In a thread regarding legal residence, one of the members posted the rhetorical question: "Think about it; you cannot stay in the US without getting a green card. Why should things be different here?" That got me thinking. And this is not to be confrontational in any way, it is just a pondering, wondering, and curious interrogatory contemplation as to why attaining legal residence in the DR should be such an overly-complicated, ridiculously scattershot and costly process?
Rhetorical postulate:
"Think about it; you cannot stay in the US without getting a green card. Why should things be different here?"
Speaking as one who has direct experience with Norwegian immigration to America, one can quite easily "buy" a US green card. And buying legal US residency (no green card) is even easier. It ALL depends on how much one is worth, how much one is bringing into the US and, if one buys property, a business or employs enough American citizens.
Consider; the DR is a third world island nation. Very little of it is organized or strictly controlled. Infrastructure, Dominican traffic laws, and driving culture are considerably less tended to, regulated or enforced than in more developed nations.
One might propose that an American or Canadian expatriate with a pension fund or other stable banking portfolio is not in quite the same boat financially as an illegal immigrant would usually be in the USA or Canada. Secondly; in the USA one could conceivably land a minimum wage job for $8 - 10$ per hour. That kind of wage isn't even available in the DR. Also, most expatriates living in the DR are consistently BRINGING money INTO the country thereby directly bolstering and benefitting the Dominican economy. Expats and tourists pay rents, buy local food, products, and services -- paying the taxes on all of those items in the process -- foreigners also "subsidize" the police forces through the bribes they often pay. In addition to all of those positives; foreigners frequently start new companies or businesses which also pay taxes to the Dominican government, improve quality of life, and provide employment for nationals.
So, it would logically behoove the Dominican government to enthusiastically encourage expatriate legal residency status by making it much easier as do Mexico and many other Latin American countries. Discouraging qualified expatriates from settling into and contributing to the DR will only hurt the Dominicans.
President Medina has done much to improve the economic outlook of the DR. Perhaps he will soon realize the value of easing residence requirements for expatriates.
After all, there are many beautiful countries with sunshine and clear water.
Legal Residence in the DR
You make good points. YES there are categories for those who can afford to live here, afford to invest here and it makes it "easy" to qualify. Or you can qualify by marrying a Dominican.
BUT the process that all have to go through is virtually the same - not easy. Way too complicated.
Like almost everything here it is way too complicated! Opening a new company is way too complicated and has a ridiculous amount of requisites, fees, steps and processes!
It its just the way it is.
Despite everything , GDP up 4.3 % in 2017.
5.5 million tourists , most ever 2017.
It is frustrating no doubt , it is just the way it is lamentablemente.
Respectfully
John s
It is slowly changing and getting better. Slowly.
What good does it do to grow the GDP when inflation is right on its' heels? It only benefits the wealthy & the corrupt.
Hello I am trying to research about getting residence there. So wondering if there are Canadians from Vancouver who have done this lately. It seems the consulate in Vancouver has closed and to travel to Toronto to get a visa is just to expensive.
Is it possible if I take all the right papers I could do this from Dominican. I am planning on going for about a month in May to check things out. Then if everything works out to move there come July or August.
Thoughts appreciated
cheers Doug
No you have to start there. Call the consulate in Toronto and you can courier the documents back and forth.
Thank you
Tikiisland."logically behooves"? Thats funny.
I'm presently undergoing the residency process. I will do so because DR is where I want to be. However, almost weekly we find another hurdle we must overcome. Y'all are right, it is a ridiculously complicated. It certainly would "behoove" the government to take action to resolve. My husband keeps threatening to go somewhere else in Latin America that is a little more welcoming to expats. He's on a knife edge. But he's right. As for me, I'm resolute about DR. There'll be no looking back, and live like the locals. Not hurt anyone's feelings, but I'm talking about being in a small town in "el campo" and not in a seaside resort area. People in DR are much like anybody elsewhere, good and kind at heart, unlike so many in US who seem to have become jaded. I don't mean to generalize, it's been my experience that society here tends to influence many individuals in that direction.
But, off topic, again. It ought be made easier to those who wish to migrate there, and not so difficult as to be discouraging. And believe me, I am tired of jumping through the hoops. And don't get me started on the cost!
Sorry about the "y'all", but at least I didn't put in "Eh?" That's meant as a joke to the Canucks.
Other Latino countries are just as complicated and some much much harder to get into. The grass is not necessarily greener.
Sadly, that's not what my husband thinks, and at least for now, I'm holding the reigns.
I understand. I have a friend who came here because she did not qualify in 2 other latin american countries. She lived in one 4 years and had to leave.
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