Residence Visa Problem (USA Citizen) - Advice Please!

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Residence_Seeker

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May 29, 2013
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Dear Everyone,

I'm an American Citizen.

I collected all of the required documents for Residence Visa as stated on the DR Consulate website. I had everything translated and affixed with an apostillada.

THE PROBLEM

After collecting all my documents, I read on the embassy website that the Residence Visa is ONLY for:


  • Family Reunification
  • Inversionistas
  • Pensionados
  • Jubilados
  • Rentistas
  • Cumplir contrato de trabajo por tiempo indefinido in private or public DR-companies
  • Religious activities

How can a Residency process that was open to basically ANYBODY now be so restrictive? I'm not retiring or investing, etc. I just want to be able to live there and continue dating my Dominican girl. We're talking about getting married, but that won't happen until I'm in DR. I don't want to have to travel back to USA to apply for a visa after we marry and then back to DR to live. It's too much.

How do I make this possible or am I out of luck? What are others doing these days?

Thanks!
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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The laws were changed to make it easier to keep Haitians out of the DR.

It is my understanding you have to start the residency process in the US.

In your situation you would probably just pay the overstay fee when leaving the DR.

How long are you talking about staying in the DR?
 

JayinRD

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Apr 18, 2013
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For the last 2 years I have been travelling back and forth between US and DR ... about 8 trips.. all with overstays here in DR. On exiting DR I have just been paying the minor overstay fee. I still dont see the advantage of getting a residency here in DR?. Maybe that will one day change if they one day prevent me from reentering..
 

Residence_Seeker

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May 29, 2013
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I very much appreciate the responses I received. I may have been unclear about something.

I absolutely WANT to receive the Temporary Residence, because I would like to work toward Dominican Citizenship eventually; therefore, just overstaying and paying a fine/fee is not an appropriate solution for me.

I think I read somewhere that I can come to DR, marry somebody (my Dominican penpal girlfriend, perhaps) and then apply for temporary residence from within DR. She is not eligible to travel to USA to marry me BEFORE I come to DR, because she doesn't have a great employment background and the US Consulate there is very cautious about extending visas to non-professionals, etc.
 

Residence_Seeker

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May 29, 2013
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In your situation you would probably just pay the overstay fee when leaving the DR.

How long are you talking about staying in the DR?





I'm thinking about staying there forever, eventually. This provisional residence will begin my journey toward citizenship.
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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I very much appreciate the responses I received. I may have been unclear about something.

I absolutely WANT to receive the Temporary Residence, because I would like to work toward Dominican Citizenship eventually; therefore, just overstaying and paying a fine/fee is not an appropriate solution for me.

I think I read somewhere that I can come to DR, marry somebody (my Dominican penpal girlfriend, perhaps) and then apply for temporary residence from within DR. She is not eligible to travel to USA to marry me BEFORE I come to DR, because she doesn't have a great employment background and the US Consulate there is very cautious about extending visas to non-professionals, etc.

I think you will have to go back to the US, but do read the new regulations.

I know you said that it would be hard to get her a visa, but it is my understanding that a fiance visa is not that difficult to get and still might be a better option for you.

One thing to keep in mind for the future. If you do stay here and get married, it will be virtually impossible for your Dominican spouse to ever visit the US with you. They simply do not issue visitor's visas in such situations. Does that matter to you?
 

Residence_Seeker

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May 29, 2013
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I know you said that it would be hard to get her a visa, but it is my understanding that a fiance visa is not that difficult to get and still might be a better option for you.

I'm not interested in going that route due to the costs and time (maybe after we've been married for a couple of years, I won't mind spending the money to get her a spouse visa/ green card, etc. but I don't really like investing in "maybe"). Also, I'm looking to be in DR within the next month!
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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I'm not interested in going that route due to the costs and time (maybe after we've been married for a couple of years, I won't mind spending the money to get her a spouse visa/ green card, etc. but I don't really like investing in "maybe"). Also, I'm looking to be in DR within the next month!

