The Residency Saga Continues ....

Simon & Nicky

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For those of you who might have been following the case, an update on my residency renewal:

Just to remind you, my two year (Blue) residency ran out late last year and so far I've been fobbed off with countless stories as to why it's so difficult to replace it.

The latest news is to a certain degree what I thought might happen. I have now been advised that the residency department have no record of me at all and consequently declared that my residency card was a fake. The ONLY way to prove otherwise is to supply any additional paperwork that I might have for further inspection. As luck would have it, I used a lawyer that is quite well regarded and she is now "on the case". Apparently copies of her paperwork will be "considered" by the residency department. If she doesn't come up with enough proof that my residency card was valid then apparently I have to begin the entire process over again. She also told me that she had a number of similar cases that she was currently dealing with.

Anyhow, you've been warned, so if you have an impending trip abroad looming then I sugggest you check your residency now rather than later because (of course) they still try to fine you when leaving the country if you can't come up with the card (which they took from me when this whole process started in March).

Sometimes I really feel the need to wave my arms around for a couple of minutes and scream...........
 

Lambada

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I have now been advised that the residency department have no record of me at all and consequently declared that my residency card was a fake.

Sometimes I really feel the need to wave my arms around for a couple of minutes and scream...........

You have already renewed residency before, therefore you must be in the system. There were no problems with the last renewal, right? I had a detailed look at the system in April when I renewed (asked a few questions and the guy was more than happy to show me how it worked). It is a pretty sophisticated system - it even shows up cross referencing to biometric details for cedula over at the JCE (or lack thereof for those who haven't yet done it). When they access the data, they can find you either by name or by number, so in case someone mistyped one of those originally, it is still possible to find your data.

This is a serious question but I'm not expecting an answer here :cheeky:. Rather than waving your arms and screaming just reflect a little. Have you inadvertently upset someone with influence? To get completely wiped out of the system takes.......pull.
 

BF1

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I believe you are missing the point here, the sistem may be very sophisticated but it's worth nothing when fake residencys are "inside jobs"....
 

Lambada

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Did I miss the point? I thought Simon had used a lawyer? One he trusts sufficiently to ask to sort the mess out. If he thought his original was fake, surely he wouldn't be using a lawyer who had demonstrated complicity in the original problem? Are you saying BF1 that a fake got past both Simon and his lawyer at the original application or more importantly, the last renewal? How?
 

MikeFisher

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that permanent residency been renewed before, i got that right, Ginnie?
so it can not be missing from the system, even if you pi$$ed off somebody at immigrations office. to sweep a person completely out of a system you would need to wipe different systems which are connected to each others in case of data exchange/each can look on the others data, but none can delete or modify the others data.
residency, cedula, drivers license, gun permit.
they are all cards/permits who require a legit and in the system available residency to get issued to the card holder.
i guess you have/had several of those cards and may have renewed them before also.
are they all gone?
do you have a copy of your now expired residency card?
that copy would be the proof "what" card your "Lawyer" gave you in exchange for the bucks you paid for your residency.
show the copy(of course keep more copies at home),
if the data on your copy does not show up in the system suew your Lawyer for providing a false residency to you, be darn sure that lawyer will find a solution quickly.
a few years back i got in a robbery at my home documents stolen, including residency card, cedula, gun permits and my passport.
i called my lady lawyer in St Dgo who did my residency for me and every 2 years renews that for me and within 8-10 days i had the new card in hands, sent by Metro, i did not even need to drive to the Capital for that. i had to do so for the gun permit, but been hassle free. on both i paid the 'taxes/fees' which their papers state in case of lost documents, both been cheap, and all been fine.
to be in trouble with that since a year and that with a 'lawyer' involved does not sound very good to me.
not very legit neither.
just my 2 cents.
Mike
 

BF1

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Did I miss the point? I thought Simon had used a lawyer? One he trusts sufficiently to ask to sort the mess out. If he thought his original was fake, surely he wouldn't be using a lawyer who had demonstrated complicity in the original problem? Are you saying BF1 that a fake got past both Simon and his lawyer at the original application or more importantly, the last renewal? How?

Everything is possible, don't you know that in most public offices when the director/secretary is changed a lot of data disappear from the computers and physically? It's a way to avoid investigations so, the worst thing the new one can say is that you mismanage the system and you are incompetent but he won?t be able to prove any felony.
 

Chip

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Jul 25, 2007
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According to a source I have, their was fraud found a few months back and they were reveiwing or canceling all residency applications that hadn't gottenm to a "certain" point. Apparently it didn't affect mine because I got mine shortly afterwords. However, I believe a friend of mine has yet to receive his and he applied a year ago.
 

