy of former Dominican visas or residence card (if renewal).
  • Visa application letter from the beneficiary or from the company or institution for Which the applicant works Addressed to the Consular Section Containing name, nationality, place of residence and occupation.


PROCESSING TIME
Between 10 and 15 working days Depending on date of travel, prior requests and staff availability.
Procesing FEE
U.S. $ 125.00
COMMENTS

If the application includes spouse and dependent children Applying for a visa, marriage certificate and birth certificate of children, must be attached to the file. These documents must be notarized, translated into Spanish and Both the original and the translation apostilled. Alternatively, eleven is the original document can be apostilled it sent for translation by the Consular Section (see translation services) .