There is an art to handling Dominican bureaucracy and this sort of thing happens at all Government offices. I can't comment on your Consulate because I'm a Brit & we have access to our Embassy & Consulates :cheeky:. Generally when dealing with Dominican bureaucracy you need to be charming & light hearted on the surface but utterly tenacious and adamant underneath. It's something that comes more easily the longer you are here...
- Thread starter Michael Strong
- Start date
Now we really need residency
There is an art to handling Dominican bureaucracy and this sort of thing happens at all Government offices. I can't comment on your Consulate because I'm a Brit & we have access to our Embassy & Consulates :cheeky:. Generally when dealing with Dominican bureaucracy you need to be charming & light hearted on the surface but utterly tenacious and adamant underneath. It's something that comes more easily the longer you are here...
I agree
I agree I don't see it happening either. After all that would be like cutting off your nose to spite your face. The tourist dollar and in this particular conversation the ex-pat dollar, is greatly needed in the Dominican economy. I have always considered the ex-pats to be kind of like the Domincan middle class. Because of the amount of money they spend to help keep the economy moving. I don't see them turning their backs on something like that.
I personally have many reasons for wanting to get my residency, my estranged wife is Dominican and therefore my pre-teen daughter lives in this country. I intend to be a part of her life and be an influence until she is of legal age. Therefore I will be in this country at least for the next 8 years, so I might as well ingrain myself into the country as best that I can. Lucky for me, my relationship with my estranged wife is very good, quite frankly much better than it was toward the end of us, living together:cheeky:. That is one reason that I want to have my residency, and as I said a business, at this point I would probably put it in her name, or at least I am considering it. I bank rolled a business for my ex (a frame of mind) although legally she isn't my ex. just separated, when we first got married in NY, and she was actually a pretty good business woman. As I said I am retired (2 yrs now) and receive a pension, so for two years I have just been stumbling around. If I was an older man that would be fine, because financially I really don't need to work, but I am only 49 and I am finding I need something to keep me busy or else I will probably tend to get myself in trouble. An idle mind and all of that.
I agree I don't see it happening either. After all that would be like cutting off your nose to spite your face. The tourist dollar and in this particular conversation the ex-pat dollar, is greatly needed in the Dominican economy. I have always considered the ex-pats to be kind of like the Domincan middle class. Because of the amount of money they spend to help keep the economy moving. I don't see them turning their backs on something like that.
I personally have many reasons for wanting to get my residency, my estranged wife is Dominican and therefore my pre-teen daughter lives in this country. I intend to be a part of her life and be an influence until she is of legal age. Therefore I will be in this country at least for the next 8 years, so I might as well ingrain myself into the country as best that I can. Lucky for me, my relationship with my estranged wife is very good, quite frankly much better than it was toward the end of us, living together:cheeky:. That is one reason that I want to have my residency, and as I said a business, at this point I would probably put it in her name, or at least I am considering it. I bank rolled a business for my ex (a frame of mind) although legally she isn't my ex. just separated, when we first got married in NY, and she was actually a pretty good business woman. As I said I am retired (2 yrs now) and receive a pension, so for two years I have just been stumbling around. If I was an older man that would be fine, because financially I really don't need to work, but I am only 49 and I am finding I need something to keep me busy or else I will probably tend to get myself in trouble. An idle mind and all of that.
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Most points were already stated. ie. car insurance, cedula, DR driver permit etc.
I did not see the one that I think is pretty important though; you need residency for a fire arms permit.
I agree also...if you are expat,living here as a pensionado,own a house or apt.,probably a dominican wife or husband,or novio,novia,speak spanish,spend all your money here for food,services etc,cause no problems,do not desire to leave the country,then who cares...I have many friends here on the island,10 to 20 years,no cedula...do not need a car,and have property...living just fine.
This law is especially for the Haiti illegal aliens
bob
The Haitians I spoke to in the North were getting their residencies for 400US$.
The same lawyer who did theirs offered me mine for US800 - but I could have got him down to US$400 with a bit of haggle, I bet.
The same lawyer who did theirs offered me mine for US800 - but I could have got him down to US$400 with a bit of haggle, I bet.
