Dominican Citizenship

[Gunzergreat63]

I obtained residency in the DR in January 2013 despite living and working in the U.S.
I have had permanent residency since 2019.
In January of 2023 I will retire and move to the DR to live full time.
I want to apply for Dominican Citizenship in January.
I speak, read and write Spanish with native fluency.
Can I apply for the citizenship on my own or do I need a lawyer? I understand that I will need an background check from the FBI with apostille as well as a certified copy of my birth certificate, also with an apostille.
I used a lawyer for my residency and renewals because since I didn’t live there full time yet it seemed easier to let a lawyer handle it.

Is it easy to get the Dominican Citizenship on your own or is a lawyer the advisable way to go?

 

[JD Jones]

I obtained residency in the DR in January 2013 despite living and working in the U.S.
I have had permanent residency since 2019.
In January of 2023 I will retire and move to the DR to live full time.
I want to apply for Dominican Citizenship in January.
I speak, read and write Spanish with native fluency.
Can I apply for the citizenship on my own or do I need a lawyer? I understand that I will need an background check from the FBI with apostille as well as a certified copy of my birth certificate, also with an apostille.
I used a lawyer for my residency and renewals because since I didn’t live there full time yet it seemed easier to let a lawyer handle it.

Is it easy to get the Dominican Citizenship on your own or is a lawyer the advisable way to go?

You can certainly do it on your own as some on the forum have stated so, but if I were to go for citizenship I would want to use a lawyer.

Personal preference.

 

[william webster]

Sometimes, a lawyer knows where to go to solve a problem.... whereas the DYI guy will thump his head against the wall

If a problem pops up..... a lawyer can come in handy

In my citizenship application, they lost my file repeatedly..... my lawyer petitioned the dept head and I skated thru
They waived my interview.... just gave it to me

Suit yourself

 

[Gunzergreat63]

Sometimes, a lawyer knows where to go to solve a problem.... whereas the DYI guy will thump his head against the wall

If a problem pops up..... a lawyer can come in handy

In my citizenship application, they lost my file repeatedly..... my lawyer petitioned the dept head and I skated thru
They waived my interview.... just gave it to me

Suit yourself

It sounds like a lawyer is DEFINITELY the way to go.
Who did you use? That’s also what has me concerned: Finding one that can be trusted. The one that I used for my residency retired a few months ago. Now I’m back to square one.

 

[DR fan1990]

I'm genuinely curious.
What's the incentive to get a Dominican citizen if you are already a resident of DR?

I mean what does a Dominican passport gives you that an American passport doesn't ?

 

[Gunzergreat63]

I'm genuinely curious.
What's the incentive to get a Dominican citizen if you are already a resident?

I mean what does a Dominican passport gives you that an American passport doesn't ?

Not having to renew the residency and run the risk of the process becoming more expensive and/or complicated due to the Dominican government making changes to the requirements.
I want to live in peace with being subjected to nonsense every few years during renewal time.

 

[JD Jones]

Sometimes, a lawyer knows where to go to solve a problem.... whereas the DYI guy will thump his head against the wall

If a problem pops up..... a lawyer can come in handy

In my citizenship application, they lost my file repeatedly..... my lawyer petitioned the dept head and I skated thru
They waived my interview.... just gave it to me

Suit yourself

Exactly. Here's a good example:

During all of my vehicle purchases, my lawyer takes the vehicle to Plan Piloto.

Anybody who's been there knows it can lead to hours of waiting.

My lawyer knows everybody there. She goes in, pays for a VIP, takes it to one of the agents, they do the check and she out again in half an hour.
That would never happen if I was the one doing everything.

When she goes to DGII to pay the tax and get the matricula? Same thing.

Us mere mortals have to wait like everyone else.

 

[keepcoming]

IMO I would go with a lawyer. Less headaches.

 

[william webster]

I'm genuinely curious.
What's the incentive to get a Dominican citizen if you are already a resident of DR?

I mean what does a Dominican passport gives you that an American passport doesn't ?

The no renewal ... is a big deal....

My other is a Cdn passport..Americans don't don't like to hear, but it's a stronger one....less forbiden countries... so far !!

