New & Renewal Cedula, Residency Cards & Drivers License

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Peterj

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Oct 7, 2002
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so your Residency AND Cedula been due to expire together?
lucky so just one ride around St Dgo needed.,
'cause Residency card expires the Day issued, Cedular every 6 Years on Your B-Day, independend at which Day the first one been issued.
cheers
Mike

It is now in the same year yes, both for 6 years and indeed as you say: cedula on date of birth in 2016 and residencia October 4 2016
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Residency Renewal Update

What I am updating is the very detailed description by El Ferestero (post #8, 8/10/2010)

As indicated in the referenced post, absolutely necessary are your present residency card, the number of your passport, a ball point pen (to fill out the renewal request form), and money.

Much, but not all, of what was described in the referenced post is current, however, I'll be repeating some of it, calling attention to differences, and adding some information that I believe will be helpful.

Migracion opens for business at 8 am and accepts applications for residency renewal until 11 am, so the sooner you arrive the better. Traffic is terrible on the road to migracion at that time of day, so it took a taxi about 4 times longer to get me to migracion this morning than for a taxi to get me back to my hotel at noon.

I got my form about 8:45 and turned it in shortly thereafter. About 12 noon I left migracion with my new residency card, good for 4 years and out of pocket RD$7,000.

As soon as you arrive and enter the large room to your right as you enter the building, head toward the row of 10 cashier windows along the back wall, the ones on the right as you face that wall. Go to window #9, there are numbers above the windows, and get your renewal form. There are likely to be lines in front of windows #8 and #10, but do not join those lines. Go to window #9. If there is a line there, it will be very short, unlike what you may see at windows #8 and #10.

Fill out the form and return it with your present residency card to window #9. You will not be given as receipt or a number and you do not pay anything. Just turn in the completed form and your present residency card. If there is somebody at the window and nobody at #10, #10 will also accept the completed form. But otherwise don't get in a line at #10.

What caused me a lot of concern this morning was El Forestero's statement that after about 20 minutes you will be called. Neither I nor anyone else who got there about when I did to renew their residency was called this morning for almost 1.5 hours

Around 10:30 a man came out of the back, through the door next to window #1 with the processed form you completed and your old residency card. He distributed them and told the people to go to cashier #3 in the row of 4 cashier windows to your left when you face the wall. The cashier will tell you the charge is about RD$2000 plus RD$2000 if you want to get your residency card today. The implication is that if you do not pay the $2000 you will need to come back another day. As far as I could tell, everyone that I knew was renewing their residency paid the RD$2000 so as to be considered a VIP.

I asked if I could renew for more than 2 years. The cashier checked the paper attached to my residency application, which gave some historical info about my residency, and determined that I was eligible for a longer renewal. She made a quick calculation and said I could renew for 4 years for RD$7000 (RD$5000 for the residency and RD$2000 for delivery today).

Attached to the receipt given me by the cashier was a ticket with a number. She told me that when my number was called I should go through the door between the 2 banks of cashier windows to have my picture taken. You will have no trouble seeing that doorway when you are there.

Not too long thereafter, they started calling out numbers. It was done over a loud speaker so easy to hear. When you hear your number, go through the door into the hall to the first door to your left,. There will be a guard standing at the door. Go through the door into a short hall. The door you want is the one to your right at end of short hall. If there is nobody else in that hall, open the door and see if they are ready for you. If there are people, get in line as they take one person into the room at a time. When you get in, hand your receipt to the person taking your picture.

A face front and a profile photo will be taken. When the photographer is satisfied they turned out, you will be given your receipt, minus the ticket with the number, and told to wait.

Go back into the large waiting room and wait. Before too long, though it seems like a long time at that point, somebody will come out with as bunch of residency cards And tell the waiting people to go back to Window #9. There the woman will distribute the cards, requiring each person to sign next to their name in their record book to confirm you were given your card.

All in all, it goes quite smoothly. I was more concerned that I needed to be this morning only because the earlier post indicated 20 minutes whereas today, at least, it was 1.5 hours.
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
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What I am updating is the very detailed description by El Ferestero (post #8, 8/10/2010)

Go back into the large waiting room and wait. Before too long, though it seems like a long time at that point, somebody will come out with as bunch of residency cards And tell the waiting people to go back to Window #9. There the woman will distribute the cards, requiring each person to sign next to their name in their record book to confirm you were given your card.

2 months ago, Don (SantiagoDr) and I went to the capital to renew our cards. After they took our photos we went back into the waiting area for someone to call our names or any kind of notification. After a long wait, old eagle eye noticed the woman at window 9 giving out residence cards to people first come first serve. If Don didn't notice this we would still be sitting there.
NOBODY SAID ANYTHING TO THE WAITING PEOPLE THAT THE CARDS WERE FINISHED AND READY FOR PICKUP. So, don't depend on someone calling your name, every so often go back to window 9 and ask if they are ready. We received the cards the same day, 90 minutes to be precise and NOBODY ASKED US FOR ANY MONEY.....WE HIT THE JACKPOT!!!!!
Don't offer any money and maybe they won't ask you.....
Don thinks because we came from Santiago there wasn't a fee...