The ONLY thing you will be able to do is get her a green card in the future. They will almost certainly not issue a visitor's visa up front. And she must actually live in the US or she will lose residency (at that point you might be able to "exchange" if for a 10 year renewable visitor's visa ).

So we are back to your situation of having to be in the US and get all of your documents in order at the DR Embassy in the US and go through the proper procedures. Sounds like you are in the US now?
 

Residence_Seeker

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May 29, 2013
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Sounds very good. Thank you for this information!

Sounds like I'm heading to RD, getting married in a few months and then coming back to USA to apply for the proper visa. Actually, I may be able to do everything via mail. I've gotten all my documents apostilled, translated etc. The only missing piece is a marriage certificate, which evidences the REASON I am needing the Residence Visa.

This all just sucks, but it's much simpler than even a tourist visa for USA !!

Thanks all,
 

CaptnGlenn

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Mar 29, 2010
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How can a Residency process that was open to basically ANYBODY now be so restrictive? I'm not retiring or investing, etc. I just want to be able to live there and continue dating my Dominican girl. We're talking about getting married, but that won't happen until I'm in DR. I don't want to have to travel back to USA to apply for a visa after we marry and then back to DR to live. It's too much.

How do I make this possible or am I out of luck? What are others doing these days?

Thanks!

I'm not sure how "open" it was to "anybody" in the past... but regardless... the past is the past and now is now. Things change.

MY question is, why wouldn't any nation want to control who they allow residency and/or citizenship to??? Why would the D.R. let just anyone obtain residency and/or citizenship on a whim because they want to, or have a girlfriend/penpal, without bringing anything "to the table", like employment, investment in the country, some other stable positive influence????
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
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Jan 9, 2009
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There is NO reason to call anyone stupid, please check your attitude at the door.

If you DO marry a Dominican woman, you do not have to apply for residency, you can apply for Dominican citizenship after 6 months.
 

CaptnGlenn

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Mar 29, 2010
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Dear Everyone,


How can a Residency process that was open to basically ANYBODY now be so restrictive?


I dunno... sounds like a COMPLAINT to me!! But then again... I'm stupid. Despite the fact that it's not ME who is moving to a new country with no job to marry a girlfriend / penpal. Yea... I'm the stupid one. LOL


Post Script:

I don't think I've EVER heard a physician call anyone "stupid" before. (With the possible exception of the T.V. show "House"... he called everyone stupid, but that was just a character on T.V. I guess there's a first for everything, Doc. LOL
 
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Residence_Seeker

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May 29, 2013
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Stupidity

There is NO reason to call anyone stupid, please check your attitude at the door.

If you DO marry a Dominican woman, you do not have to apply for residency, you can apply for Dominican citizenship after 6 months.


Okay, so you're a moderator, so I'm guessing you'll block me or something - it's fine. HOWEVER, apparently you need to learn more about this process before giving your helpful advice. In the list of requirements for citizenship through marriage, you'll find - guess what? - "copia a color del permiso de Residencia Provisional (vigente).

Now, you too can look up the meaning of "stupid" - then take a mirror and look directly into it.
 

Residence_Seeker

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May 29, 2013
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I came here to find answers, but it seems that the people who have nothing better to do than to sit online and chat all day have hijacked the post. It's fine. I have the answers for which I was looking.

LOL @ never heard a doctor call someone stupid. Maybe you heard "estupido" instead.

Childish MEN ! Ha!
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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Okay, so you're a moderator, so I'm guessing you'll block me or something - it's fine. HOWEVER, apparently you need to learn more about this process before giving your helpful advice. In the list of requirements for citizenship through marriage, you'll find - guess what? - "copia a color del permiso de Residencia Provisional (vigente).

Now, you too can look up the meaning of "stupid" - then take a mirror and look directly into it.


I will let the moderator of this forum deal with you, unless you continue with the same attitude, in which case I'll ban you myself.

HOWEVER you are wrong [oh the horror of it!!!].

A person married to a Dominican does NOT need to go through residency first, they can to DIRECTLY FOR CITIZENSHIP, it takes about a year and costs less than residency.