THe citizenship route was less complicated and cheaper for me than a renewal..... I have a lawyer for you

 

[Neargale]

I did my citizenship on my own, on the heels of Lindsay (RIP). It was not that complicated and as a Business Process Improvement Specialist I was having fun…until the MIP wanted to meet me AND my husband. The main question was WHY?… things got smooth when I explained my arthritis precluded my living in Canada in the winter.

one word of advice….if you want a Dominican passport, do it at the same time as your citizenship. I waited and paid the price!

 

[Gunzergreat63]

I did my citizenship on my own, on the heels of Lindsay (RIP). It was not that complicated and as a Business Process Improvement Specialist I was having fun…until the MIP wanted to meet me AND my husband. The main question was WHY?… things got smooth when I explained my arthritis precluded my living in Canada in the winter.

one word of advice….if you want a Dominican passport, do it at the same time as your citizenship. I waited and paid the price!

What was the price for waiting?
Once you’re a citizen you should be able to get it whenever you want it, or not so?

 

[william webster]

I would like to hear the answer too...... I am in that predicament

 

[Neargale]

I got my citizenship in 2019 I think and decided to get my dominican passport only about 3 months ago. It took me 3 trips to Santo Domingo from Puerto Plata. Reasons being...
1st trip: The 1st time you request a passport after nationalization, it can only be done in Santo Domingo. So I got there and went through all the requirements as per the website but... my Certificate of Citizenship was too old. So off to MIP I went to request an updated certificate. That has a series of requirements like request letter, photocopies etc. Fortunately the admin/copy centres across the street are used to helping people so we got all the docs ready. Back to Mip I went to deposit the papers. Waited 2 weeks I believe.
2nd trip: Went to MIP to pick up my new shiny Certificate of Citizenship and brought it to the Passport office. I had been told that the passport would be ready I only needed to give them the updated certificate. Not so. Gave them the Certificate and went home.
3rd trip: took 2 minutes at the passport office as everything was ready and I went back.

Thank goodness I enjoy visiting art museum, galleries and eating at good restaurants. My back hurts so much that i can not do return trip on the same day by bus so I stay overnight. BUT had I known how much extra this passport would cost I would not have done it! I don't know what possessed me, really! Besides hotels, meals, taxis, the extra costs revolved around finding exactly how to meet the requirements for the passport office (and where it is), the costs of getting updated Certificate, the costs of getting the admin support across the street and the single malt to deal with the stress.

 

[william webster]

I am having/had my lawyer investigate this ....

Because I am late in the passport application they want to talk to me.... Ok, let's talk

No...
come to the office and if the man can see you.... he will..... no appointment, just a wait

3 hrs from Cabrera each way, I declined

Still working on it... I only want it for the fast kiosks

 

[Neargale]

I am having/had my lawyer investigate this ....

Because I am late in the passport application they want to talk to me.... Ok, let's talk

No...
come to the office and if the man can see you.... he will..... no appointment, just a wait

3 hrs from Cabrera each way, I declined

Still working on it... I only want it for the fast kiosks

yes I forgot about "the man", no big deal he just looked at me and said ok. Maybe they want to make sure the passport won't be used by somebody shady???

 

[bob saunders]

I got my citizenship in 2019 I think and decided to get my dominican passport only about 3 months ago. It took me 3 trips to Santo Domingo from Puerto Plata. Reasons being...
1st trip: The 1st time you request a passport after nationalization, it can only be done in Santo Domingo. So I got there and went through all the requirements as per the website but... my Certificate of Citizenship was too old. So off to MIP I went to request an updated certificate. That has a series of requirements like request letter, photocopies etc. Fortunately the admin/copy centres across the street are used to helping people so we got all the docs ready. Back to Mip I went to deposit the papers. Waited 2 weeks I believe.
2nd trip: Went to MIP to pick up my new shiny Certificate of Citizenship and brought it to the Passport office. I had been told that the passport would be ready I only needed to give them the updated certificate. Not so. Gave them the Certificate and went home.
3rd trip: took 2 minutes at the passport office as everything was ready and I went back.