B in Santiago
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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We received the cards the same day, 90 minutes to be precise and NOBODY ASKED US FOR ANY MONEY.....WE HIT THE JACKPOT!!!!!
Don't offer any money and maybe they won't ask you.....
Don thinks because we came from Santiago there wasn't a fee...

B in Santiago


Did you start the renewal process in Santiago? If so, that is probably where the mistake was made, or perhaps the two offices assumed the other would collect or had collected.

For someone who did the entire renewal in Santo Domingo, I don't see how you could avoid paying the fee. I'd still be waiting to have my picture taken if I had not been put on the list to be photographed by the person who collected the fee and given my number by her.

The suggestion to check back with window #9 if you see cards being handed out after you had your picture taken is an excellent one. Because I had expected from El Forestero's post that I would be called after 20 minutes, I went back to #9 frequently and also spoke with other employees to be sure I had not missed any announcements. I think that had something to do with my being informed as soon as my card was ready.
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
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Did you start the renewal process in Santiago?

Yes we both did, it's funny how that happened.
After we became friends we found out that we had applied for renewal at the Santiago office just days apart. We were both called on the same day that the cards were ready for final processing in the Capital. We both went up on the Metro Bus and neither of us were asked for money.

B in Santiago
 

amp

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Oct 5, 2010
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Fellas I'm still a little confused here after reading the posts. I'm moving to DR in December and I'm not exactly sure if you need your cedula first or if you need your residency permit first? Can someone clarify please.

Also, I'll be in Santiago as an aforementioned post said, you can do a few things in Santiago to make it easier, where abouts is the location?
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
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Santiago DR
you get both issued the same Day, it is one process to get both.
don't know the location in Santiago, but the Guys and Gals from Santiago will fill that in here soon.
cheers
Mike

I don't know the name of the streets that well because I don't drive. I don't pay that close attention of the route the taxi's take. PM SantiagoDr, (Don) he can give you the exact location and directions from wherever your starting point is. I do know that it is very close to Supermercado El National.

B in Santiago
 

amp

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Oct 5, 2010
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I don't know the name of the streets that well because I don't drive. I don't pay that close attention of the route the taxi's take. PM SantiagoDr, (Don) he can give you the exact location and directions from wherever your starting point is. I do know that it is very close to Supermercado El National.

B in Santiago

can do, i think i know where supermercado el national is but i just need to see it again, like you i dont know any street names i just remember familiar landmarks.
 

MikeFisher

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Feb 28, 2006
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when I did my Residency, that's many years back, all been only in Santo Domingo, so when they called to indform that the Residency request is approved I went to St Domingo and had firstly to go to JCE where I received the Cedula Card, and with that I drove to Immigrations where I showed the Cedula Card and they handed me over the Residency Card.
a Year later it had been exactly the same way for the Permanent residency and Cedula Card.
if I am not mistaken I read lately here on DR1 that the Cedula is now also handed over/done at the Building where immigrations is located in St Domingo and that they give now the Residency Card first and right aside then the Cedula, more easy to navegate, JCE and Immigrations been not at the same Place for that some years back.
I don't know if you just apply for your Residency in Santiago and finally have to Visit the Capital City to get it handed over or if they do today's maybe the full process from beginning to end in Santiago also, I never paid much attention on Santiago 'cause I live on the East.
it always get's easier,
now we even have a JCE office for Cedula renewals on the East,
as I would expect POP and Santiago etc also would have such,
on the East Coast we are the Hillbillies, we always get such services as the last Ones, after other regions have that since a while, lol.
cheers
Mike

for specific Info on Santiago and driving directions PM Don(SantiagoDR) or HB(Hillbilly) or Cobraboy,
they know their 'hood well and can tell the streetnames, like a written GPS Tracking, lol
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
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Jan 9, 2009
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Driver's license in dr?

OK, driver's license question. What type of test, if any, is necessary to get a Dominican driver's license the first time for a foreigner?

Now don't laugh, but my husband's Dominican driver's license is from 1975, he looks like a kid in the photo. Does anyone know if he can just go renew it now, or will there be tests involved? He's never bothered before, but since we plan to buy a car this trip he'll need it.

AE
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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OK, driver's license question. What type of test, if any, is necessary to get a Dominican driver's license the first time for a foreigner?

Now don't laugh, but my husband's Dominican driver's license is from 1975, he looks like a kid in the photo. Does anyone know if he can just go renew it now, or will there be tests involved? He's never bothered before, but since we plan to buy a car this trip he'll need it.

