Residency renewal streamlined

[TropicalPaul]

My Experience on the new system
For me it was still unmitigated torture,

Please do yourself a favour and go to Galeria 360 shopping mall in Santo Domingo where you will see the lines and lines of Dominicans applying for a visa to visit the US. They wait around for hours and hours every day, pay a fortune and probably 90% lose their money and are rejected. 4 hours pf your precious time once a year to get permission to live and work in another country is honestly not "unmitigated torture".

 

[Beachboy]

Please do yourself a favour and go to Galeria 360 shopping mall in Santo Domingo where you will see the lines and lines of Dominicans applying for a visa to visit the US. They wait around for hours and hours every day, pay a fortune and probably 90% lose their money and are rejected. 4 hours pf your precious time once a year to get permission to live and work in another country is honestly not "unmitigated torture".

I am so sorry I fail to see your connection, what has lines and lines of Dominicans waiting to get in the US got to do with my evaluation and comments on a new enhanced visa renewal system recently enacted in DR. I actually believed that given a 9.00 am appointment on June 6th actually meant I had a unique 9.00 am appointment or shortly thereafter. That is why we travelled from Punta Cana to SD on Wednesday at noon to a booked hotel reservation for the sole purpose of being ontime for my early DGM appointment. Had we known it was a farce, we would have travelled early morning on the 6th June arriving mid morning and still received my renewal before closing. My post actually gives a direct comparrison between DGM (new system) of card renewal with appointment against JCE card renewal without appointment. They are similar cards with photos, printed and picked up up client. It is a straight measure of 15 mins for one Government department of JCE against DGM who gave me the 9.00 am appointment which necessitated 2 days of my valuable time for travel and time to honour that appointment time that did not exist. Unfortunately Dominicans live in a country that has a passport that is undervalued by the "so called developed countries". My heart goes out to the restrictions placed on the Dominican people. My aim in the post was to alert members that the new system don't work. The USA comparrison is irrelevant.

 

[Michael Strong]

I agree

 

[TropicalPaul]

I actually believed that given a 9.00 am appointment on June 6th actually meant I had a unique 9.00 am appointment or shortly thereafter.

I assume you're reasonably new to Dom Rep. Anyone who has lived here for a while knows that a 9am appointment never ever takes place at 9am unless it's with a foreigner. Dominican Time is usually two or three hours behind the time on your watch.

 

[chico bill]

Unfortunately Dominicans live in a country that has a passport that is undervalued by the "so called developed countries". My heart goes out to the restrictions placed on the Dominican people. My aim in the post was to alert members that the new system don't work. The USA comparrison is irrelevant.

True but as you know - so many people don't honor the rules of a VISA, and I suspect Dominicans would be chronic over-stayers if freely given VISAS to North America or Europe.
But it is improving, as several countries are VISA free, to Dominicans

 

[drstock]

Please do yourself a favour and go to Galeria 360 shopping mall in Santo Domingo where you will see the lines and lines of Dominicans applying for a visa to visit the US. They wait around for hours and hours every day, pay a fortune and probably 90% lose their money and are rejected. 4 hours pf your precious time once a year to get permission to live and work in another country is honestly not "unmitigated torture".

I think the difference is that the US is actively trying to prevent people from entering, whereas most applicants for Residency to the DR are nett contributors to the economy, and so the process should be made efficient and relatively easy.

 

[Billp16]

We renewed ours through the new process and I have helped 8 friends renew theirs. Every one was smooth and easy.

 

[TropicalPaul]

I think the difference is that the US is actively trying to prevent people from entering, whereas most applicants for Residency to the DR are nett contributors to the economy, and so the process should be made efficient and relatively easy.

The DR is also actively trying to prevent some nations from entering (e.g Haiti). We are just lucky that we were born in richer countries and perceived to be contributors to the economy. And the process for most of us IS efficient and relatively easy. You do everything online and then you have to attend one appointment and you get your visa. I just don't get the fact that people are bitching that they have to wait a couple of hours, or they can't get an appointment exactly where and when they want it.