Until recently it only applied to women who married Dominican men. Now it applies to men who married Dominican women too.

Here is a letter I received from a premier law firm in DR, the fees might have changed a little and the 16% is now 18%:

"My name is Licelotte Minaya, associated attorney of the Guzm?n Ariza office working with immigration matters. We’d be delighted to assist you in obtaining Dominican citizenship as the wife of a Dominican citizen, based on Article 11 of the Constitution and Article 1 of Law 1683 of 1948. I?m pleased to inform you that you are elegible to apply for Dominican citizenship directly, without applying for residency first

The application to the Ministry of Interior must be signed by both spouses and must be submitted with the following documents:

1) Certified copy of the marriage certificate, legalized at the Junta Central Electoral. If the marriage took place abroad, the certificate should be Apostilled in the country where it was issued or authenticated at the Dominican Consulate nearest to the place of issue of the document. If such country is a party of the Hague Convention, the authentication with the Apostille is mandatory.
If the marriage certificate is in a foreign language, it should be translated into Spanish by a translator certified in the DR.and authenticated at the General Attorney’s office in Santo Domingo.

2) Original or certified copy of your birth certificate, Apostilled in the country where it was issued or authenticated at the Dominican Consulate nearest to the place of issue of the document. If such country is a party of the Hague Convention, the authentication with the Apostille is mandatory. If the marriage certificate is in a foreign language, it should be translated into Spanish by a translator certified in the DR.and authenticated at the General Attorney’s office in Santo Domingo.

3) Certified copy of the husband’s birth certificate, legalized at the Junta Central Electoral.

4) 4 pictures, 2 x 2, of the wife (front view).

5) Photocopy of the husband’s C?dula.

6) Photocopy of the wife’s Passport.

7) Stamps, government fees, etc.

The couple should be married for at least six months before submitting the application.

You’ll need to be present at the Ministry of the Interior at least twice: the first for an interview a week after filing the application, and the second for the swearing-in as a Dominican citizen.

Total cost for the naturalization is $750.00 + 16%, payable half in advance and the balance upon approval of the application. This fee will cover our professional fees and the following expenses: naturalization fees, authentication fees in the Dominican Republic, publication fee and sundry expenses. The $750.00 fee does not include consular fees abroad.

The process takes a minimum of 10 months to be completed and you do not have to live in the country during the process.

I hope I have been detailed enough in describing the proceedings. If you need any additional information, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Licelotte Minaya, Esq.
Attorney
Guzm?n Ariza, Attorneys-at-Law
A State Capital Group Law Firm
35 Ernesto de la Maza St.
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Tel.: (809) 255-0980 | Fax.: (809) 255-0940
LMinaya@drlawyer.com | www.drlawyer.com"
 

DR_Guy

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Feb 17, 2010
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I think you will have to go back to the US, but do read the new regulations.

I know you said that it would be hard to get her a visa, but it is my understanding that a fiance visa is not that difficult to get and still might be a better option for you.

One thing to keep in mind for the future. If you do stay here and get married, it will be virtually impossible for your Dominican spouse to ever visit the US with you. They simply do not issue visitor's visas in such situations. Does that matter to you?

In my opinion that is very untrue. My wife received a 10 year visa the first time we applied. A year later, both her minor children recieved a 10 year visitors visa.

Edit: The reason we applied for Visito's Visa is she has no plans to move to the USA.
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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In my opinion that is very untrue. My wife received a 10 year visa the first time we applied. A year later, both her minor children recieved a 10 year visitors visa.

She won the lottery, so to speak. Was your wife college educated, with a business, property, etc? If not, she truly was "lucky".

After failing twice for a visitor's visa for my wife, I was told by US Embassy personnel that it would never happen.
 

InsanelyOne

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Oct 21, 2008
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She won the lottery, so to speak. Was your wife college educated, with a business, property, etc? If not, she truly was "lucky".

After failing twice for a visitor's visa for my wife, I was told by US Embassy personnel that it would never happen.

I would tend to agree.
 
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