Before I returned to Toronto, a European expat friend went to the Capital, to immigration, to get an extended visa for himself and I gave him my passport and he got one for me too. For 800 pesos for an extra 3 or more months.
But you dont have to and we didnt renew it before our 30 day visa expired.
Last year I did not have to pay a dime at the airport, even though I overstayed my visa. The immigration officer at POP just kept on saying oh morena, linda, linda with a big smile on his face.
I owe property in the US and I'm not a US resident. I own properties in the D.R. without being a D.R. resident. Legal protection ??? what for ??
Some think the DR is like the TV show Survivor, whereby you could be voted off the Island...maybe yes, maybe no .
Lambada suggested, and if it was not the weekend when this thread started, I would also suggest consulting an attorney to see what is and is not, the LAW.
There are too many interpretations here to make an informed decision!
no Bob,
this immigrations law is in now way specifically for Haitians.
as a matter of fact our immigrations law has exceptions/specific points for Haitians in addition to the whole. that your expat friends are here since 20 years and still illegal has most likely the simple reason that 20 years ago immigrations stuff been handled very different to today, back in the day the island had only few foreigners compared to today. and now they are too lazy to get their simple stuff done and at the day one of them comes in a minor conflict with the law and they put him on a plane for beeing an illegal alien which saves them the costs for a trial on his conflict matter, then all those expats will cry out loud and complain aso aso.
to own property in the DR you don't need to be a resident, you don't even need to live here. everybody over 18 years old and in posession of a valid passport can purchase property in the DR.
not voted off the island, the DR does not show rude beaviors on those matters. but the law is clear:
who stays here steadily need a residency.
overstaying of the visitor's visa is not allowed, it is against immigrations law, that's why there is a fine for those who overstay. people who stay on the island on visitors visa have to extend their visitors visa at the Immigrations office BEFORE it expires, so they are never a alien, they are never illegal, unless they do not extend their visitors visa, and for that they get a fine.
overstaying a visitor visa brings you to the status of an illegal immigrant, as simple like that. the DR is not hunting down and deporting those immigrants, they handle the cases very smooth, but at the moment you get in conflict with the law and may it be just for a little unimportant reason, at that moment your illegal status will put you on a plane on your cost with no way to come back to this island, doesn't matter you own land here aso aso.
and the fact that authorities are not really looking after the lil visitor visas illegals does not mean they can't. by law the authorities would have the right to cattle 'em and send 'em all home, properties or other belongings of them go over to the republic, simple like that. if the DR sees a reason for a clean up they could start that by existing laws right away, but they don't do such, would be bad advertising, and as long as those illegal expats don't start criminal activities(a high %% are known criminals) the gubmin will not bother itself to act on such.
but again:
never ever forget that you are illegal at the day your visitors visa expired.
if you get in an accident and the other party brings the case to court you will most likely be on a plane as soon as one is landed. and there are many other situations in life where your status comes out and an illegal status would turn the stuff against you.
and that's good like that, or otherwise nobody ever would respect any dominican law. who does not respect the immigrations law why should some trust 'em to respect driving laws, narcotraffic laws, aso aso.
and for all the ones who live fulltime on the Isle and still have no residency, those expats who spend like written in prior posts so many $$$ here on daily bases aso, tell me one reasonable fact/reason why a fulltime visitor/expat does not have residency???
to get dominican residency is super easy, absolutely hassle free and even if you pay a lawyer to make it for yourself a piece of cake it still is very cheap, so why not to do residency??
of course junkies and wanted criminals have their reason not to do residency, they would fail in the approval process and send home.
everybody else:
just do that simple thingy.
Mike
Well said
Well said MikeFisher!
You have explained things clearing and concisely, if some still choose not to do it, that is on them, and in most cases it probably won't be a problem, but if something does happen, and you haven't done it, you will be kicking yourself in the rear for not doing it, when in all honesty it was a very simple process. Ounce of prevention and all of that. And the feeling that it will never happen to me, which is true, until it does.
Well said MikeFisher!
You have explained things clearing and concisely, if some still choose not to do it, that is on them, and in most cases it probably won't be a problem, but if something does happen, and you haven't done it, you will be kicking yourself in the rear for not doing it, when in all honesty it was a very simple process. Ounce of prevention and all of that. And the feeling that it will never happen to me, which is true, until it does.
