Upon request of several DR1'ers, I will post our experience awaiting the implementation of the new laws...
Having lived here for 3 years, we always planned to get residency. Every trip I took to Belgium, I tried to sort out all of the paperwork, but never quite managed it in the timeframe I had.
With the info Hilbilly provided us, we decided to make an appointment with his contact/lawyer in SD, and experience what she had to tell us. I did not have high hopes (because of our paperwork, not Hillbilly), and expected the cost to be tremendous.
We met on tuesday with the lady in question (and as I suspected, knowing Hillbilly, she was a very handsome lady). We talked about an hour, and she explained us the following:
The total cost for this, including her fees, is around 350$ per person. This may vary from person to person, depending on the documents you possess. As my wife and I originate from different cities, my birthcertificate was an international one (including Spanish), and hers was in Dutch. Hence her bill was a bit higher, because of the translation (we are talking 1,200 rds here).
Expected time-frame is cc. 10 to 15 days.
Mind you... THIS IS NOT THE RESIDENCY, this is the visa to get a residency. That work starts afterwards. She was unable to put a cost on that one, as yet. She said that, as most of the paperwork was already done, she expected it to be a lot cheaper than before, but no promises there.
All in all, it was a very positive experience, and we expect a good ending as well. If we calculate what it would have costed us, having to return to Belgium, stay there for an extended period of time (hotel, as we have no place there), renting a car, having to run between all departments, and the embassy, we will have saved a huge amount of money.
If you want more info, you are welcome to pm me or Hillbilly.
BelgianK
Having lived here for 3 years, we always planned to get residency. Every trip I took to Belgium, I tried to sort out all of the paperwork, but never quite managed it in the timeframe I had.
With the info Hilbilly provided us, we decided to make an appointment with his contact/lawyer in SD, and experience what she had to tell us. I did not have high hopes (because of our paperwork, not Hillbilly), and expected the cost to be tremendous.
We met on tuesday with the lady in question (and as I suspected, knowing Hillbilly, she was a very handsome lady). We talked about an hour, and she explained us the following:
- If you are a longtime overstayer here, there is an opening for you to get your residency visa in the DR
- This window is not determined. It can close tomorrow, next week, next month or whatever
- In order to be approved, you will have to prove a number of things
- You will have to prove your stay here by the stamps in your passport, by bank-accounts, contracts with local companies (f.e. Edenorte, Cable, Orange, Claro, etc...), or with matriculas for your cars, motos, etc...
- You have to have your birth-certificate. She can arrange the translation, stamps, etc...
- You need to show a source of income. Either here, or in your home country. Like pension, or whatever
- You need to get a conduct of good behavior from here, which she takes care off (providing you are not a wanted criminal, of course)
- You need to provide complete copies of your passport (all pages), and if you cannot, because of a renewal, she will request the documentation from the migracion department (at an extra cost)
The total cost for this, including her fees, is around 350$ per person. This may vary from person to person, depending on the documents you possess. As my wife and I originate from different cities, my birthcertificate was an international one (including Spanish), and hers was in Dutch. Hence her bill was a bit higher, because of the translation (we are talking 1,200 rds here).
Expected time-frame is cc. 10 to 15 days.
Mind you... THIS IS NOT THE RESIDENCY, this is the visa to get a residency. That work starts afterwards. She was unable to put a cost on that one, as yet. She said that, as most of the paperwork was already done, she expected it to be a lot cheaper than before, but no promises there.
All in all, it was a very positive experience, and we expect a good ending as well. If we calculate what it would have costed us, having to return to Belgium, stay there for an extended period of time (hotel, as we have no place there), renting a car, having to run between all departments, and the embassy, we will have saved a huge amount of money.
If you want more info, you are welcome to pm me or Hillbilly.
BelgianK