- Thread starter sunshine_79
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Residencia Experieces
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macocael said:
Hi,
Can you please explain this? I want to begin the process of getting my cedula, and was about to call the consulate in Chicago today, but read this post first.
I want to get my cedula before I move, but I want to sell my house before school begins here (as many US home buyers look to get moved in before school), so I NEED my cedula around the end of July if possible, and end of August at the latest.
Cost is always a factor too, and I would like to obtain the cedula without paying $1000 USD lawer fees if possible. I have many friends in the DR who can help me too.
As I read posts, I have to go to the DR even if I hire a lawer, so I'm thinking now that if I have to go to the DR anyway, is it possible to "do-it-yourself" in the same time frame of 3-4 months since I am willing to spend a few days in DR standing in lines?
Also, does anybody have any experiences of what to do, or what not to do in order to make the process and quick and economical as possible?
Thanks in advance
Stiggy it has been a while since I went through the process so my memory is fuzzy, but I remmeber quite clearly that the consulate office in NY is chaotic and incompetent,a nd i believe I ended up paying some fee there -- perhaps for translation and certification of certain documents? -- whcih turned out to be unnecessary. If i were you I would get in touch with the Migration Office here in St Domingo, get a copy of the paperwork they require and do it all down here. you cannot, so far as I know, apply for residency abroad. All that needs to be done here on the island. You have to have medical exams, a letter of good conduct from the police here as well as from the police in Chicago, and some paperwork certified here.
Yes, it is possible to do it yourself in the framework you suggest. I did it. But if you dont speak fluent Spanish and have a good understanding of how things work down here, you may end up wishing you had paid the lawyer to handle it all. Friends can help of course -- particularly if they are willing to accompany you, but then they will spend long hours waiting with you, andyou will have to compensate them, so why not pay a lawyer? You dont have to pay $1000 US dollars to get your temp. residency (which is the first step). And once you hvae the temp, getting the permanent is not so difficult.
If you decide to fight the bureaucracy yourself, then make very good friends with the man or woman who works at teh desk just inside the Migration office. when you enter there is a long reception desk, but go past that to the waiting room ON YOUR RIGHT. There you will see a little desk in front of an office. Head there and make nice. The dispatch with which they process your requests and help you through the steps will depend very much on how well you treat them.
Yes, it is possible to do it yourself in the framework you suggest. I did it. But if you dont speak fluent Spanish and have a good understanding of how things work down here, you may end up wishing you had paid the lawyer to handle it all. Friends can help of course -- particularly if they are willing to accompany you, but then they will spend long hours waiting with you, andyou will have to compensate them, so why not pay a lawyer? You dont have to pay $1000 US dollars to get your temp. residency (which is the first step). And once you hvae the temp, getting the permanent is not so difficult.
If you decide to fight the bureaucracy yourself, then make very good friends with the man or woman who works at teh desk just inside the Migration office. when you enter there is a long reception desk, but go past that to the waiting room ON YOUR RIGHT. There you will see a little desk in front of an office. Head there and make nice. The dispatch with which they process your requests and help you through the steps will depend very much on how well you treat them.
audrav said:
It's all in the legal forum. Check it out
http://dr1.com/legal/migration/residences.shtml
AnnaC said:
No, unfortunately it's NOT all in the legal forum. For example, I'm told by the lawers that I don't need a residency visa, and that I can go to the DR, and use the tourist card. Then the lawers state that I don't even need the tourist card because the government collects them now at the airport (at least they did mine and everybody elses the day I arrived at the capital).
Then there are references to doing things abroad, but nothing mentioned in detail... just a vague reference.
The lawers also state that I do not need financial solvency (such as a bank account), because they do a letter that is accepted in it's place.
There are many things that are left a bit unclear.
Downloadable form(s) / application(s) would clear everything up. I completely understood the US K-1 fiance visa application that I downloaded, what I needed, and where to mail it. Unfortunately something like getting a cedula should be a do-it-yourself task for do-it-yourselfERS like me, but with a 4-6 month wait time, and unclear requirements, I'm intimidated into feeling that I may need a lawer.
