10-day Amnesty/Grace Period - Update

[Alfredo Guzman]

An immigration attorney at Guzman Ariza talked to the Immigration Department's legal counsel today regarding the amnesty/grace period to foreigners with expired tourist cards being discussed in the past few days on dr1's forums and was told that, unfortunately, no such amnesty is in place nor is the Department planning to announce any similar measure in the near future. The residency visa requirement still stands.

(Don't shoot the messenger).

 

[windeguy]

That would mean that any and all people currently in the DR will have to return to their home countries to start the residency visa process, correct?

 

[Lobo Tropical]

Birth Certificate

That would mean that any and all people currently in the DR will have to return to their home countries to start the residency visa process, correct?

Citizens of the USA and Canada with a European birth certificate will have additional work!

 

[MikeFisher]

That would mean that any and all people currently in the DR will have to return to their home countries to start the residency visa process, correct?

Only the Ones who are here illegally/overstayed Visitor Visa and do not hav ethe possibility to get the needed Papers/documents sent to start the Residency process before August 1st.
the large number of Foreigners who have their Papers in Order and/or can request from Family at hoke to get needed documents send down here can simply apply for their needed Papers/Residency/whatsoever named Documentation before the date and do all the stuff down here without a Flight involved back home to Mom's Land.

and Guys, don't forget the Fact:
Very Most of the Foreigners Living/Pensioning/Residing/Travelling/Having Fun/Working/Running Biz etc etc etc
Anyways do have their papers/documentations in Order from the beginning/did the paperwork before they moved for a longer Time Period/extended Time/to Work/to get Married/To stay Forever in that Foreign Country.
some Topics/Postings sound like the whole world would be effected by some new handling of a decades old Immigrations Law of a small Caribbean Island,
but as Fact,
it is done/newly Handled just for the few Ones who never cared about any other Country's Rules/Laws/Handling of Things.
Who did always his/her stuff the right way as required by the Local/dominican Law is in no way effected by the New handling of the ole Immigrations Law of the Dominican Republic, those Guests/Visitors/Residents etc can go on as usual without any Action needed.
why it doesn't reflect on Topics like this one?
easy, it's because they do not ask questions about the theme because they are not effected, it is as fact the Ones who failed for a longer time to ask/Think/Act who have to move NOW.

the very vats Majority of Foreigners on the Isle does not even need to discuss the Theme at home, as they are just Fine.

Mike

 

[Givadogahome]

Hahaha! Such drama. LAW? What law, if people were breaking a law by being here for months or years without residency then when they went to leave there would be issues, meaning arrested, not 'oh hello again', 'how long this time?' '2 years ok RD2000, see you soon gringo!'
Now someone has 30 stamps in the passport and so is a constant problem, repeat offender, breaking the 'law'. Surely this would be an issue eventually on entry at some point.
Don't use words like law where there is no deterant or punishment for breaking it. It is ridiculous. If a law is not upheld it is not a law, just a worthless concept. The DR has many concepts and few laws.

 

[MikeFisher]

Citizens of the USA and Canada with a European birth certificate will have additional work!

why's that??
I have 3 Citizenships on the Globe(none is Dominican btw),
but I have only ONe Birth Certificate which is German,
and of course I have such always nearby when seeking to get Citizenship or Residency in an additional Country.
it just needs to be brought to an official/Office to be translated into the needed language and such translation certified by my Homecountry's Consulate/Embassy, for what ever activity a B-Cert. is needed.
that you need the other documents maybe from your new "Homecountry" where you have citizenship is something you need to get there, and you should get such before 'moving' to new Soils. such been necessary in the middle East, in teh far east, it is ecessary to have such documents when moving to the Caribbean, heck, I needed them during my years in the USA, too, and I would await to need them when trying to move to Canada or what ever other Country, too.

People,
stop to ask "Why do I need this and that when I want to stay in the DR???"
in case You want to Saty simply "Do what is required HERE in the DR to do so".

it does not matter if Mexico or Cuba or Panama or Colombia or Ljubljana have easier requirements,
if You want to stay HERE means Move your Azz by the Local Rules/Requirements HERE.

everything else is just wasting your time with useless discussions and finally you may pass "accidentally" a deadline til when you could have done the right thing.

Yes,
many people may not like the rules,
so what???
they can simply move to where the rules are made by their taste, the DR will not feel any decrease of incoming flights on that for sure, neither on their sales of Real Estates(mostly handled by wining Foreigners of course) etc etc.

this Immigration Law handling just effects a small fraction of the Foreigners in the Country sine Decades.

