Neighborhood for families.

Alas

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May 3, 2015
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Hello.

We are going to SD to spend next winter, will be staying about two months and a half, maybe three. My husband, four boys, and me. WE want SD so the boys practice their Spanish (I'm Cuban and dh speaks Spanish) plus we'll need a teacher of some sort to help us with the homeschooling classes.

So here we are looking at apartments for rent, but are not very sure about neighborhoods. Which place is best for families with children? We want something with parks, stores, children to play with. Not interested in night life, "touristic" places, bars, etc, so more of a safe area, local people, and stuff.

Another random question.

What about visas?

I've read that you get 30 days visa upon arriving, which can be extended, can it be extended two times? IS there a chance you might be denied (obviously, in the absence of any crime) ? We are all US citizens.

Thank you for any help you can give me here
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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Forget the"Extensions"just pay the over stay visa fine when you leave.
If there is a Dominican consul near you, take your passports there, give them your "Story" and see if they will give you a 90 to 120 day visa, you never know till you ask.
You might like the "Las Casicasgos" area.
LOTS of condos/apts. for rent.
LOTS of large supermarkets, and nice restaurants too.
No real "Hot Barrios" near there, meaning "Crime Ridden Barrios".
There are a lot of international schools in the area as well.
You can get one of their teachers to come assist you with home schooling during their off hours, for very little money, meaning, $200 US a month for 2 hours a day.
"Mas O Menos"!!!!!

I have 4 kids, actually the boys are now 23, and 17, in UNAPEC university, the girls are 11, & 12.
There are a lot of activities for kids here, you just have to seek them out, and have the money to pay for them, so bring a LOT!!!!!!

What is your budget per month for the condo/apt., that dictates where you can live more than anything else.
Cris Colon

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ps., by "Winter"what months do you mean????????
Like Dec, to the beginning of Jan, after 3 Kings Day, the DR is on Vacation, and NOTHING gets done.
Everyone gets their Christmas Bonus, and time off from their job.
about a million Dominicans who don't live here anymore, come home to visit.
They also bring money to spend.
EVERYONE will be DRUNK from 15 Dec, to 7 Jan, at least!!!!!
I would suggest 15 Jan to start your stay.
Don't make too many specific plans this far in advance.
"PLANS" don't work very well here.

Good Luck, you came to the right place to ask questions
 
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Alas

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May 3, 2015
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He he he, totally understand the "no plans" thing, all of us Caribenos are the same, husband is European (croatian) all stoic and planned, lol, hopefully he'll make it ;)

Budget? I'm not sure yet. Initially we were looking at about $700-800 apartments, but, at least looking online it seems that to get a nice place, in an area where we feel "safe" (by Dominican standards) it will be more. We don't want to spend a lot of money, of course, but we need to be comfortable, you know?

We are are staying from December until MArch (maybe April, depending how much we like it) Right after the winter break starts, the boys are in school here, will be homeschooled in there, that's why I need somebody to help me, because I don't have he patience. We are in WI so have loooong winters.

My best friend and her brother went to Unibe, I'm asking them too, but they are both doing the residence (medicine) and have very little time, but I remember my friend telling me how very cheap was.

So they give you 30 days visa and then you just stay longer and pay a penalty? I thought that you needed a ticket with a date to come back, won't they take note of how long after 30 days our ticket is? THe Dominican consulate you ask is it there in SD or here in the states? if here, no, we don't have any (that I know of, have to check, but I doubt milwaukee has any)


I'll check that neighborhood you told me.

They are in pachanga mode since Dec. 15? Ugh! That means tons of condos will be taken!
 
Your return ticket can be more than 30 days. People do this ALL THE TIME, you just pay a fee at the airport when you leave for home, it is EXTREMELY EASY!!

I wouldn't bother going to the consulate here, not worth the headache!!

The prices are always more online, I don't live in the Capital but maybe some people here have leads of how to get better prices on rent.
 

ju10prd

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There is a thread under Santo Domingo on page 2 worth reading.....opinions about areas......and Las Casigazcos and the other areas to the north of Parque Mirador del Sur are the areas probably best for you to focus in on and will likely fit your budget. That said I think a car would be needed in most areas here......unless you locate your self close to malls and supermarkets. The colmados will all deliver basics too.

