Permanent residency renewal alert!

[SKY]

I said this before and I will say it one more time. Either get Citizenship or get nothing and come and go on a tourist Visa. I know people that have been here over 25 years with no papers. Some work, all have cars, bank accounts, etc. NONE of them have had any problem to date. Not saying that will continue forever, but until it does these people have beat the wheel big time.

And for the record I am not one of them. Have had citizenship since 2004, so I don't have a horse in the race.

 

[cavok]

I'm starting to think time will prove you right and that the government actually prefers that "residents" just pay the overstay fee rather than deal with the hassle of gving out residencies.

 

[Tashi Siu's Dad]

I'm starting to think time will prove you right and that the government actually prefers that "residents" just pay the overstay fee rather than deal with the hassle of gving out residencies.

Theoretically, they do make more money off over-stay fees, especially if you come and go from the island frequently. Mathematically, if you stay here all the time, they make more from issuing a residency card. The issue with over-stay fees, is that the law states that you may be denied re-entry into the D.R. if you pay an over-stay fee, but they only enforce it sporadically, from what I've heard. Don't know if I'd like to be the one hit with it, especially since I own property here and might be inclined to visit it again!

 

[cavok]

Theoretically, they do make more money off over-stay fees, especially if you come and go from the island frequently. Mathematically, if you stay here all the time, they make more from issuing a residency card. The issue with over-stay fees, is that the law states that you may be denied re-entry into the D.R. if you pay an over-stay fee, but they only enforce it sporadically, from what I've heard. Don't know if I'd like to be the one hit with it, especially since I own property here and might be inclined to visit it again!

I own property here, too, and that's exactly why I decided to go the residency route - I didn't want to wake up some day and find out that I would be denied re-entry for overstaying.

If that ever does happen, those who have taken a wait-and-see approach are going to be in for a real rude awakening when they find out what's involved with an initial residency application nowadays and just how much it's going to cost and how long it will take.

 

[SKY]

No one in the history of the DR has been denied entry solely for overstaying a tourist Visa and paying the salida fee. NO ONE. And none of the lawyers and wanna be lawyers here can prove different...........................

 

[cavok]

No one "in the history"............

 

[william webster]

I'm not sure anybody can make that statement with any authority...

Yes... there have been cases... reported here ... but look them up yourself

 

[cavok]

I'm not sure why some people seem to think that it is such a draconian measure either(?). Overstay your US visa for more than 180 days, but less than one year - entry barred for 3 years. Overstay for more than a year - entry barred for 10 years.

Many other countries take overstays very seriously and do the same. Some countries won't let you leave right away if they discover you overstayed. You're taken to court, fined, and "Entry Denied" stamped right in your passport. Not something you want to have there for future travels.

 

[SKY]

I'm not sure anybody can make that statement with any authority...

Yes... there have been cases... reported here ... but look them up yourself

Yes, some unknown person told another person it happened. That is not evidence to me, maybe it is to you. Or a lawyer that makes a living doing residences has some unsubstantiated claim. I state that no one EVER has been denied entry SOLELY for an overstay of a tourist Visa. Other things like criminal records, Interpol,etc. yes.

 

[Sailor51]

I've been reading the posts from the last few months here and it seems everybody has a slightly different kind of problem. I am interested in the pensioners visa. Called the consular in Miami to ask a few questions but got more than I asked.
I do not have a passport. It's a passport card. Just as good, used it many times.They didn't know what it was.
The tourist visa is good for thirty days. I travel by boat. Own it, live on it too. Weather permitting, it's not fast.
Did I know anyone there? No, haven't got there yet.
Where will I be staying? Well, either in a marina or anchored out nearby. Same problem as here, not really a permanent residence is it?
Like the woman who hasn't been in Russia for ten years, background check? From everywhere in the last 40 yrs.? (moved a lot with work)
Medical? Here or there? How long is it good for? I used to work in health care, will those papers work or will it make me more of a risk?
Or ...
I maybe should just keep going east ...

 

[william webster]

Yes, some unknown person told another person it happened. That is not evidence to me, maybe it is to you. Or a lawyer that makes a living doing residences has some unsubstantiated claim. I state that no one EVER has been denied entry SOLELY for an overstay of a tourist Visa. Other things like criminal records, Interpol,etc. yes.

Too tricky for me SkyFall.....

I'm not as smart as some

 

[cavok]

I just got an email today from my bank requesting certification from the company or government institution that I'm getting my pension from.

 

[windeguy]

No one in the history of the DR has been denied entry solely for overstaying a tourist Visa and paying the salida fee. NO ONE. And none of the lawyers and wanna be lawyers here can prove different...........................

Not true as I understand it, but then I cannot prove it.

 

[windeguy]

For those who live here for years and never became legal, how do you deal with getting a driver's license? I am no longer eligible for one in the USA since I don't live there.

 

[cavok]

I think most of them have maintined a US address and and kept their US drivers license.

 

[Dr_Taylor]

Guzman Ariza informed me that they have dozens of clients in the same situation that I'm in, which is really good for their business P.R.

I can only say that I did not have this experience with them a few months ago, although the firm did handle an inconvenience that was cured in 30 minutes.

 

[Tashi Siu's Dad]

I can only say that I did not have this experience with them a few months ago, although the firm did handle an inconvenience that was cured in 30 minutes.

Unfortunately, this isn't a mere inconvenience. It's an internal office rule that has no basis on Dominican Law, but since the office controls who gets to renew their residency it carries the weight of a law. Guzman Ariza says they have no control over it other than to file a complaint, which will probably go in someones circular file.

 

[cavok]

Unfortunately, this isn't a mere inconvenience. It's an internal office rule that has no basis on Dominican Law, but since the office controls who gets to renew their residency it carries the weight of a law. Guzman Ariza says they have no control over it other than to file a complaint, which will probably go in someones circular file.

Something is going on because, as I previously posted, I just received a notification from my bank that they need a certification of my pension. Why would a bank need that in order to maintain an account?

 

[windeguy]

I think most of them have maintined a US address and and kept their US drivers license.

So those people have a valid license to drive for 30 days each time they re-enter the DR. After 30 days, they "probably" won't have a problem.

 

[cavok]

So those people have a valid license to drive for 30 days each time they re-enter the DR. After 30 days, they "probably" won't have a problem.

That's about it. There were one or two posters on another thread that said when they were stopped at a police check point and showed their foreign drivers license they were asked how long they were in the DR and wanted to see their passport.

I guess I'm lucky because I have rarely been stopped at a check point and, the few times I have, I have never been asked how long I've been here nor requested to show my passport which I never carry anyway - only a copy of the cover page.