Mike

 

[MikeFisher]

Hahaha! Such drama. LAW? What law, if people were breaking a law by being here for months or years without residency then when they went to leave there would be issues, meaning arrested, not 'oh hello again', 'how long this time?' '2 years ok RD2000, see you soon gringo!'
Now someone has 30 stamps in the passport and so is a constant problem, repeat offender, breaking the 'law'. Surely this would be an issue eventually on entry at some point.
Don't use words like law where there is no deterant or punishment for breaking it. It is ridiculous. If a law is not upheld it is not a law, just a worthless concept. The DR has many concepts and few laws.

now that's the most stupid comment i read about the theme.
Now You are complaining that the Law is not upheld??
Now, that they announced that it will finally be upheld and controlled to be followed???
yes, the Law was always there but breaking it was handled "relaxed".
Now it is announced that it will be Forced.
so first you complain that it wasn't forced and now you wanna complain that they got "your point" and announce to Force it???
you sound exactly like the ones which should be the first ones on a List "to look for".

Mike

 

[Castellamonte]

hahahahahaha (Spanish jejejejejeje) the drama...

 

[rubio_higuey]

Mike, can you please explain for the forum, where does your information come from? Only the Ones who are here illegally/overstayed Visitor Visa and do not have the possibility to get the needed Papers/documents sent to start the Residency process before August 1st. The large number of Foreigners who have their Papers in Order and/or can request from Family at hoke to get needed documents send down here can simply apply for their needed Papers/Residency/whatsoever named Documentation before the date and do all the stuff down here without a Flight involved back home to Mom's Land"

There is no public information available that would say that people with "papers ready" can start the process before August 1, 2012. As far as I know, that time limit is for renewal of expired residencies, not for starting a new residency application. If your information is different, please let the board know.

 

[Luperon]

Only the Ones who are here illegally/overstayed Visitor Visa and do not hav ethe possibility to get the needed Papers/documents sent to start the Residency process before August 1st.
Mike

Have has not yet started the process, currently in USA, a US Citizen, born in USA .... should I get to the DR and start process before August 1st? What is the minimum paperwork to start process?

 

[Ghostwriter]

why's that??
I have 3 Citizenships on the Globe(none is Dominican btw),
but I have only ONe Birth Certificate which is German,
and of course I have such always nearby when seeking to get Citizenship or Residency in an additional Country.
it just needs to be brought to an official/Office to be translated into the needed language and such translation certified by my Homecountry's Consulate/Embassy, for what ever activity a B-Cert. is needed.
that you need the other documents maybe from your new "Homecountry" where you have citizenship is something you need to get there, and you should get such before 'moving' to new Soils....

Mike

That is incorrect! You dont need to leave if you have to apply a german birth certificate. You can easily apply an INTERNATIONAL birth certificate ONLINE through your home town website. As well as few Germans or those who have to apply a "german birth certificate" may not know.... even the german national police record can applied online and send to you anywhere in the world. A german police record cannot be applied online "From within Germany" but if you are residing outside you actually can...

 

[Ghostwriter]

That is incorrect! You dont need to leave if you have to apply a german birth certificate. You can easily apply an INTERNATIONAL birth certificate ONLINE through your home town website. As well as few Germans or those who have to apply a "german birth certificate" may not know.... even the german national police record can applied online and send to you anywhere in the world. A german police record cannot be applied online "From within Germany" but if you are residing outside you actually can...

what you need is somebody who takes that INTERNATIONAL birth cdertifiate and get it probably apostilled at a Consulate of the Dominican Republic in Germany...but you will have it in Spanish already. Apostille at a DR consulate in Germany cost 100 EUR and thats it!

 

[Givadogahome]

now that's the most stupid comment i read about the theme.
Now You are complaining that the Law is not upheld??
Now, that they announced that it will finally be upheld and controlled to be followed???
yes, the Law was always there but breaking it was handled "relaxed".
Now it is announced that it will be Forced.
so first you complain that it wasn't forced and now you wanna complain that they got "your point" and announce to Force it???
you sound exactly like the ones which should be the first ones on a List "to look for".

