Another renewing permanent residency and cedula thread without a lawyer

whirleybird

Silver
Feb 27, 2006
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If I can do it, anyone can.

It was easy and relatively cheap to do, no need whatsoever for a lawyer and also no need for Dominican guarantor or papers notarised and stamped which costs loads.

PM me if you want the full details or I can post them here if you don't mind a long story.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
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please post it here. this question pops u all the time so it will be a great way for folks to learn...
 

whirleybird

Silver
Feb 27, 2006
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322
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Ok, we arrived here in June 2006 so I will have been living in the DR for 7 years next month. Those people who know me well will appreciate that things didn't quite work out as they were first planned but I remain here lonely but happy in this amazing country.

If I can do it without a lawyer, anyone can…..

When I realised that my cedula expired on 20/04/2013 instead of in December on my birthday (as previously) I thought as residency also expired on 19/04/2013 I better get my act together and renew both but 1) I couldn’t afford the lawyer prices I saw quoted and 2) I was determined to do it myself. The reason they didn’t expire on the same date is explained in the thread of my nightmare renewal of 2 years ago.

So, I got on the Metro bus and went to the capital on Wednesday, 24/04/2013, I am fortunate that my boss has a fab hotel in Zona Colonial in SD so was able to take a little break and appreciate the ‘real’ Santo Domingo. I arrived at Immigration at 8.30 am on Thursday, 25/04/2013 with copies my passport, expiring residency card and cedula which I took to the payment place for new medical exam. After those were checked, I was called within 10 minutes and asked to pay my RD$ 4500 for the medical exam. Whilst waiting I went to window 10, purchased the residency renewal form for RD$ 100 and got fingerprints done. I also checked at this point what documents were required under the new rules to renew my permanent residency and they only seemed interested in the bank reference letter I had from Banco Popular stating that my account was in good order.

The total medical exam now is done at Clinica Gomez including the blood and urine + chest x-ray. Everything that day was finished and done and I was back in Zona Colonial by 10.40 am.

I was given a telephone number to call to check when the medical results were available which I was told would be after 10 working days so phoned on Thursday, 09/05/2013 and was told they were there, ready and waiting.

In the meantime, I took a quick trip to Puerto Plata to get my good conduct certificate – called into Ban Reservas in Sosua, paid the required RD$ 330 and took that receipt to the big Justice building at 10 am on 07/05/2013 and was told to come back at 11.30 am when it was all ready and waiting for me. It is wise not to get this certificate too early as it is only valid for 30 days.

I returned to the capital on Wednesday, 15/05/2013, back to Immigration at 8.30 am on Thursday, 16/05/2013. First thing to do is go to the front desk in the reception area and swap cedula for a pass to go through the main doors where the medical exam receipt is handed in to get the results. A short wait of less than 10 minutes and receipt is returned and stamped to say okay. Now it is time to present documents at Window 10 – mine consisted of completed application form which already had fingerprints done from first trip, original of bank reference letter, original of certificate of good conduct and I threw in a copy of the title deed of my property for good measure – I had read that I needed 4 copies so had photocopied a further 3 copies of all the documents + added 2 photos (passport type) as required. At this point it was about 9 am.
I was told that my docs would be checked which would take about 40 minutes. It is wise to then go to stand in the queue where you pay (on the left of the doors which you earlier go through to get approval of medical exam) – it is clearly marked. I was now at the front of the queue to pay and my documents were approved so I paid my RD$ 8000 for 4 years renewal and opted to pay the extra RD$ 1000 for VIP to get new card the same day. I was then given a number and told I would be called for photo which was about 20 minutes later. The new residency card is collectable from Window 9 and it is wise to just hover and keep asking until it appears but doesn’t take long.
So, armed with new residency card, I go to renew cedula at the Junta …….. as described by dv8 in her thread…
I needed my brand new residency card, passport (not copy) and expired cedula. In the office they check on the computer system and tell you what you need to pay (RD$ 4000 for 4 years in my instance) and issue a little ticket which you take to the pay desk. Armed with receipt for payment you are ushered into the photo room. It is necessary to remove all jewellery and have arms covered. I actually waited about 10/ 15 minutes as there were a number of people in front of me and during this time my passport was taken to be copied.