Black Dog

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When you got your 2 year card did you go to SD or did your lawyer arrange it without you going? If you didn't go then they probably didn't do the process properly, made some cash and you had an illigitimate 2 year card and as far as the system is concerned you never renewed. This happened to me and after 2 lawyers telling me for 6 months that I would have to start again, I managed to sort it out with a trip to SD.
 

Chip

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When you got your 2 year card did you go to SD or did your lawyer arrange it without you going? If you didn't go then they probably didn't do the process properly, made some cash and you had an illigitimate 2 year card and as far as the system is concerned you never renewed. This happened to me and after 2 lawyers telling me for 6 months that I would have to start again, I managed to sort it out with a trip to SD.

Assuming this question was directed to me, I did it all myself, albeit I did pay a lawyer RD500 to draft up my garante letter. I didn't do anything under the table either, after all they have a big sign at the immigration office in SD that says "they don't accept euros or dollars" etc.!!! : )
 

MikeFisher

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right,
and nothing to worry about documentations, you just need to bring your old card, pay the tax plus the VIP fee and wait til they call your name to hand you over the new card. always carry your cedula anyways.
Mike
 

Black Dog

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Great tips JD. You say there is a small charge for each month after expiry, do you happen to know if you can renew just before the expiry date or do you need to wait for the date to be up?
 

MikeFisher

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Whoa, beat me to it! pretty much anytime you want, as long as you pay for the renewal.

If I remember correctly, you can also go up to 30 after it expires without paying extra. I wouldn't bet my life on it though. I just seem to remember once renewing a couple weeks late, and if my memory serves me correctly, that's what they told me.

Not quite sure, I've only renewed mine 15 times or so.

ha ha
15 times renewal, so you have residency since over 30 years now, you may remember hard times back in the day on some renewals, lol.
i've been also told that within the first month/30 days they do not ask for a over doing fee, it is anyways a small pesos amount per month, no big deal.
in 2006 my residency expired on november 4th, i knew that when i went early september on a 10 weeks europe travel, i came back november 17th or 19th, around that.
on my way in the lady at customs reminded me of the expired date, but nothing else, went throu, i finally renewed early december, not sure if i've been a lil within or a few days over the 30 days limit, if i got it right the 'extra been 250 pesos for one overdone month, so nothing bothering i guess.
Mike
 

Simon & Nicky

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Feb 3, 2004
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The latest news ....

The lawyer tells me that she has now found some of the paperwork. Now we wait and see. For those who were asking questions I'm sorry it took a while to get back to you.

When looking at some of the replies, it's important to consider the fact that I am now completely residency cardless. It was taken from me when I began the process so now I really don't have much proof at all that I ever owned it.

Another thing to consider is that when I first came here the lawyer was recommended by an awful lot of people, but I think she might have been allied to Hipolito's political party. She could just walk straight up to the windows at the immigration desks, past dozens of queing people, tap on the glass and demand service.

When I last went to renew she was obviously out of favour because while I saw other lawyers going to the front she seemed resigned to having to wait like everyone else. Perhaps this was due to the change in government (and no doubt the staff at immigration)?

I did therefore begin to wonder if after several nagging calls from Nicky she might have arranged to get the card by another means just to get Nicky off her back.

Now, if it's true that her paperwork has been retrieved then it's obvious that my worries have been for nothing ........

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm


Simon
 

Simon & Nicky

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Another quick update ....

I now have in my hands a copy of the application for a definitiva residency all signed and stamped including an official looking application number. Fair play to the lawyer - I did have my doubts but she's come through.

The date on the bottom of the form could be a little more precise (it says 2006) but on the whole I'm quite pleased. Now we wait ........
 

MikeFisher

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2006??
sounds like a stoneage application, lol.
a little hint to make things easier in case original documents get lost/stolen etc:
when receiving a important documentation like residency card, cedula, drivers license, gun permit, passport, flight ticket etc stuff them in the scanner and save a copy on your PC/Laptop or even better save them on a server i.e. on your e-mail account. that way you could print them out from any internet connected computer on the planet to proof you really hold that document.
to proof the ownership of a residency card it is enough to present a cedula, the cedula's number is also the residency card's number, they always come together, so one proofs the idendity of the other.
good luck
Mike
 

Simon & Nicky

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Let me explain a bit more .....

The application paperwork that has turned up dated 2006 is hopefully proof enough that the card that I once had (valid for 2 years) was genuine.

Of course I have detailed colour scans of my card but remember that it was taken away from me and declared a fake. So now, in the eyes of the Centre for Migration I have only got proof that I once had a residency card that was declared a fake. That my friend is no use to me whatsoever. :ermm: