Residency Lawyer Cost

C

Cabarete2014

Member
Mar 30, 2014
59
10
8
I just got my resident visa from the Dominican Embassy. I had filled my application request as a pensioner because I'm receiving more than $1500 a month pension as an ex-government employee.
Now I want to start the residency process in DR and the lawyer that I contacted quoted me $2500 American Dollars and it will include everything. Does $2500 sounds reasonable to you? The lawyer is a good and diligent individual. Thanks.
 
Cdn_Gringo

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
113
The figure you quote is not out of line with what I have experienced. Yes, it is at the high end of the scale. The initial residency application is usually the most challenging. If you found this lawyer by way of recommendation from someone else who used them and was satisfied, then sometimes you do get what you pay for.

For an all-inclusive price, you might be able to find someone a bit cheaper but the savings wouldn't be worth the effort. Everything gets more expensive over time.
 
K

KateP

Silver
May 28, 2004
2,845
6
38
Suggestion: No matter who you decide to go with in the end, request copies of all documents (both yours and anything received from Migracion) for your personal files.
 
R

RockyM

New member
Jul 16, 2018
119
0
0
$2500 is about what we were thinking, for good legal representation. We're not going it alone :cross-eye
 
C

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
9,598
4,099
113
Cabarete
It sounds on the high side to me, too. Average range is $1500 - $2000 USD. A friend of mine just started his residency and the local lawyer here that he's using who has a very good track record is charging $1500.
 
R

RockyM

New member
Jul 16, 2018
119
0
0
cavok said:
It sounds on the high side to me, too. Average range is $1500 - $2000 USD. A friend of mine just started his residency and the local lawyer here that he's using who has a very good track record is charging $1500.
Click to expand...

Good to know. As long as they take care of everything we need (e.g. translation to Spanish, etc). There will be plenty of hoops I will need to jump through myself.
 
C

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
9,598
4,099
113
Cabarete
RockyM said:
Good to know. As long as they take care of everything we need (e.g. translation to Spanish, etc). There will be plenty of hoops I will need to jump through myself.
Click to expand...

Just make sure that the lawyer is highly recommended to you and don't focus on price alone.
 
T

Tom0910

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2015
896
648
113
I have been quoted prices from three lawyers. Guzman-Ariza quoted me $1900.,the lawyer across from Terra Linda (forget her name)$2000. and Abreu $3600.. What you need to keep in mind is what the lawyers fee covers in costs,there are a few government fees that can affect the lawyer's fees if they are or are not included when comparing.
 
A

AAIS

New member
Feb 24, 2016
33
0
0
www.abreuimmigration.com
Tom0910 said:
I have been quoted prices from three lawyers. Guzman-Ariza quoted me $1900.,the lawyer across from Terra Linda (forget her name)$2000. and Abreu $3600.. What you need to keep in mind is what the lawyers fee covers in costs,there are a few government fees that can affect the lawyer's fees if they are or are not included when comparing.
Click to expand...

Abreu & Associates fees include the following:
1. visa
2. guarantor
3. translations
4. Dominican legalizations
5. Immigration fees
6. medical exam in the Dominican Republic
7. required repatriation insurance
8. transportation to immigration office in Santo Domingo and
9. legal fees.

In the event that the client has the visa our cost is half of the amount quoted.
 
C

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
9,598
4,099
113
Cabarete
Harleysrock said:
$1500-$2000, $2500 is too much in my opinion.
You don’t need a lawyer for the first part starting back home. I did it by myself and it is not that difficult.
Click to expand...

A friend of mine is doing that part in Florida right now. I'm curious. How much did that part cost?
 
R

RDKNIGHT

Bronze
Mar 13, 2017
2,736
1,453
113
RockyM said:
Good to know. As long as they take care of everything we need (e.g. translation to Spanish, etc). There will be plenty of hoops I will need to jump through myself.
Click to expand...


Rocky it's sound high... who ever recommended this lawyer is getting a cut of the fee.... sorry pal to break this news to you
 
J

judypdr

Active member
Jul 23, 2011
558
1
38
73
Costambar
Where are you? You can certainly get your initial residency for less but getting it done correctly in the amount of time you have before your visa expires is very important. You can save money next time :)
 
E

ExDR

Member
Jul 31, 2014
421
0
16
Cabarete2014 said:
I just got my resident visa from the Dominican Embassy. I had filled my application request as a pensioner because I'm receiving more than $1500 a month pension as an ex-government employee.
Now I want to start the residency process in DR and the lawyer that I contacted quoted me $2500 American Dollars and it will include everything. Does $2500 sounds reasonable to you? The lawyer is a good and diligent individual. Thanks.
Click to expand...


That sounds high, but you can negotiate it down. Talk to a couple of other lawyers and then go back to this guy and tell him what you are willing to pay. Unless he has a line of people waiting for his services, he will come down quite a bit. The lawyer for my mothers estate settlement wanted 30% of the estate, I said "nice talking to you, bye." We settled at US$5,000 from about $40,000
 
drstock

drstock

Silver
Oct 29, 2010
4,517
2,100
113
Cabarete
Harleysrock said:
$1500-$2000, $2500 is too much in my opinion.
You don’t need a lawyer for the first part starting back home. I did it by myself and it is not that difficult.
Click to expand...

When I did my first Residency, my DR lawyer gave me some documents I needed to take back to the UK to start the process. Sorry, but I can't remember which. I would suggest you at least have a discussion with a DR lawyer before going back to your country to start the process.
 
Harleysrock

Harleysrock

Gold
Nov 4, 2012
7,267
90
48
Gaspar Hernández, Espaillat, Dominican Republic
drstock said:
When I did my first Residency, my DR lawyer gave me some documents I needed to take back to the UK to start the process. Sorry, but I can't remember which. I would suggest you at least have a discussion with a DR lawyer before going back to your country to start the process.
Click to expand...

The more important talk you have is with the Dr consulate in your home country not a lawyer here but yes you do need a guarantor and copies of their id etc, that does not need to be a lawyer but many use a lawyer for that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom