New & Renewal Cedula, Residency Cards & Drivers License

[Ken]

Since you are on your first permanent residency, it is my understanding that you will not be able to renew for an extended period. That is reserved for those of us who have been residents for some time.

As far as the rest, just take a bunch of money so you are ready for anything.

Applications must be submitted by, I think you are correct, 11 am. But the sooner the better for same day service.

Take your passport and residency card to get your residency renewal, take your cedula, passport and renewed residency card to get your cedula.

 

[Chirimoya]

Cedula:

1. Despite the computer showing that I owe RD$13500 for cedula being out of date since August 2008, I will pay only RD$1000 fine prior to 30th April?

2. Will my new cedula cost RD$2000 or RD$2500?

3. How long should I expect this cedula to be valid?

4. What documents do I need to take?

- I paid RD$3,000 - mine had expired in Oct 2009
- My new c?dula is valid till 2013
- You need to take your valid residency, expired c?dula and passport.

 

[Griegos13]

Hola a todos
I am about to get my first permanent cedula/residency the next week.
Today i read here in the dr1 news that the migr.law is about to change and anyone is resident less than 5 years would not be considered as permanent resident.
Any of you understand what this thing will mean for me for example that i live in DR for 4,5 years ?

 

[Ken]

Hola a todos
I am about to get my first permanent cedula/residency the next week.
Today i read here in the dr1 news that the migr.law is about to change and anyone is resident less than 5 years would not be considered as permanent resident.
Any of you understand what this thing will mean for me for example that i live in DR for 4,5 years ?

What you read was a proposal from the ministry of interior and police. It is just a proposal. There are lots of proposals floated every year, it is far too soon to worry about this one.

If you are getting your permanent residency, you are a documented resident. This won't apply to you anyway.

 

[MikeFisher]

correct,
at the moment you get your permanent residency means you have exactly that, and the upcoming of new rulings would not effect you.

cedula renewals, if no overdoing fee involved, cost actually RD$2700.- Pesos and the new cedulas for foreigners are actually done for 7 years of validity, locals get them now for 10 years.

to the poster with the first permanent residency expired now, I am surprised that your first Cedula(the first one with the permanent residency) been valid only for the 2 years of the residency, that would be new to me, Residencies been to be renewed every 2 years, Yes, but the Cedula for a permanent resident always been valid for 6 years since over a decade now, check the Year printed in big letters on your Cedula,not the one on the residency), the cedula always expires the year printed there on Your Birthday, independend of the expiration of your residency, 2 different thingies, 2 different Dates.

Whirleybird,
to renew a residency for a extended time period requires to be a permanent resident since a extended time period, on the 1st time renewal of your permanent residency you will get offered only a renewal for the next 2 years.

as for Cedulas,
for all foreigners with expired Cedulas the DR set a while ago a Deadline, end of this Month/April 2011, who will renew before that will be fine and pay the usual Fees, who passes the deadline should await hefty fines and a "Mark" at Immigrations which would hinder You to leave the Country/pass Immigrations unless the owed Fees are paid.

Mike

 

[Griegos13]

What you read was a proposal from the ministry of interior and police. It is just a proposal. There are lots of proposals floated every year, it is far too soon to worry about this one.

If you are getting your permanent residency, you are a documented resident. This won't apply to you anyway.

Thank you for the answer,Ken2(and MikeFisher also).
Your eplanation seems to be reasonable enough,the only consern been that we live in a beautiful but sometimes ehhhm not so reasonable country...:cheeky:

 

[Griegos13]

Buenos dias a todow.
Just took my permanent residency.
It's written on BOTH cards(resident and cedula) that are going to be expired in 2 years.I asked my lawyer and said me that this is only for changing the 'plastic' without needing new papers.Does anyone knows anything about that ?

 

[Ken]

Buenos dias a todow.
Just took my permanent residency.
It's written on BOTH cards(resident and cedula) that are going to be expired in 2 years.I asked my lawyer and said me that this is only for changing the 'plastic' without needing new papers.Does anyone knows anything about that ?

Once you have permanent residency, you do not need to go through same process as you did to get the permanent residency. When you are getting to the expiration date, you fill paper with a few questions just to make sure your address, martial status, etc., are up to date, pay some money, have your picture taken, and get a new residency card. You can accomplish all this in a couple of hours. At first your renewal will be for 2 years, but after a period of time, then you can renew for longer. But your first renewal will be for one year, unless the policy is changed.

For cedula, you fill out a paper with a few questions, pay some money, have photo taken and get a new cedula

Your lawyer is right. The hard part is done; you do not need a lawyer to help you renew.

 

[Griegos13]

Once you have permanent residency, you do not need to go through same process as you did to get the permanent residency. When you are getting to the expiration date, you fill paper with a few questions just to make sure your address, martial status, etc., are up to date, pay some money, have your picture taken, and get a new residency card. You can accomplish all this in a couple of hours. At first your renewal will be for 2 years, but after a period of time, then you can renew for longer. But your first renewal will be for one year, unless the policy is changed.

For cedula, you fill out a paper with a few questions, pay some money, have photo taken and get a new cedula

Your lawyer is right. The hard part is done; you do not need a lawyer to help you renew.

Thank you once again Ken2.You've been more than helpful.My last question(if you are not already tired with me) is tis.
Is it true that the renewals can be done to the local 'juntas' for example in Bavaro or wherelse there is one ?
It would be a GREAT relief to know that i won t have to do the same things in the next 2 years.Yesterday i spent 13 hours on the road !!!!! (9 hrs in the bus,4 hrs waiting in the offices in SD) for a job that lasted only 15 min !!!!!!!!(10 min in the migracion plus 5 min in the junta).Oh my God.............................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ken]

Thank you once again Ken2.You've been more than helpful.My last question(if you are not already tired with me) is tis.
Is it true that the renewals can be done to the local 'juntas' for example in Bavaro or wherelse there is one ?
It would be a GREAT relief to know that i won t have to do the same things in the next 2 years.Yesterday i spent 13 hours on the road !!!!! (9 hrs in the bus,4 hrs waiting in the offices in SD) for a job that lasted only 15 min !!!!!!!!(10 min in the migracion plus 5 min in the junta).Oh my God.............................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Foreigners can't renew at the local offices used by Dominicans. For residency, there is an office in Santiago where residents on North Coast can bring their documents for renewal and then go to SD only when the card is ready. Whether there is a place like that on South Coast, I don't know.

 

[CG]

Cedula renewal today

Went with a friend today - 14th April 2011 - whose cedula expired in 2005.
It cost 2,000 RD$ for the renewal + 1,000 RD$ late fee and is valid for two yrs. No other options.

For folks with an expired cedula beware - After the 30th of April 2011 it would have cost her 2,000 RD$ for renewal + 36,000 RD$ for late penalty. (500.00 RD$ per month)
As stated previously you need your expired or existing cedula, valid passport, valid residency card.
The foreigner renewal office (pink/peach in color) is about 300 meters past the existing Junta on the big roundabout and is on the right hand side on the Luperon, no signs but a DR flag and a Junta flag.

Foreigners can not renew at the local junta at this date, you need to go to Santo Domingo.

It was quite busy at 11 am, it took well over an hour start to finish.
LT

 

[Llott]

Newbie questions. Do I need a lawyer to get my first year temporary residency and Cedula? If so, what is a reasonable fee? Next question, can someone entering from the US on the 60 day tourist visa purchase a used car and insure it in the DR without residency, the Cedula and a DR drivers license? Thanks for your help!

 

[Robert]

Newbie questions. Do I need a lawyer to get my first year temporary residency and Cedula? If so, what is a reasonable fee? Next question, can someone entering from the US on the 60 day tourist visa purchase a used car and insure it in the DR without residency, the Cedula and a DR drivers license? Thanks for your help!

No, you can do it yourself, if you have LOTS of time on your hands and familia with the procedure.

Don't go for the cheapest, go for the one that has a long track record of success and gives you peace of mind. You will pay US$1,000-1,400 for a "real" lawyer to get your temporary residency.

You need a cedula to get a drivers license. You can only get a cedula if you're a resident or citizen. Residency application takes around 4+ months to be processed.

You will need to get your learners permit, sit an exam and driving test. If you're a non-US citizen, this step can usually be avoided, by getting your embassy to authenticate your license. That way you can just exchange it for a Dominican license, no test or exam etc.

Yes you can buy and insure a car. Just make sure you read every single line of your policies fine print. Then go back and read it again. Also make sure your insurance comes with "casa de conductor".

Use the search function. We must have 200+ threads and hundreds of posts in the legal forum on these subjects.

 

[MikeFisher]

exactly as Robert stated above,
I just want to add that I would highly recommend to take a "Casa de Conductor Coverage of no less than RD$1.000.000.- Pesos, last year we had quiet some incidents, cars involved been from Avis Rent a Car with full coverage, but included casa de Conductor been just RD$300.000.-, with a Gringo Face in front of Him the Judge inHiguey set the bail in all cases on RD$1.000.000.- Pesos while the IOnsurance only covered 300.000.-

you can purchase and insure a Car without Residency/Cedula, but You need a Passport for that which has to be valid for at least the whole Time of the duration of the purchased Insurance.
as Robert stated, read the fine print twice to be sure which drivers/which causes are included in the purchased insurance.

Mike

 

[eldorada]

I'd really like to say how grateful I am to this forum, I have found current detailed information here. Its better than calling Migracion or the Junta!
Called the Junta SDO today, was told they will work until midnight tomorrow, Saturday 30th April! Hope I heard right.

 

[MikeFisher]

Thank you once again Ken2.You've been more than helpful.My last question(if you are not already tired with me) is tis.
Is it true that the renewals can be done to the local 'juntas' for example in Bavaro or wherelse there is one ?
It would be a GREAT relief to know that i won t have to do the same things in the next 2 years.Yesterday i spent 13 hours on the road !!!!! (9 hrs in the bus,4 hrs waiting in the offices in SD) for a job that lasted only 15 min !!!!!!!!(10 min in the migracion plus 5 min in the junta).Oh my God.............................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

when you are due for renewal the next time in 2 years from now you sure can do so in bavaro, no more rides to Santo Domingo needed, I hated them myself a lot. the new office for Immigrations in bavaro is actually in the work to be placed at Plaza de Brizas, on the right hand side at the end, where formerly the Fitness Studio/Gym have been.
and the rule s go smotther year by year,
I have actually for example my residency card valid til January 2021 and the cedula for over 10 Years til September 2021.
from now on the "length of renewal time" for Residencies and Cedulas go for the same Time period, the length Your residency been renewd for is the decider for the length Your Cedula get's renewed.
it get's easier year by year,
even that I found the DR since long anyways very easy going on those papers.

cheers

Mike

 

[MikeFisher]

Once you have permanent residency, you do not need to go through same process as you did to get the permanent residency. When you are getting to the expiration date, you fill paper with a few questions just to make sure your address, martial status, etc., are up to date, pay some money, have your picture taken, and get a new residency card. You can accomplish all this in a couple of hours. At first your renewal will be for 2 years, but after a period of time, then you can renew for longer. But your first renewal will be for one year, unless the policy is changed.

For cedula, you fill out a paper with a few questions, pay some money, have photo taken and get a new cedula

Your lawyer is right. The hard part is done; you do not need a lawyer to help you renew.

the first Renewal will be for 2 years, not just for One.

Mike

 

[MikeFisher]

I'd really like to say how grateful I am to this forum, I have found current detailed information here. Its better than calling Migracion or the Junta!
Called the Junta SDO today, was told they will work until midnight tomorrow, Saturday 30th April! Hope I heard right.

I would count o that the last possibility to renew a expired foreigner's cedula been Today,
would be surpirised if they do much work tomorrow/Saturday/til Midnight??, lol.
from Monday May 2nd ahead the still not renewed Cedulas are due for the prior announced Fines, 500 Pesos per month of overdoing the expiration date, and as they left all of Us such a nice and easy and very long Time period to renew on Time without hassles, I agree that the ones who did still not ,make it on Time should just bite the Apple and Pay their Fines for beeing extremely lazy and not getting their stuff together.

Cheers

Mike

 

[stephrossi]

Temporary residency

No, you can do it yourself, if you have LOTS of time on your hands and familia with the procedure.

If you do it yourself, do you get all the documentation together and go to the Santo Domingo office?
Where do you get the doctor exam done?

Thanks you

 

[Caribe]

el forestero, you're the most ridiculous person I've ever come across by indicating the following:

A cedula is a government issued primary form of identification. Just imagine what could happen if someone from Al Qaeda could bribe a JCE employee to give them a cedula and then they somehow fast-talked their way into the US while carrying a dirty bomb. The horror, and the fault would lie on the JCE's head. Or so they imagine.

First of all, Dominicans have just about as difficult a time of getting a VISA to the USA as Afghans, Iraqis and Yeminis, so why would you say such a stupid thing? Ugh........... You make it seem like Dominicans get carte blanche to the United States. Oh, please.