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Even with the enforcement of the residency laws, the DR is still actually very loose when it comes to Immigration and work permits.
Most countries do not allow you to 'immigrate' and automatically get working status, like the DR does with its residency that has right to work.
Take for example, The Bahamas, you came become resident there (tax free status) for US$500,000 investment in real estate or business. However, this will not give you the right to work (unless its your own business). Individuals cannot apply for a work permit, only employers. A work permit costs $5000 to $25,000, depending on the job, takes up to a year to receive, and requires enormous amounts of red tape. In addition, the company seeking a work permit position has to put ads in local newspapers, proving that no Bahamian was suitable for this position.
While the Bahamas example may be extreme, most other Caribbean nations have very tight work permit and residency requirements, so even with the current enforcement of DR residendcy laws, consider yourself lucky that you can just come to this country and start working!
Eventually, the DR will put restrictions on the right to work on foreign residents, in order to protect local jobs, its just a matter of time (5 to 10 years, IMO).
Usually, some bonehead politician will come up with this idea, in order to get votes.
Most countries do not allow you to 'immigrate' and automatically get working status, like the DR does with its residency that has right to work.
Take for example, The Bahamas, you came become resident there (tax free status) for US$500,000 investment in real estate or business. However, this will not give you the right to work (unless its your own business). Individuals cannot apply for a work permit, only employers. A work permit costs $5000 to $25,000, depending on the job, takes up to a year to receive, and requires enormous amounts of red tape. In addition, the company seeking a work permit position has to put ads in local newspapers, proving that no Bahamian was suitable for this position.
While the Bahamas example may be extreme, most other Caribbean nations have very tight work permit and residency requirements, so even with the current enforcement of DR residendcy laws, consider yourself lucky that you can just come to this country and start working!
Eventually, the DR will put restrictions on the right to work on foreign residents, in order to protect local jobs, its just a matter of time (5 to 10 years, IMO).
Usually, some bonehead politician will come up with this idea, in order to get votes.
yeap,
such may be possible, but not very likely, b/c not many immigrants hold high level jobs which could be done by locals. and that is not due to leak of something by locals, the opposite, take i.e. the travel industry where as tourrepresentatives a decade back most employees been foreigners, mostly b/c of their languages, such jobs are today in most cases done by locals, b/c dominicans speak those languages, dominicans have the education/knowledge for such jobs and they do such often in numbers. so on the Isle there is no problem or such in case of foreigners occupying jobs which locals would like to do. many jobs in the construction industry are occupied by foreigners, mostly by Haitians, and they are needed for those jobs, b/c most locals do not wanna do those jobs themselves.
and yes, i completely agree to the 2 posts above, the DR is in case of enforcement of immigration laws going very easy, very visitor friendly, i could not name an other country who is running that theme as smooth as the Dr is.
and again,
a foreigner/expat who spends thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase property on the Isle/buy a car/travel around/eat/drink/work aso aso should not have trouble to pay the small fee for a residency to get that important insurance to be legal here.
Mike
such may be possible, but not very likely, b/c not many immigrants hold high level jobs which could be done by locals. and that is not due to leak of something by locals, the opposite, take i.e. the travel industry where as tourrepresentatives a decade back most employees been foreigners, mostly b/c of their languages, such jobs are today in most cases done by locals, b/c dominicans speak those languages, dominicans have the education/knowledge for such jobs and they do such often in numbers. so on the Isle there is no problem or such in case of foreigners occupying jobs which locals would like to do. many jobs in the construction industry are occupied by foreigners, mostly by Haitians, and they are needed for those jobs, b/c most locals do not wanna do those jobs themselves.
and yes, i completely agree to the 2 posts above, the DR is in case of enforcement of immigration laws going very easy, very visitor friendly, i could not name an other country who is running that theme as smooth as the Dr is.
and again,
a foreigner/expat who spends thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase property on the Isle/buy a car/travel around/eat/drink/work aso aso should not have trouble to pay the small fee for a residency to get that important insurance to be legal here.
Mike
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