AE

First step is for the temporary license... short video questionnaire in Spanish.....Temporary is valid for 1 year

After 45 days you are eligible for the permanent license... opinion varies as to whether you will be req'd to take a road test but if you can find someone to give you the VIP process (cost about 4000 pesos).....you can fly through... they answer the video questions for you and you get by without taking the road test.

I did mine in POP

WW
 

bienamor

Kansas redneck an proud of it
Apr 23, 2004
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OK, driver's license question. What type of test, if any, is necessary to get a Dominican driver's license the first time for a foreigner?

Now don't laugh, but my husband's Dominican driver's license is from 1975, he looks like a kid in the photo. Does anyone know if he can just go renew it now, or will there be tests involved? He's never bothered before, but since we plan to buy a car this trip he'll need it.

AE

Hum not sure on his being renewed.

For a US citizen getting a first time Dominican License.

At DGTT on Tiradentes you will first get a form from the information desk,
then pay the amount to Banca Reservas about 1300dop
Return to the desk, you will then to to the left and register
take a eye test
have blood drawn
register for the video
watch the video,
take a video exam about 20 questions
receive a temporary license
45 days later you can take the driving test.
which includes another fee of about 800dop
 

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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Hum not sure on his being renewed.

For a US citizen getting a first time Dominican License.

At DGTT on Tiradentes you will first get a form from the information desk,
then pay the amount to Banca Reservas about 1300dop
Return to the desk, you will then to to the left and register
take a eye test
have blood drawn
register for the video
watch the video,
take a video exam about 20 questions
receive a temporary license
45 days later you can take the driving test.
which includes another fee of about 800dop

Wow, THAT'S not something I expected to read!!

Thanks for the info!

AE
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,145
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First step is for the temporary license... short video questionnaire in Spanish.....Temporary is valid for 1 year

After 45 days you are eligible for the permanent license... opinion varies as to whether you will be req'd to take a road test but if you can find someone to give you the VIP process (cost about 4000 pesos).....you can fly through... they answer the video questions for you and you get by without taking the road test.

I did mine in POP

WW

Where do you find these people? Are they just hanging around the building??

AE
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
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and careful naming the First License card for a year/min 45 days to use, a temprary drivers License, cecause that License does not allow you to drive alone in a car, it is a "Practice" License and allows only to 'practice'/Drive with a Person on the Passenger Seat who holds a Dominican Drivers License.
I know such is not a biggie here or such,
just wanted to point that lil Details out to have it clear,
'cause it can be a bibby in case of an Accident with no licensed driver on the passenger's Seat.

AE,
You mentioned the Hubby has a Dominican Drivers License from 1975, I would pass by the next AMET Office near you Place and give it a Try to get it renewed for a extra Fee, explaining that he simply lived abroad etc etc, may be worth a try.

Mike
 

bienamor

Kansas redneck an proud of it
Apr 23, 2004
5,050
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Wow, THAT'S not something I expected to read!!

Thanks for the info!

AE

Excuse me not drawn bad choice of words, they take a sample in order to do a blood typing.

If your in Santo Domingo, everything is computerized, and each step is verified by fingerprint. NO ONE IS GOING GO TAKE THE TEST FOR YOU THERE IS NO VIP!!!!!!. Big sign out front, about not using Buscons.

Yes its a temporary license, must have a valid driver with you when driving. If you use a car with automatic transmission for the driving test, you will have a restriction noted that you are valid only for automatics.
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
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that's correct.
my own Honda Accord is autpmatic as well, so for the 4 minutes driving test in La Romana I rented for 200 or 300 Pesos one of their Daihatsu Chicharras which are shifters, they had 3 or 4 of them available there, so I would not get the restriction to Automatic Transmissions.
if You do the Practise with your own Car bring a copy of Matricula and the renewed Insurance Card to show them, it is just to show, they don't keep the copy.
practice tests been simple.
first we had to take that Chicharra on the Parking Place of the Baseball Stadium to a spot where they had some poles to mark a parking area, so you have to drive there and pak the car between the poles, been space to park a small Truck within those Poles, been Fun to watch that most of the Guys around needed several attempts to park the lil car successfully without hitting the Poles, lol.
the 2nd Part been a 3-4 minutes Drive out of the Stadium, a right turn on the main road and a few hundred meters later a right turn to enter the parking area again with the "Instructor" aside. here make sure your cellphone is shut down and buckle Up your seatbelt. the chicharra did not even have Direction lights to turn, so make sure you use the appropriate handsign for the 2 right turns.
the most common reason why people fail on that test been answered to me by the "Instructor" when I asked:
"their cellphone rings when the Chula wanna know if they passed, and the Id$ots realy answer the Phone", that's when they get send home to come back again in 30 Days, ha ha ha.
o.k., I did that test on February 12th 2009, the License needs to be renewed every 4 years, but expires like the Cedulas on Your B-Day that Year, so I gained an extra 7 months with the expiration Date Sept 18th 2013, lol.
Mike
 
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