As for visas, my suggestion is that you hold fire for a few more months and see what develops. There is much happening on the immigration front in this country right now, not least the end of an amnesty on foreigners overstaying in mid June (aimed at Haitians). There is an expectation or perhaps hope that the current visa rules may change too, and whilst the overstay fine system is still in operation and is likely to continue, nothing is certain, and personally I would ere on the side of caution and wait until later in the year after mid summer and then check again on line with your local Dominican Embassy or call them.
 

keepcoming

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May 25, 2011
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Because of the time of year your planning on coming it will more than likely cost more to rent. That is considered "high season" and prices are at their highest.
 

Criss Colon

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THE ONLY PEOPLE who are interested as to if you have a ticket "OUT" is the airline you take "IN"!!!!!

You will never be asked to see you ticket out of the DR here in the DR!

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mountainannie

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Dec 11, 2003
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I would also include the Zona Universitario in your apartment search.. try Felga real estate since they have their ear to the ground there and in Gazcue.. The rents are a bit lower than Casigascues, I think.. and perhaps better public transport via the publicos on Independencia and Gomez.. near the Malecon ..

If you are only planning on coming for a short term, there are a lot of furnished apartments but be prepared to pay the entire rent.. say 6 months in one sum.

Dominicans have a very odd thing about wanting to rent to foreigners.. but then also wanting said foreigners to have a Dominican fiador.. or guarantor .. so that the rentors do not skip out on the rent. This can present a problem for newbies who do not know anyone and who do not have a work contract with the UN or some other NGO or multi national.

At first, Felga would not even SHOW me furnished rentals because I did not have a fiador.. and I only got my first furnished apartment here because the realtor who showed it to me did not want to lose the commission and signed for me! I did try to explain to the landlady that the only Dominicans I knew where much poorer than me and were certainly in no position to pay the rent if I skipped out.
 

mountainannie

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Dec 11, 2003
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I meant to say that there is a great park, Guibia.. , right on the corner of Maximo Gomez and Indpendencia.. there are open air exercise machines, a little beach area, zumba classes, ...

and there are lots of furnished apartments to rent right near there.. in the Gazcue section.. right on the street by Adrian Tropical and on down ..

avoid getting on right on Independencia as we are still dealing with trucks which are transiting to the port and the noise is still pretty bad

welcome!
 

Alas

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May 3, 2015
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Why I can't reply

It says this
Post denied. New posts are limited by number of URLs it may contain and checked if it doesn't contain forbidden words.

There are no URLs on my reply, and I have no idea what are "forbidden words" there is no profanity or talk about other social nets.....
 

Alas

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May 3, 2015
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oooh great ideas!!!

I tried Felga but it doesn't have a great selection online, I'll contact them personally.

Yeah, I know that's the high season, unfortunately the prospect of paying big bucks for a place is not as daunting as spending another WI winter here, lol , I kid, I kid (sorta)

No, the real reason is that our youngest boy, he's two, has really, really bad asthma. LAst two winters he has been in and out of the hospital, been on countless meds, specialists, oral steroids, you name it, we are hoping that some warm, tropical weather, instead of this cold, plus going to the beach, will help him to be better this year.

Plus we want the boys to travel, really travel, not a week here or there, so they can see how "the rest of the world" lives. American kids today are growing so isolated from the world! Everything is about internet and video games, there are no kids outside playing or anything.
 

Alas

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May 3, 2015
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So funny, I emaild the DR consulate about the visa thing and got a response today

Mrs.Lasica, you are able to stay for 3 months the only thing is that you and your family will have to pay a fine for the extra days (after the first 30 days) this will we collected at the airport when you are leaving the island.

Apparently they advise people to actually overstay and pay the fine rather than renew there, lol.
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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Great current info!!!
The "Nay Sayers" here want everyone to think that you will need a residencia to stay here'

NOT!!!!!!!

I been here 20 years as an Illegal!!!!

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