Answers to frequently asked questions about the Dominican Republic

I think I'll like this topic

How many questions in your FAQ?

Thanks Julien,
I dont know yet.
I'm compiling all the questions and i'm going to be writing them here.


Noemy.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.gm-relocation.netwww.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Question No. 2

It is easy find a Job in Dominican Republic?

The level of unemployment in Dominican Republic is high.  For that reason it is a bit difficult to find a good, well- paid job.Many of the expatriates who live here come with contracts from their country of origin and another great majority tackles their  own business.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.gm-relocation.netwww.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Question No. 3

Is it easy to set up a business?

Tany foreigner who resides legally in the country has the same rights as a Dominican citizen in order to set up a company.

Actually this is probably the best way to establish oneself in the country. However, it is necessary to have a solid business plan and know the grounds before setting of for a costly adventure of an uncertain ending.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.gm-relocation.netwww.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Question  No. 4

How is life in the Dominican Republic?

This is a very broad question that cannot be answered in just a few lines.
Dominicans are extroverted and warm. You'll immediately feel welcome. Dominicans love baseball, “Presidente” beer and politics. They are also festive and noisy, but for those who love peace and tranquillity there are also calmer neighbourhoods. Actually, there are numerous communities of foreign residents whose social network is exclusively among themselves and who do not really integrate in the country life. So you wouldn't even need to learn Spanish


www.gm-relocation.net

Question No. 5

How to get a Provisional and Definitive Residency permits?

In order to obtain the provisional or definitive residency permit, it is indispensable to have entered Dominican territory legally and to fulfill a series of requirements asked for by the Department of Migration, such as: to have a clean criminal record in the country,  demonstrate economic solvency or have a stable job in the Dominican Republic. Both the provisional and definitive residency permits are issued by the Department of Migration.The whole process may take about three and a half months, but when it is over, a foreigner who obtains the provisional or definitive residence has the right to work and to create a company in the same conditions and rights as a Dominican citizen.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.gm-relocation.netwww.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Question No. 6
Which is the procedure for  naturalization?

The Dominican constitution establishes the requirements to obtain Dominican nationality. These are:

By birth.- Those born in Dominican territory, they are Dominican. It is necessary to clarify in this regard, that the children of foreigners who are on leave, that is to say, tourists, or are in diplomatic missions, or that have entered the country illegally, cannot opt in this way for the Dominican nationality.

By origin.- Those with Dominican father or mother, they can opt for the Dominican nationality.

By law.- Those that nowadays have the Dominican nationality by virtue of previous constitutions and laws are Dominican.

By naturalization.- Those that fulfill the legal requirements to obtain it:
Having resided in the country for at least six months after having obtained legal domicile (permanent residence card).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.gm-relocation.netwww.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Question No. 7
Which is the official currency?    
The official currency is the Dominican peso, but in tourist areas it is also possible to pay with American dollars and Euros.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Question No. 8

Wich are the requirements for house  renting?
To present a guarantor who commits himself to cover any debt in case the tenant does not pay.
To sign a rental contract, which will stipulate:
The price decided between the tenant and the proprietor or administrator of the building.
Duration of the contract.
The sum of money that is given in deposit.
Details of the tenant, proprietor or administrator of the building and the guarantor.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Question No. 9

Wich are the requirements for buy a house?
There isn't any restriction to the purchase of buildings on the part of foreigners at the present time in Dominican Republic.

