Retire in Dominican Republic: To Be or Not to Be?

[CristoRey]

Why the DR government doesn’t follow the example of places like Colombia and Mexico is beyond me. Six months residency allowed, leave for a week, then return and another six months residency allowed.

Mexico has started cracking down and they are no longer giving out 6 month stays for people who want to live there.
The days of simply being able to live in a country indefinitely under "tourist" visa by doing border runs have come to an end in Thailand, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Brazil and most recently Mexico.

Residency in some of the countries I listed above can be quite expensive for people on a budget and requires a lot of red tape.

The Dominican Reuplic is one of the last countries in the world which is still allows a little "flexibility" regarding entry/ exits.

I believe this country has a lot to offer any retiree(s) who has a little street smarts and a lot of common sense.

 

[Ecoman1949]

Mexico has started cracking down and they are no longer giving out 6 month stays for people who want to live there.
The days of simply being able to live in a country indefinitely under "tourist" visa by doing border runs have come to an end in Thailand, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Brazil and most recently Mexico.

Residency in some of the countries I listed above can be quite expensive for people on a budget and requires a lot of red tape.

The Dominican Reuplic is one of the last countries in the world which is still allows a little "flexibility" regarding entry/ exits.

I believe this country has a lot to offer any retiree(s) who has a little street smarts and a lot of common sense.

CR. Canadians and Americans are still eligible for the 6 month visa on entry to Mexico. They are exempted nations. All other nations get the new 3 month visa.

 

[CristoRey]

CR. Canadians and Americans are still eligible for the 6 month visa on entry to Mexico. They are exempted nations. All other nations get the new 3 month visa.

In theory yes.
In practice the immigration officers have starting issuing them for much less than 6 months, especially if these see multiple visa/ border run stamps in the person's passport. A one time vacation on a 6 month visa, great idea. Multiple visa runs expecting them to issue another one for 6 months, bad idea. Dozens of people who've been spending the last 30 or 40 years residing in Mexico by doing visa runs every 6 months,who do not qualify for residency, just got a big wake up call.
It's been all over YouTube since Jan 2022. Sucks but the world is changing.

 

[aarhus]

In theory yes.
In practice the immigration officers have starting issuing them for much less than 6 months, especially if these see multiple visa/ border run stamps in the person's passport. A one time vacation on a 6 month visa, great idea. Multiple visa runs expecting them to issue another one for 6 months, bad idea. Dozens of people who've been spending the last 30 or 40 years residing in Mexico by doing visa runs every 6 months,who do not qualify for residency, just got a big wake up call.
It's been all over YouTube since Jan 2022. Sucks but the world is changing.

I am getting the vibe you are soon announcing you obtained Dominican citizenship lol

 

[CristoRey]

I am getting the vibe you are soon announcing you obtained Dominican citizenship lol

No plans to obtain DR citizenship yet. Maybe at some point in the future if I decide I want to spend the rest of my life here. Short of this, I'd say it's not worth the hassle.

 

[bob saunders]

No plans to obtain DR citizenship yet. Maybe at some point in the future if I decide I want to spend the rest of my life here. Short of this, I'd say it's not worth the hassle.

Actually it was less hassle that renewing residency.

 

[CristoRey]

Actually it was less hassle that renewing residency.

I wouldn't marry a women who I wasn't committed to spending the rest of my life with. I feel the same about obtaining citizenship in a foreign country.

 

[reilleyp]

Mexico has started cracking down and they are no longer giving out 6 month stays for people who want to live there.
The days of simply being able to live in a country indefinitely under "tourist" visa by doing border runs have come to an end in Thailand, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Brazil and most recently Mexico.

Residency in some of the countries I listed above can be quite expensive for people on a budget and requires a lot of red tape.

The Dominican Reuplic is one of the last countries in the world which is still allows a little "flexibility" regarding entry/ exits.

I believe this country has a lot to offer any retiree(s) who has a little street smarts and a lot of common sense.

But killer David Bonola has been in the US for 20 years illegally, yet the US is condemned for suggested we enforce our immigration laws.

 

[CristoRey]

But killer David Bonola has been in the US for 20 years illegally, yet the US is condemned for suggested we enforce our immigration laws.

Kind a going a little off-topic here but that I never plan to live there again. I look at it like this. You reap what sow. Perhaps at some point in the future they will do a better job. I learned my lesson during Hurricane Katrina with all the crap that went on in the immediate aftermath. Left America for good shortly thereafter. Thanks but no thanks...

 

[bob saunders]

I wouldn't marry a women who I wasn't committed to spending the rest of my life with. I feel the same about obtaining citizenship in a foreign country.

Well in both cases you can opt out as you still have your original citizenship.

 

[aarhus]

No plans to obtain DR citizenship yet. Maybe at some point in the future if I decide I want to spend the rest of my life here. Short of this, I'd say it's not worth the hassle.

That is probably the only argument there is to get DR citizenship. When you know you are going nowhere else anyway. When one is old.

 

[Drperson]

A contradiction. Many do fine without and have local health insurance to. And if you want the residency it has become very bureaucratic and takes a long time.

most expats have privalte local heal th insurance. A good plan iabout US$70 a month .

 

[aarhus]

most expats have privalte local heal th insurance. A good plan iabout US$70 a month .

I ended up keeping Humano Esencial Plus.

 

[windeguy]

WW. It’s supposed to be the easiest of all the citizenship processes, the least expensive, and the quickest way to get the cedula. My friend in Luperon ran into bureaucratic walls with his application. Had to go back to Canada to get more documentation. It may be faster but it isn’t easier.

Why the DR government doesn’t follow the example of places like Colombia and Mexico is beyond me. Six months residency allowed, leave for a week, then return and another six months residency allowed.

Citizenship application must generate a fair bit of revenue for the DR government. Streamlining the process would probably result in lost revenue.

When I became a citizen, there were only about 20 others at the swearing in process which was held only after several months of waiting for enough people to make it worth their time. There was a lot of paperwork needed for citizenship via marriage which is allegedly the easiest way. That makes me think that very few residents become naturalized citizens here in the DR.

The DR still cannot walk and chew gum at the same time to come up with snowbird visas. The residency process is harder now than it was, despite being called simpler than other countries.

 

[windeguy]

That is probably the only argument there is to get DR citizenship. When you know you are going nowhere else anyway. When one is old.

I am old and live here full time, but the main reason I got citizenship was to avoid having to deal with Migracion ever again.

 

[william webster]

Ditto that....

 

[chico bill]

most expats have privalte local heal th insurance. A good plan iabout US$70 a month .

They are not such good plans - if you really need them

 

[aarhus]

I am old and live here full time, but the main reason I got citizenship was to avoid having to deal with Migracion ever again.

I apologize. I didn’t mean to discriminate older people. I am on my way there. My back still hurting from a long haul flight lol That reasoning sort of go hand in hand. You know you want to stay in the DR and don’t want to do more paperwork at immigration. The renewal every 4 years is silly. In my case it came inconveniently at the same time of doing paperwork around closing my company. It’s tiring.

 

[pinonuevo]

The DR can become the next US State for American Retirees.

 

[D'Arcy (Apostropheman)]

The DR can become the next US State for American Retirees.

That doesn't sound like any fun! LOL