...and emailing the embasy provides:
----- Original Message -----
From: <MAILER-DAEMON@yahoo.com>
To: <stiggybaby>
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 8:04 PM
Subject: failure notice
| Hi. This is the qmail-send program at yahoo.com.
| I'm afraid I wasn't able to deliver your message to the following addresses.
| This is a permanent error; I've given up. Sorry it didn't work out.
|
| embassy@us.serex.gov.do
| Sorry, I wasn't able to establish an SMTP connection. (#4.4.1)
| I'm not going to try again; this message has been in the queue too long.
|
| consular@us.serex.gov.do
| Sorry, I wasn't able to establish an SMTP connection. (#4.4.1)
| I'm not going to try again; this message has been in the queue too long.
|
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audrav said:
The time from the moment you deposit your documents to the moment you get your residency is 3 months unless you have an inside contact that can get it before. If your documentation is complete then it shouldn't take more than that. As for cost, if I'm not mistaken, I ended up paying around RD$8000 for all the legalization of documents, taxes and whatnot. But by then I knew what I needed and had lawyer friends to help me along...
HOWMAR said:
Is it true that if you are applying for a residency that you have to be working in the DR for 3 months from the date you file your papers at the same job? I know someone who is applying and has worked there for 2 months, but says they have to work an additional 3 months because he may be changing jobs.
Is Residency Required?
I believe I read somewhere that you have to have received your cedula to get auto insurance that is valid. Is this true and what do you do in the meantime besides pray that you don't have an accident?
Also, I was told by a friend that you need to carry "Coachman of the House" (or something like that) coverage in order to bypass going to the police station in the event of an accident. He was able to go directly to the "hotel" run by the State Police in lieu of going to jail while they sorted out the accident.
Does this sound familiar to anyone?
Thanks.
I believe I read somewhere that you have to have received your cedula to get auto insurance that is valid. Is this true and what do you do in the meantime besides pray that you don't have an accident?
Also, I was told by a friend that you need to carry "Coachman of the House" (or something like that) coverage in order to bypass going to the police station in the event of an accident. He was able to go directly to the "hotel" run by the State Police in lieu of going to jail while they sorted out the accident.
Does this sound familiar to anyone?
Thanks.
Dreivitt,
Welcome to DR1. I went through your prior posts and see that you are planning to come here to live.
A foreigner may drive on their foreign license and be covered by insurance till their tourist card expires. After that their foreign license is invalid as is their insurance. To drive in the DR on a permanent basis you must have a DR drivers license with is only available if you have a ced?la. As stated the insurance companies will be more then happy to sell insurance to you but if you don't have that DR drivers license they refuse to cover you if you are involved in an accident as you are driving illegally. DR has no "International Drivers License" and doesn't recognize such from any other country.
Can't answer your question about "Coachman of the House", sorry.
Rick
Welcome to DR1. I went through your prior posts and see that you are planning to come here to live.
A foreigner may drive on their foreign license and be covered by insurance till their tourist card expires. After that their foreign license is invalid as is their insurance. To drive in the DR on a permanent basis you must have a DR drivers license with is only available if you have a ced?la. As stated the insurance companies will be more then happy to sell insurance to you but if you don't have that DR drivers license they refuse to cover you if you are involved in an accident as you are driving illegally. DR has no "International Drivers License" and doesn't recognize such from any other country.
Can't answer your question about "Coachman of the House", sorry.
Rick
Since a tourist card
is now only good for 15 days, if what Rick is saying is true many people who take extended vacations or have a second residence in the DR, but only stay a few weeks at a time, would be in a state of limbo because (if I understand correctly) they wouldn't qualify for residencia. There must be another option. Is it possible to get an extended tourist visa? I know the fines for overstaying are not expensive, but if you want to drive and be insured, it would seem to be absolutely necessary.
is now only good for 15 days, if what Rick is saying is true many people who take extended vacations or have a second residence in the DR, but only stay a few weeks at a time, would be in a state of limbo because (if I understand correctly) they wouldn't qualify for residencia. There must be another option. Is it possible to get an extended tourist visa? I know the fines for overstaying are not expensive, but if you want to drive and be insured, it would seem to be absolutely necessary.
Rick,
Can you please explain "DR has no "International Drivers License""? My International Drivers License lists the Dominican Republic in it, so which is correct? What department of DR gov would be able to give an accurate answer?
Can you please explain "DR has no "International Drivers License""? My International Drivers License lists the Dominican Republic in it, so which is correct? What department of DR gov would be able to give an accurate answer?
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