A lot of other places in the Caribbean are way harder to settle in. I have a cousin who lives in Tortola for example and the process there is very long, complex and expensive. Puerto Rico is harder, so is Turks & Caicos.

 

[Billp16]

Exactly - try to get a green card in the US - an dyes, I have had personal experience with it

 

[bob saunders]

I think the difference is that the US is actively trying to prevent people from entering, whereas most applicants for Residency to the DR are nett contributors to the economy, and so the process should be made efficient and relatively easy.

That isn't true, they are actively trying to prevent illegals but the immigration system welcomes a lot of people every year as new immigrants.

 

[drstock]

Patria also has an office in Sosua and are licensed to write these policies as well. They are located across the street from the Police Station and Playero.

Unfortunately, this office does not exist now. It is a Pica Pollo/Chinese. No good asking them for insurance, so you have to go to Puerto Plata.

 

[kg4jxt]

We became eligible for permanent residency last year, but immigration had lost one of the renewal years from the past, so we had to wait another year to have enough temporary residency renewals. This year, we applied for the permanent residency in early May, and the application is "complete", but stuck. The temp residency expired in June and now it is late July. Anybody know how to get it rolling, or is this a normal processing delay for a temp-to-permanent change?

 

[CFA123]

kg4jxt,
Below was my timeline for last year.
Like you, I started in May and had my permanent residency in early December.
An acquaintance started the same process in June last year and had her perm residency late December.

Hopefully it moves more quickly for you.

For whomever it may help, here's the process with timeline that I followed to change from temporary to permanent residency. 220 calendar days total.

I managed the entire process without assistance with exception of some clues from other DR1 threads - thanks, everyone!

Received residency & cedula that expire in 1 year

Cost: 28,100 + gasoline for various trips to Puerto Plata and one to the capital
600 buena conducta
5500 seguros patria
12000 residency
4500 medical test
3000 cedula
2500 peso 'fine' for overstay for leaving country in middle of the process with no valid residency

THE PROCESS

May 2, 2018
***the requirement to submit request for change to permanent status in advance has changed recently to allowing it to be uploaded online simultaneously with all other documents***

Took letter requesting change of status from temp to perm to Puerto Plata immigration office. Copy of cédula, residency card, and passport photo page requested. Given number and told to call in 2 weeks. Nothing done online at this point. Told not necessary until response received.

Format for letter was

**Date**

Director General de Migración
Presente

De mi mayor consideración:


Por medio de la presente, **el/ella** que subscribe, **your name**, de nacionalidad **your nationality**, residente de **your address**, **your occupation**, habiendo cumplido con las renovaciones anuales requeridas de su residencia temporal numero **your residency number** pone a su consideración su solicitud de residencia permanente.



Muy atentamente,


SIGNATURE


** your name**
** your phone number**
** your email**


May 21
Went to Migración website and filled out form with personal info

May 21 - Buena conducta
Online at Portal.servicios.pgr.gob.do paid for cert de no antecedentes penales online and saved it in pdf format. Can also email it. Either need banco reservas number or pay it online which I did. Cost, 600 pesos

May 23 called office. No response from the capital regarding my letter requesting the change.
May 29 called office, yes have response.
May 30 pick up response.

Now need to upload all docs online and wait for response.

Jun 6 Seguros Patria in Puerto Plata paid for repatriation insurance 5462 pesos

Jun 7 uploaded everything including 6 months of bank activity. i don't have a Dominican account so uploaded 6 months of a US account without translation.
Jun 8 receive ok on website to take docs to pto pta.

Jun 11 in Puerto Plata they took original of all documents plus 3 fotos front/side, one full copy of all passport pages, 4 residency and 4 cédula and 4 passport principal page copies

Now docs go to capital and wait for email saying to go pay and do medical.

Jun 20 had been told to wait for email in 4 days saying go pay. Never arrived. Decided to check online and the ok to pay was there ready to be printed out. Had today’s date - not sure it was ready earlier and date of form was just set to day I printed it.