Mike

What on earth are you talking about Mike, you don't know whether I have residency or not, I did live for years without it though and so see why people don't bother.
Where have I complained about them not upholding the law, I simply said they don't and so can not be considered a law as such, just an idea/concept. I think it is a stupid move as the country is far more attractive without having to go through the channels that a resident would just to spend a few months in the country.
You are imagining things if you think I am contradicting myself, my feelings on it are pretty easy to read and very one sided.
Unlike some I don't feel everyone who wants to visit part time should have to go through the channels those of us who want to drive have to, that in itself is stupid rule, needing residency just to drive legally, the most expensive driving license in the world.
Unlike some I do not feel everyone should jump in the pan to share the heat which I can only guess why anyone would give a toss what others do.
But it isnt going to happen, if you think it will you have been in your bubble too long.

 

[Lobo Tropical]

Cool

why's that??
I have 3 Citizenships on the Globe(none is Dominican btw),
but I have only ONe Birth Certificate which is German,
and of course I have such always nearby when seeking to get Citizenship or Residency in an additional Country.
it just needs to be brought to an official/Office to be translated into the needed language and such translation certified by my Homecountry's Consulate/Embassy, for what ever activity a B-Cert. is needed.
that you need the other documents maybe from your new "Homecountry" where you have citizenship is something you need to get there, and you should get such before 'moving' to new Soils. such been necessary in the middle East, in teh far east, it is ecessary to have such documents when moving to the Caribbean, heck, I needed them during my years in the USA, too, and I would await to need them when trying to move to Canada or what ever other Country, too.

People,
stop to ask "Why do I need this and that when I want to stay in the DR???"
in case You want to Saty simply "Do what is required HERE in the DR to do so".

it does not matter if Mexico or Cuba or Panama or Colombia or Ljubljana have easier requirements,
if You want to stay HERE means Move your Azz by the Local Rules/Requirements HERE.

everything else is just wasting your time with useless discussions and finally you may pass "accidentally" a deadline til when you could have done the right thing.

Yes,
many people may not like the rules,
so what???
they can simply move to where the rules are made by their taste, the DR will not feel any decrease of incoming flights on that for sure, neither on their sales of Real Estates(mostly handled by wining Foreigners of course) etc etc.

this Immigration Law handling just effects a small fraction of the Foreigners in the Country sine Decades.

Mike

Yeah,
All this is cool for people who want to LIVE in the DR.
It's a lot of bull for those who want to visit for 3-6 months.
Tourism is a major income for the DR and a renewable resource.
We know that the government is inefficientand does not care, the new residency visa requirement is just one example as they skim of the top no matter what.
As you say we have a lot of options and Ljubljana is not on the list.

 

[robbie]

Enough of lack of specific info for me, i will consult my DR lawyer and take it from there.
Too many sceanarios and specific situations, we all have our story and situation. best to let my lawyer handle it.

 

[PlantaFULL]

but I have only ONe Birth Certificate which is German

Some of the Schadenfreude reminds me of why I left Germany in the first place

 

[SKing]

I lived in DR almost 2 years without any residency. Not because I was lazy but just because I was busy living life and actually FORGOT as it was NEVER requested of me. My kids went through 2 (TWO) school years in Santiago and not ONE person asked me for residency papers. When we went back to the states I had to pay for the kids overstaying, the tab was a few hundred dollars and didn't pay that either. The 2 people at the airport, who are supposedly there to uphold the so-called law asked for 2,000rd for them to split and for that 2,000rd my 3 (THREE) children who had not left the country in 20 months were allowed to get on the plane to the US.
So stop acting like this "law" was ever upheld. This is some kind of way for the government to get more $$$ but the stupid asses don't know how much they will LOSE in that process.
I am becoming a citizen and my children citizens in order to avoid this bullsh*t in the future but please stop acting like we were BAD people because we did not apply for residency. I worked in NYC, making and NYC Nurse's salary and spent every bit of it in DR for 20 months. I did not drain on the econOmy and in fact employed 2 Dominicans full time (Nanny and Driver) also employed part-time Dominicans (gardener, etc)
Stop with the good expat/bad expat bullsh*t, it has no validity

SHALENA

 

[caribmike]

First and only One in this country who cheated me was one from the club of the "I'm so super good, I have a Cedula" ones. Need I say more?

 

[caribmike]

First and only One in this country who cheated me was one from the club of the "I'm so super good, I have a Cedula" ones. Need I say more?

Forgot that there was another (too long ago), had a cedula too, lol.

 

[monfongo]

why was there no advanced notice ? you think they would have given at least to the new year to start the process, why do they want people to panick , it could have been handled a lot better.