I was then called to a cubicle where the photographer checks details of d.o.b., address etc and I was required to sign the paper agreeing this, then photo, electronic fingerprints and signature done and about 2 minutes later the machine spits out a brand new 4 year cedula.
These were my exact costs:
Medical exam RD$ 4500
Application form RD$ 100
Good conduct cert RD$ 330
Residency renewal (4 years) RD$ 8000
VIP for same day RD$ 1000
Cedula renewal (4 years) RD$ 4000
_____________
Total cost RD$17930

Factor in the cost for me of driving to POP for good conduct certificate + return trips to the capital on Metro from Sosua to SD (RD$ 1520) and all achieved for +/- RD$ 20K = $ 500 (US) or ?333 (GBP).

Even if you opt to use a lawyer, it is still necessary to do the 2 trips to the capital so I reckon I did it all for less than half it would have cost if gone with a legal person which, in my opinion, is totally unnecessary anyway.
 

Lothario666

Bronze
Oct 16, 2012
1,379
0
0
Could you provide a little more information on the letter from Banco Popular?
How do you word your request to the bank about the letter?


Thanks,
"R"
 

whirleybird

Silver
Feb 27, 2006
3,264
322
83
You call into the bank, say you need a reference for renewing residency and they print it out a few minutes later - absolutely no hassle.
 

whirleybird

Silver
Feb 27, 2006
3,264
322
83
Oh, btw, not sure I made it 100% clear that you really don't need a lawyer but my major point is you DON'T need a lawyer.
 

arrugala

Bronze
Nov 7, 2010
967
2
0
i thought you needed a cedula in good standing to do residency , but you didnt , you did this after receiving residency ..
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
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i thought you needed a cedula in good standing to do residency , but you didnt , you did this after receiving residency ..

that was back in da day, you needed the cedula first and with that you went to get the residency, today's it is the opposite, you need to renew your Residency first and with that in hand you get the cedula, and the cedula is now always issued for the same time length as the residency, while back in the day they expird not necessarily in the same year.

Mike
 

arrugala

Bronze
Nov 7, 2010
967
2
0
So in essence A cedula is just an id card so if you dont drive for an example , and use yor passport as id is there any real use for a cedula??
 

sabra

New member
Jun 16, 2007
360
6
0
Whirleybird #5 6.18 p.m.

I second your report, did renewal of residencia and c?dula now, same way like you.

Just to add for those of you, being out of the valid time for renovation:

I had additional to pay "atraso" (delay) for 2 month's,
residencia 400 RD$ / month, c?dula 700 RD$/month
 

arrugala

Bronze
Nov 7, 2010
967
2
0
Thanks for that info Mike .. i believe you need a cedula when renewing drivers licence in the DR , however if you dont need a drivers licence , how important is a Cedula then if you use a passport for id ? IN OTHER WORDS is it really an important document to keep updated ( other than they could of course change the system again )
 

kampinge

Member
Jan 18, 2012
392
0
16
ok, we arrived here in june 2006 so i will have been living in the dr for 7 years next month. Those people who know me well will appreciate that things didn't quite work out as they were first planned but i remain here lonely but happy in this amazing country.

If i can do it without a lawyer, anyone can?..

When i realised that my cedula expired on 20/04/2013 instead of in december on my birthday (as previously) i thought as residency also expired on 19/04/2013 i better get my act together and renew both but 1) i couldn?t afford the lawyer prices i saw quoted and 2) i was determined to do it myself. The reason they didn?t expire on the same date is explained in the thread of my nightmare renewal of 2 years ago.

So, i got on the metro bus and went to the capital on wednesday, 24/04/2013, i am fortunate that my boss has a fab hotel in zona colonial in sd so was able to take a little break and appreciate the ?real? santo domingo. I arrived at immigration at 8.30 am on thursday, 25/04/2013 with copies my passport, expiring residency card and cedula which i took to the payment place for new medical exam. After those were checked, i was called within 10 minutes and asked to pay my rd$ 4500 for the medical exam. Whilst waiting i went to window 10, purchased the residency renewal form for rd$ 100 and got fingerprints done. I also checked at this point what documents were required under the new rules to renew my permanent residency and they only seemed interested in the bank reference letter i had from banco popular stating that my account was in good order.

The total medical exam now is done at clinica gomez including the blood and urine + chest x-ray. Everything that day was finished and done and i was back in zona colonial by 10.40 am.

I was given a telephone number to call to check when the medical results were available which i was told would be after 10 working days so phoned on thursday, 09/05/2013 and was told they were there, ready and waiting.

In the meantime, i took a quick trip to puerto plata to get my good conduct certificate ? called into ban reservas in sosua, paid the required rd$ 330 and took that receipt to the big justice building at 10 am on 07/05/2013 and was told to come back at 11.30 am when it was all ready and waiting for me. It is wise not to get this certificate too early as it is only valid for 30 days.