Thank goodness I enjoy visiting art museum, galleries and eating at good restaurants. My back hurts so much that i can not do return trip on the same day by bus so I stay overnight. BUT had I known how much extra this passport would cost I would not have done it! I don't know what possessed me, really! Besides hotels, meals, taxis, the extra costs revolved around finding exactly how to meet the requirements for the passport office (and where it is), the costs of getting updated Certificate, the costs of getting the admin support across the street and the single malt to deal with the stress.

Mine took three trips as well.

 

[Kricke87]

I got my citizenship in 2019 I think and decided to get my dominican passport only about 3 months ago. It took me 3 trips to Santo Domingo from Puerto Plata. Reasons being...
1st trip: The 1st time you request a passport after nationalization, it can only be done in Santo Domingo. So I got there and went through all the requirements as per the website but... my Certificate of Citizenship was too old. So off to MIP I went to request an updated certificate. That has a series of requirements like request letter, photocopies etc. Fortunately the admin/copy centres across the street are used to helping people so we got all the docs ready. Back to Mip I went to deposit the papers. Waited 2 weeks I believe.
2nd trip: Went to MIP to pick up my new shiny Certificate of Citizenship and brought it to the Passport office. I had been told that the passport would be ready I only needed to give them the updated certificate. Not so. Gave them the Certificate and went home.
3rd trip: took 2 minutes at the passport office as everything was ready and I went back.

Thank goodness I enjoy visiting art museum, galleries and eating at good restaurants. My back hurts so much that i can not do return trip on the same day by bus so I stay overnight. BUT had I known how much extra this passport would cost I would not have done it! I don't know what possessed me, really! Besides hotels, meals, taxis, the extra costs revolved around finding exactly how to meet the requirements for the passport office (and where it is), the costs of getting updated Certificate, the costs of getting the admin support across the street and the single malt to deal with the stress.

Okay very interesting. I went to the office in Puerto Plata about a year ago and asked and they said that I could do that there. I also became s citizen in June 2019 but because there were a bunch of problems after that because jce screwed up when making by birth certificate that I didn't got it until December 2019 and then I had my family visiting from Europe during Christmas and then Covid happened so I just didn't bother getting the passport. But last year when I was thinking about going back to Europe and according to my lawyer who had helped me with the citizenship I needed that to leave the country without paying I decided to look into fixing the passport. So I contact passport in Puerto Plata and they told me that I could apply over there. So very interesting. Anyway I never applied for it as I figured it was just strange that I would need a passport to confirm that I'm Dominican although having a cédula. So I never got the passport, and it was not true, no need to have the passport to leave. So I wonder what's the point of getting one? My European one works just great, so I don't feel I need one,.especially if it's so complicated.

 

[bob saunders]

Okay very interesting. I went to the office in Puerto Plata about a year ago and asked and they said that I could do that there. I also became s citizen in June 2019 but because there were a bunch of problems after that because jce screwed up when making by birth certificate that I didn't got it until December 2019 and then I had my family visiting from Europe during Christmas and then Covid happened so I just didn't bother getting the passport. But last year when I was thinking about going back to Europe and according to my lawyer who had helped me with the citizenship I needed that to leave the country without paying I decided to look into fixing the passport. So I contact passport in Puerto Plata and they told me that I could apply over there. So very interesting. Anyway I never applied for it as I figured it was just strange that I would need a passport to confirm that I'm Dominican although having a cédula. So I never got the passport, and it was not true, no need to have the passport to leave. So I wonder what's the point of getting one? My European one works just great, so I don't feel I need one,.especially if it's so complicated.

I left the DR several times after getting my citizenship, but prior to getting my Dominican passport. I just showed my cedula and they unlocked my Canadian passport and I didn't pay anything. I got my Dominican passport about 4 months after my citizenship. It did require three trips, even with all the correct paperwork the first trip. The passport office and the police were not on the same page. The police could see on the documentation online but didn't have print permission so they required that I go to the Archives and get a copy of everything from my original file. This required going to the other side of the city and a few hours waiting to get copies. Then back to passport office....etc.

 

[william webster]

My lawyer has my file….. I find that easier

 

[bob saunders]

My lawyer has my file….. I find that easier

I thought I had my complete file, but apparently not. I didn't use a lawyer.