Obtaining a cedula/residency?

Also, one more thing, but is getting the residency the same as getting a cefula? This is something else I have been getting mixed information on as well!

Greetings. I will answer the portion of the question to which I have knowledge.  I'm assuming your husband is Dominican? And if he is I'm assuming that he is a citizen of the Dominican Republic unless he was born outside of the island and he is Dominican by blood ties, mom and dad or at least one of the two.  Now to answer part of your question.  A cedula is simply an ID which Dominican citizens or residents carry to identify who they are, it would be the equivalent of our Social Security card, NonDriver ID, Drivers License, SS card comes the closest to any of these. Dominicans do have a drivers licence separate from the cedula, but I used those examples to give you an idea of the importance of the ID, you can pretty much say it is a government issued ID.  Once you get a residencia which would be our equivalent of a green card, then you can apply for the cedula, you cannot get one without residency or citizenship.  If anyone tells you they can get you a cedula without either of these 2 options, then it is a scam. I have been personally offered a cedula in exchange for cash, and I know it is doable, but we do not endorse anything Illegal, it is best to do things correctly.
   
       The reason I asked about your husband is because, if he is already a Dominican citizen and you are legally married, then you can directly apply for citizenship and not bother with residencia which has various steps to attaining a permanent residencia, plus it has to be renewed at a cost every few years :-/ If you qualify for Citizenship then that would be a better option. Once a citizen you do not need to renew anything and it is a much faster process :-) Planner and Bob will write back soon enough, Planner is probably out dancing, and Bob is actually away at one of his quickie resort getaways :-) Hope I was able to at least begin to clear up a few things, for you. Bob and Planner have much deeper knowledge on the entire process and they can reccomend quality attorneys to guide you. Best of luck.

In the meantime here are the steps to attaining a Residencia as was previously posted by planner on another thread.  First you get a temporary Residencia, then you apply for the permanent one.


Temporary Resdidencia - first steps!
As a regular person, not applying for work visa or a retirement special status  recidencia, you can apply for the temporary residencia.  The principal difference is that you will require a local sponsor to vouch for you and your family when applying for the provisional/temporary residence.  Later on you will apply for "permanent residencia" but that can take a few years.  Lets start here:

FIRST STEP IS TO APPLY FOR A RESIDENCE VISA at THE DOMINICAN CONSULATE

The first phase of your application will be to gather the required documentation which include the following:

1- Your birth certificate- translated and apostilled - 2 copies

2- A Certificate of Good conduct from the police- also translated and apostilled. - 2 copies

3- A medical certificate confirming your current health status- emphasizing you do not suffer from any infectious or contagious diseases, translated and apostilled - 2 copies

4- A letter from your bank confirming you are are solvent and a client in good standing, translated and apostilled.  - 2 copies

5- A letter explaining the reason for wanting to apply for residency in the DR, translated and apostilled. 2 copies

6. 2 full copies of your passport, good for at least 18 more months, apostilled.

7.  IF  your are coming with a spouse,  Marriage Certificate, translated and apostilled - 2 copies.

Be aware that  documents WILL expire at various times!  Your Medical letter will expire faster then your Police check document. Manage your documents wisely!

There are some additional documents based on individual circumstances that you may need to check with a lawyer!  These would be for name changes,  changes of country of residence (born one place, living elsewhere) etc etc.   I cannot cover all possibilities here. 

I advise you call the Dominican Consul closest to you to obtain additional information as they will have to issue you a visa that will allow you to come to the Dominican Republic to complete your application for your residency.  This is a 60 day visa, issued for the specific purpose of applying for Dominican residency.  In addition, note some countries do NOT apostillize documents, double check this requirement with the Consul.

There are some specific rules for specific countries depending where you are! Make sure to call the local Dominican Consul to verify everything! And of course their are fees to be paid!!! Again this can depend what country you are in.  There is a normal speed process and a faster speed process and the fees change!   

Expect the gathering of documents,  official translation and the filing with the closest consulate office to cost several hundred dollars!!!! In one location I know the filing fee along is US 250 for the "fast" service.

Once you arrive in the country you must apply for your temporary residencia within the allotted  60 days. There is an application online at  http://consuladord.com/en/Formulario_So  nglish.pdf   It MUST be filed  in Santo Domingo.  This will include paying a multitude of fees,  getting a blood test,  chest xray and then waiting!  You will need to be in Santo Domingo early on the day you are doing this as things happen early in the day! 

Make sure you have copies of all your documents. Do not expect anyone to keep copies.  Documents do get lost and if you have a copy it will expedite things. 

No matter what a document or anyone says - it can take months to complete this or any other application.  I have heard stories of this process taking MONTHS and MONTHS to complete.  I have also heard stories of it being done in  4 months.  Sometimes it is a matter of lawyers staying on top of the process in person.  Sometimes it is just plain luck! 

ONCE you receive the approval you can then bring in a container of "personal and household items" without the usual taxes and duties. There are fees so be very aware of this!  That will be the subject of another thread later.   