I returned to the capital on wednesday, 15/05/2013, back to immigration at 8.30 am on thursday, 16/05/2013. First thing to do is go to the front desk in the reception area and swap cedula for a pass to go through the main doors where the medical exam receipt is handed in to get the results. A short wait of less than 10 minutes and receipt is returned and stamped to say okay. Now it is time to present documents at window 10 ? mine consisted of completed application form which already had fingerprints done from first trip, original of bank reference letter, original of certificate of good conduct and i threw in a copy of the title deed of my property for good measure ? i had read that i needed 4 copies so had photocopied a further 3 copies of all the documents + added 2 photos (passport type) as required. At this point it was about 9 am.
I was told that my docs would be checked which would take about 40 minutes. It is wise to then go to stand in the queue where you pay (on the left of the doors which you earlier go through to get approval of medical exam) ? it is clearly marked. I was now at the front of the queue to pay and my documents were approved so i paid my rd$ 8000 for 4 years renewal and opted to pay the extra rd$ 1000 for vip to get new card the same day. I was then given a number and told i would be called for photo which was about 20 minutes later. The new residency card is collectable from window 9 and it is wise to just hover and keep asking until it appears but doesn?t take long.
So, armed with new residency card, i go to renew cedula at the junta ??.. As described by dv8 in her thread?
i needed my brand new residency card, passport (not copy) and expired cedula. In the office they check on the computer system and tell you what you need to pay (rd$ 4000 for 4 years in my instance) and issue a little ticket which you take to the pay desk. Armed with receipt for payment you are ushered into the photo room. It is necessary to remove all jewellery and have arms covered. I actually waited about 10/ 15 minutes as there were a number of people in front of me and during this time my passport was taken to be copied.

I was then called to a cubicle where the photographer checks details of d.o.b., address etc and i was required to sign the paper agreeing this, then photo, electronic fingerprints and signature done and about 2 minutes later the machine spits out a brand new 4 year cedula.
These were my exact costs:
Medical exam rd$ 4500
application form rd$ 100
good conduct cert rd$ 330
residency renewal (4 years) rd$ 8000
vip for same day rd$ 1000
cedula renewal (4 years) rd$ 4000
_____________
total cost rd$17930

factor in the cost for me of driving to pop for good conduct certificate + return trips to the capital on metro from sosua to sd (rd$ 1520) and all achieved for +/- rd$ 20k = $ 500 (us) or ?333 (gbp).

Even if you opt to use a lawyer, it is still necessary to do the 2 trips to the capital so i reckon i did it all for less than half it would have cost if gone with a legal person which, in my opinion, is totally unnecessary anyway.
its works exactly so es stated above, i done it via immigration santiago to avoid two trips to santo domingo
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
13,766
2,194
113
Punta Cana/DR
www.mikefisher.fun
Thanks for that info Mike .. i believe you need a cedula when renewing drivers licence in the DR , however if you dont need a drivers licence , how important is a Cedula then if you use a passport for id ? IN OTHER WORDS is it really an important document to keep updated ( other than they could of course change the system again )

yes, the cedula is the important document to keep updated, asides, you are obliged to keep your cedula up to date, it always comes along with the holding of a residency.
the cedula is the national ID Card, you use it for anything done at a bank etc etc.
the Residency is only needed at the moment you leave/reenter the country/cross the border, within the country the cedula is the only ID you need.

Mike
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,328
113
THanks Whirley,
I only got the 2yr renewal.... dumb..... I think 'old timers' can get a 10 yr. Anybody know that rule?
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
13,766
2,194
113
Punta Cana/DR
www.mikefisher.fun
they renewed for a very short time period up to 10 years, back in early 2011, i am one of the lucky few who have now the expiration date of 2021 printed on the residency and the cedula cards. at that time they renewed it for as many years as you had the residency, with 10 years beeing the max/limit.
now the max renewal time is 4 years(much better than the formerly 2 years time frame), i guess it is still the same hndling, you need to be a resident since at least 4 years, then you can renew for 4 years at once.

Mike
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
I only got the 2yr renewal.... dumb..... I think 'old timers' can get a 10 yr. Anybody know that rule?

i think it's still a valid rule but you must have had a residency for whatever period of time, 15 years? someone posted this info not too long ago...

in any case, i'm kinda good now. we'll see what happens in four years time. something tells me there'll be changes again.
 

Olly

Bronze
Mar 12, 2007
1,914
104
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If you are of retirement age they are only issued for two years max! Pensionada , Jubilado

Olly and the Team