The signature of a sale promise or purchase option, where the buyer gives a deposit or advance to the seller who therefore is committed to sell its property to the buyer, under the terms contemplated in the promise or option.
With regards to binding contracts or sale promises it is recommended to look for a good, trusted lawyer, so that he can advise about the contract and its clauses.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Question No. 10
What is the tax on real estate property, sumptuary housing and not built urban lots (IVSS)?
This it is the tax that is applied to the commercial premises, sumptuary housing (houses or apartments) and lots located in urban zones that have not been built, whose estimate value is greater than five million pesos (RD$ 5, 000,000.00) [law 18-88].
These houses, lots and premises are taxed with 1% applied on the value of each building that exceeds to the five million pesos (RD$ 5.000.000,00).
Premises, houses and urban lots whose value is inferior to this amount are exempted from this tax.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Question No. 11
Taxes and Expenses on Property Transfers ?
Taxes must be paid before filing the purchase at the Title Registry Office. Taxes and expenses on the conveyance of real property are approximately of 4.4% of the market value of the property, as follows:
3% Transfer Tax (Law # 288-04)
1.3% Document Stamp Tax (Law # 835-45) (Actually, RD$232 pesos for the first RD$20,000 pesos and 13 per thousand for the rest).
Minor expenses such as tax on certified check, sundry stamps and tips at the Registry.
Transfer taxes are paid based on the market value of the property as determined by the tax authorities, not on the price of purchase stated in the deed of sale.
Buyers wishing to lessen the impact of transfer taxes have the option of using a loophole in the law which allows the contribution in kind of property into corporations without paying transfer taxes. For this, cooperation from the seller is essential.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Question No.12
Is building land, readily available within the Dominican Republic and what would one expect to pay?
    Land
  All land sold in the Dominican Republic is sold in square meters. A square meter is 10.76 square feet and there are approximately 4,000M2 per acre.
Most building lots usually start at around 800 - 1,000M2 and can rise to 10,000M2 for a single dwelling. Land costs depend greatly on the location and size.

Construction
In the Dominican Republic homes are generally constructed of reinforced concrete block on a reinforced concrete slab with a tiled roof. This generally accepted to withstand whatever nature has in store.
Prices will vary dependant on the design type and level of finishes, however the following will offer guideline prices in US$ per square meter and US$ per square foot.
For a reasonable quality build in a simple style, US$400/M2 or US$40/ft2 would be reasonable; while for more luxurious finishes and a more detailed design the price would probably rise to around US$600/M2 or US$60/ft2.
The above prices usually include a generator or an inverter, standby water tank, all white goods, finished bathrooms and kitchen and a level of furnishings. It excludes the swimming pool and landscaping.
Swimming pools costs vary based on deign and size from US$10,000 to US$20,000 inclusive of filters, pumps, etc.
Landscaping would normally start at around US$5.00 per square meter or GBP3.00 per square meter.
Most gated developments have a small monthly charge for security and public area lighting.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Question No. 13
How is the health system?
The public health system in Dominican Republic is very precarious and deficient.
Therefore it is highly advisable is to attend a private health center.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Question No.14
Health insurance
In year 2001 law 87-01 that creates the Dominican system of social security was promulgated.
The Dominican Republic has several companies ARS (Health Risk Insurance) that offer a great variety of health plans and services, adapted to every budget and necessity.
These insurers generally are affiliated with the main clinics, laboratories, pharmacies and doctors of the country.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Question No.15

How is education system ?
The public education system is deficient. That is the reason why private education or private schools are recommended, many of which offer an excellent academic formation. Several private institutions exist where the education is bilingual and others where the classes are taught in English or French in their totality.
As far as the university education goes, the country counts on excellent private universities in the main cities of the country, specifically in Santo Domingo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.gm-relocation.netwww.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Question No. 16
Which is the official language?
The official language in Dominican Republic is Spanish; but it is possible to find small communities of foreigners where other languages are spoken.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.gm-relocation.netwww.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Thanks so much Noemy for your participation

With your permission, I'll copy your FAQ about the Dominican Republic in the resources/wiki: Moving to the Dominican Republic

I hope your FAQ inspire other members who will also help to build a good expatriate knowledge base!

Take care,

Julien

Hi Julien,
I have not problem with that.
Can you put a link to my blog?
Noemy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.gm-relocation.netwww.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

of course I can

Question No. 17
What is transportation like?

There are many forms of transportation available throughout the Dominican Republic.
Public and private Bus, taxis, mototaxis (Used in the rural zones), The "Conchos" cars for five passengers are the most frequent  public transportation in the main cities of the country.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.gm-relocation.netwww.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Question No. 18
What is the behavior of the Dominican driver?

Drive here is a new experience, the  people drive  totally differently from the rest of the world...

That's because the driver in the most of  the time don't respect the rules of traffic . Many people drive thinking that they always have the preference, so forget about every rule you learnt in the drivers' school, and don't expect people stopping at the "stop" sign. Here you will have to learn it all again and not necessarily in a book but rather day-to-day observing and having much patience…


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.gm-relocation.netwww.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Dear Noemy!!!
Thank you for your help.
Answer,please,to 3 questions.
1.Could you,please,explain me the difference in living conditions in you home country and the host country?
2.Are business environments better or worse in the host country?
3.Are you happy with the changing in your life,you have made?
I'm waiting for you answer with the impatience.
Ksenia

Ksenia wrote:

1.Could you,please,explain me the difference in living conditions in you home country and the host country?