Estado de revisión had changed to evaluación completada

Jun 21
Went to Puerto Plata and paid 12000 + 4500 medical.
Get receipt. KEEP THIS RECEIPT UNTIL YOU HAVE YOUR RESIDENCY CARD! It's needed at DGM at the end of the entire process Take passport & receipt for medical exam. 2 blocks down and other side of Calle Beller at Laboratorio Clínico Puerto Plata. X-ray, blood & urine samples, med exam (listen heart, lungs, temperature, medical questionnaire).

Was told to wait 10 days & call Puerto Plata to confirm they got the medical results... then wait to be notified.

July 3 exit Dr via POP airport. Won’t accept the submitted document list and payment receipt (as I was told they would). Showed that system said my residency expired and they had no option but to collect 2500 pesos for my 2 month stay. The “system” wouldn’t let them do anything else. They said submitting docs is no guarantee of receiving residency.

July 8 Never called to confirm med results delivered, but examen médico status online changed from en proceso to completado. Estado de revisión changed from blank to en depuracion y revisión legal.

Nov 2 status changed to “-“

Nov 19 status changed to “en revision final”

Nov 28 status changed to “Revision Final Complete”
Fecha de Emisión changed to “VISITAR DGM 07/12/2018 A RETIRAR SU CARNET Y/O CARTA CONSTANCIA
(EN CASO DE NO VISITAR EN LA FECHA ESTABLECIDA, TENDRÁ UNA PENALIDAD DE RD$1,000.00)”

No email or phone call received.

Dec 7 Trip to DGM.
Arrived 8am. Number 25 in line for renewals. Inside at 8:10am.

9:10 took receipt at window 12 told wait for name called for foto at window 6.

10:45 window 12. Review documents and sign book. Got letter to take to get cedula.

11am luperon to get cedula. Need passport and old cedula. 3000 pesos for one year.

11:30. Cedula obtained
12:00. Back to DGM
Made a copy of cedula and passport at DGM window inside waiting room. Submit back at window 12. Wait to call name for foto window 6
1:20 called to take foto from window 6

2:10 Called to window 12 for card and sign book and wanted to see original 6 month old receipt from Puerto Plata again

DONE! (until next year)

 

[drstock]

kg4jxt,
Below was my timeline for last year.
Like you, I started in May and had my permanent residency in early December.
An acquaintance started the same process in June last year and had her perm residency late December.

Hopefully it moves more quickly for you.

Hopefully very helpful, but I expect a lot has changed since you did the Permanent process. If it's anything like the regular Temporary process, you don't go to POP office any more and you pay online in advance.

 

[cavok]

So, your "permanent" residency is only good for one year? Must be new. Previously, all initial permanent residencies have been reported to be good for 2 years.

 

[CFA123]

So, your "permanent" residency is only good for one year? Must be new. Previously, all initial permanent residencies have been reported to be good for 2 years.

Yes, I was expecting 2 years for the first permanent residency, but I and others that I know were issued only 1 year initial permanent residency toward end of last year. We were told renewal this year would be for 4 years. Will see what happens in December.

 

[caribmike]

First "permanent" is one year, next after is 4 years.

 

[Dr_Taylor]

This year, we applied for the permanent residency in early May, and the application is "complete", but stuck. The temp residency expired in June and now it is late July. Anybody know how to get it rolling, or is this a normal processing delay for a temp-to-permanent change?

This is not unusual. Do not be alarmed, it will move. Just keep checking.

 

[william webster]

I wonder how the 'regular visitor' a tourist will be treated as we go forward after this lockdown ?

Perhaps residency will be a better option in the future.

Personally, I can't see the former freedom of visitors being returned to them immediately.
Certainly some day... but immediately... I doubt

Visiting 'Caborete' might be a bit more difficult.

Just thinking out loud - and NOT about Coronavirus directly
Our world(s) will change I expect