Getting a passport and visa to visit the us for dr citizen

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surferboy

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Jul 24, 2009
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can anyone tell me how long the process of obtaining a passport approx. is for a DR citizen (namely my GF age 20), the cost?
how long does it usually take to get the visa to enter the US for a visit of approx. 2 weeks (e.g. in April) - does all paperwork/visits have to happen in SD, or is there a consulate in STGO that would handle this?
does this project look realistic, or is it something only available to wealthy Dominicans with family already residing in the US?
as the person doing the inviting: do I have to be a US citizen or is a green card ok?
do the US ask for proof of health insurance for the guest and similar things?
thanks for all comments.
 
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windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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Nothing you do can help your girlfriend enter the US (except for paying for the application and her trip). You cannot "sponsor" someone for a visitor's visa. If she has a good job, a car, a house, LONG TERM back account with a fair amount of money, and can persuade the interviewing agent she will return to the DR then she MIGHT get a visitor's visa. It is not easy for her to qualify in the eyes of the interviewing agent. Her getting a Dominican Passport takes a couple of weeks if I remember correctly. Then she sets up an interview in Santo Domingo and waits with about 500 others to get the answer, which is most frequently no.
 
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dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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the passport is as little as 24hrs if you pay VIP rate. normally it takes couple of working days and costs about 2k pesos. maybe less, i cannot quite remember.
american visa is a pain in the culo unless a dominican person has money and reasons to come back.
 
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DennyDee88

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Sep 12, 2011
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Yeah, you are trying to get the toughest thing on the planet right there. Please don't consider marrying her will make the process any easier because, if you marry her here you will still be five years trying to get her a visa to go to the states.

The two simplest visas to acquire, from what I have seen are fiance visas (Where you get the visa and the Dominican travels to the US and then you have 45 days to marry them after they arrive) or a work visa (Where they procure employment in the states or for a US based client and they get permission to go and work). I am not sure of the details but, I know a few people that got these visas and they were a lot faster in the process than those trying to get visitors visas.
 
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Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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surferboy said:
can anyone tell me how long the process of obtaining a passport approx. is for a DR citizen (namely my GF age 20)
Click to expand...

Just based on what you have told us, I think her chances of getting a visa are about zero

What they look for are reasons why they can be sure the person will return to their country at the end of the visit. It is doubtful a single girl age 20 is well enough established to convince the examiner she is a good risk.
 
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surferboy

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Jul 24, 2009
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Ken said:
Just based on what you have told us, I think her chances of getting a visa are about zero

What they look for are reasons why they can be sure the person will return to their country at the end of the visit. It is doubtful a single girl age 20 is well enough established to convince the examiner she is a good risk.
Click to expand...

Your replies are valuable info - thanks to all
 
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jad604

Member
Nov 17, 2011
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My Experience

DennyDee88 said:
Yeah, you are trying to get the toughest thing on the planet right there. Please don't consider marrying her will make the process any easier because, if you marry her here you will still be five years trying to get her a visa to go to the states.

The two simplest visas to acquire, from what I have seen are fiance visas (Where you get the visa and the Dominican travels to the US and then you have 45 days to marry them after they arrive) or a work visa (Where they procure employment in the states or for a US based client and they get permission to go and work). I am not sure of the details but, I know a few people that got these visas and they were a lot faster in the process than those trying to get visitors visas.
Click to expand...

I filed in 7/2011 and the visa for my wife was approved in 4/2012. Approx cost was $1500.
 
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Big Dan

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Feb 14, 2009
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jad604 said:
I filed in 7/2011 and the visa for my wife was approved in 4/2012. Approx cost was $1500.
Click to expand...

And, I filed for a CR-1 visa in 02/2011 and my wife was approved in 7/2011...that's right...five months.

I doesn't take 5 years for spouse or fiance visas. The wait is reasonable as long as all of your documentation is without error and your interview proves the relationship.

Think of it this way...because the incidences of fraud in marriage are so high coming from Dominican Republic, consular officers in Santo Domingo start with "no" as an opening position.
 
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