FINALLY... countdown to getting to the DR

A

amstellite

Guest
Finally getting close to when I might retire. Maybe 6 to 8 months. I know there are mountains of info on residency and hot to get it but it being July 2019 I m not sure if all of it is still the same.I know I need to start the process in NYC at the DR embassy. Does anyone know if I need a lawyer her to do that or can I do it myself?
Once I get to the DR is it fairly certain the residency will be forthcoming in time if I m only planning to spend my retirement time there and not work? It all seems so daunting and I hear so many horror stories about the hurdles they put in your way. It seems to me they go out of their way to make it difficult. I even looked at Ecuador. THere they practically bend over backwards to let you stay. But the DR is where my heart is so that s where I want to go . Anyone any idea of lawyer costs on average? Thanks for any pointers
 
C

Cdn_Gringo

Guest
You should be able to do the process at the NYC Embassy yourself. It's not hard and basically entails gathering, translating and officiating the same set of documents you will need to turn in here in the DR when you actually apply for residency. The embassy can give you a list of the documents you will need and you just start gathering them.

Pay particular attention to how long a given documents is considered valid. For example a long form birth certificate may be considered valid for six months from the date of issue where as your FBI criminal history check may be considered valid for up to 12 months from the date of issue. It's these little details that can trip you up.

I'd recommend you hire a good immigration firm here in the DR to submit your initial residency application. They will be able to tell you the best type of residency to apply for based on your situation and they can handle all of the usual headaches that drive foreigners crazy when dealing with the DR Govt for the first time.