Well, one needs to know the home country in order to compare.
There are websites where you can enter your home country's salary and they tell you how much you'd need in this country to maintain your standard of living.

Ksenia wrote:

2.Are business environments better or worse in the host country??

Again, this very much depends on the countries concerned and of course on the branch of business.
Generally speaking it's not easy here for a foreigner to raise a good business and live off it.

m'frog

1.Could you, please, explain me the difference in living conditions in you home country and the host country?

A: The living conditions in  Dominican Republic it's more precarious than in Spain. The services like the  water, electric energy  and public transportation, doesn't work very well.
But in general, if you have a good economic revenue, it is possible to support a standard of living similar to your country.

2.Are business environments better or worse in the host country?

A: The business environment in Dominican Republic is very favorable, because in the last two years the economic has experienced a notable growth and the are many laws in Dominican Republic that brigs facilities to the foreign investment. Liberalized regulations for foreign investment.

3.Are you happy with the changing in your life,you have made?

A: I miss family, friends that I left in my country, but I am happy here

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.gm-relocation.comwww.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

what is the principal plate of the dominican republic?

The food in Dominican Republic is very varied and they have many principal plates,  the most traditional ones are:

“Moro” of guandules, accompanied on chicken or some meat.

Black, red or white Beans stew, white rice and meat.

“Mofongo”  Fried, mashed green plantains, mixed with pork cracklings and plenty of garlic. Served accompanied with a chicken soup.

“Mangú' is traditionally served with fried red onions, and can also be accompanied by fried white cheese, eggs or salami.

“Sancocho” a thick stew made with up to seven types of meat and a large array of vegetables and tubers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.gm-relocation.netwww.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Hello

I am from Australia and have been offered the opportunity to live and work in the DR.  I am arriving in Santo Domingo on the 1 June 2007 for a period of two weeks and would be interested to hear from other expatriates to learn about their experiences.

I look forward to hearing from all of you soon!

S

Some good questions and answers. However some of the tax and legal information is a little outdated. We moved from the US to the Dominican Republic a year ago and have never looked back

Bob K

You should send us the updated info,  Bob

Hi Bob K,
Can you tell me what info needs to be updated?
I  check everything again (legal and tax) and for the present time nothing has changed.

Noemy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.gm-relocation.comwww.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Noemy
Your information is very good there is however a recent change in the tax law as far as owning a property in a corporation. If the property is in a coporation then there is no exemption from taxes on the first 5,000,000 (approx $150.000 USD) value, but rather there is a1% tax on the holdings of the coporatoin. So there is the tax on the whole value of the home. That still does not negate the other advantages of owning your house in a corporation.
Secondly you can only avoid the transfer tax when buying a property by buying the existing corporation (which has the property as an assest of the corporation) of the seller, if he agrees.  If the property that you are buying is not held in a corporation then you cannot avoid the transfer tax.

Again you post was excellent.


Bob K

Noemy wrote:

Question No. 2

It is easy find a Job in Dominican Republic?

The level of unemployment in Dominican Republic is high.  For that reason it is a bit difficult to find a good, well- paid job.Many of the expatriates who live here come with contracts from their country of origin and another great majority tackles their  own business.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.gm-relocation.netwww.dr-expatriateguide.blogspot.comwww.guiadelextranjeroenrepdominicana.blogspot.com

Not true.  Most people come here to retire.

Hi ! Im a beauty and massage therepist ! Im planing to start my own business. How is the business in this field? And Where is the best sity or area ?
Thanks in advance

Is there excelent doctors and clinicks ? Can I relay on their qualification? And where r the best ? In SD or north area?

Edita K wrote:

Is there excelent doctors and clinicks ? Can I relay on their qualification? And where r the best ? In SD or north area?

you got some good private clinics in Santo Domingo, but they are pretty expensive.

Hello, I'm new in this blog. I'm from Barcelona and my husband is from NYC. We are considering the idea of moving to Sosua, Cabarete. Anyone knows a web page of long term rental apartments in that area? we couldn't find any.
Thanks,

Mireia