LASTLY I suggest everyone consult a lawyer familiar with this process, not a friend, not a family member  but a LAWYER.  You may choose to do the process yourself and save some money, but  consult a lawyer early on to make sure you are not missing something major! 

It has been my experience, over almost 11 years here, that  not getting a lawyer has cost people  more  time and money in the long run!  Make sure to shop around a bit if you plan to use a lawyer, AND ask us for referrals.

This whole process must be started from your home country, as far as citizenship, the requirements will be much different and possible easier

You are entitled to citizenship via marriage. I do not know the requirements so you are best to ask a lawyer. You MAY need the same docs as residencia as quoted above, and maybe not.

Ask a lawyer before starting.

This is actually really good news to know. I never thought about actually applying for citizenship in DR because I was always told that I would have to renounce my U.S. citizenship, since it is I who has NO Dominican blood running through me.  So as far as I knew, I was only allowed to apply for residency. 

A little extra information about my situation: 
As for my husband, you are right Massagewiz:  He was a natural-born Dominican who I met when he received a student visa (J-1 visa) several years ago to come and study English as well as his chosen career in the U.S. I happened to be attending the same University just as he arrived.  We ended up meeting right away and marrying about a year later.  This was back in 2008, so we have been together for 6 years and now we have a 2.5 year old.  However, back in 2012 (April) his visa expired and even though he applied for an extension, he was just one of the unlucky Dominicans to not receive one.  As part of his J-1 visa, he had a 2 year physical presence requirement that he needed to complete before we could start the paperwork on his green card for the U.S. The end of the 2 years finally ended this past May 21, 2014 and I already filed the paperwork back in March (as instructed by a lawyer) so that we could at least have a priority date set early.  Now we are nearing the end of the process with a couple more things to do before the interview and we expect he will be approved for the visa (fingers are crossed anyhow) within the next 4-6 months. 

However, like I mentioned before, we only just decided about a month ago that I should remain in DR with our daughter until he completes the green card process (and also just to spend time as a family together) and that meant thinking about getting a cedula/residency for me.  With the information you provided for me Massagewiz, this is definitely very helpful for starting the process at least for my residency!  I will definitely start getting those extra copes via my family back in Michigan right away.  I already have 1 copy of almost everything because I always bring essential paperwork with me whenever I come down here.  And I will definitely get in touch with the Consulate here because I will need help with filing when I get everything together. 

Thank you ALL for all of your help!  This is honestly the best forum I have ever come across with lots of GOOD information and I appreciate it so much!!  If there is anything else to add, please do so!  Thank you again!

Again check with a lawyer. The residencia process is started in the USA. I am not positive if you need all the same things when you are processing for citizenship! Make sure to double check.

You are very welcomed, but just like planner said be sure to check the requirements for citizenship.  Perhaps planner can put you in touch with her lawyer Wilson Rood. He speaks English and Spanish perfectly :-)

I can if needed!

I have been away fora couple of days so sorry i have not replied, bothavegotten some great information.  Remember the residency application MUST srart in your home country and not started here.  For thi curren stay you maybe better off just paying the overstay fee and thn when you get back home decide what avenue to take.

Bob K

Ive sent you a message.

Hi.  I am not sure where you are in the process and so not claim to be as knowledgeable as Planner and Bob K but I can tell you this.  I am in a very similiar situation.  My husband in a Dominican born in the Sun and we have a US born daughter and I am also a US citizen. I moved here in July 2014 and only took the tourist visa that they give you when you arrive.  I have a contact that is very nice in the Dominican Consulate in the US. She is helping me to obtain naturalization here in DR. You can go the residency route if you want however they can do the paperwork for you and you would have to go to the US to have the passport stamped for it to be legal here. I obtained my apostille birth certificate apostille marriage certificate apostilled health certificate from my doctor in the US as well as apostilled police record from where I lived in the US and I also have my US passport showing my entrance stamp to Dr and the tourist visa receipt.I have the Dominican consulate transcribing all of my legal documents into Spanish as that is required for both natural ization and residency. I was told by a local attorney that I also needed to obtain a guarantor here in Dr to cover things such as if I were to pass away if I had major medical expenses etc. That is something I am working on now. I live in Jarabacoa and she is local to here I could give you her number if you needed it I also received conflicting information from various lawyers office is so it is hard do you know what is proper. If you are in the central part of the country in or near are about LaVega or Jarabacoa there is an English speaking school called Doulos that is always looking for teachers my daughter attends the school so I could also introduce you to people there. I hope my experience has helped you but again it depends on who you speak with what advice you get. Planner and Bob are very correct in what they stay however again this is my experience and the route I am taking.

You must leave and reenter on a 60 residencia visa  once you have all your documents in order. Some are doing this by flying to Puerto rico or Miami, fast and inexpensive.

You do the residencia then the naturalization by way of  marriage. Why is your husband not signing for you????  He should qualify.

Exactly Planner.  I am actually flying into FL and incorporating a visit with my parents into it.  Might as well make the flight pay, lol.   They told us hubby could mot do it because we do kot own property or a car.  We rent and use passolas for now.  I thought that was weird as well especially since we have reliable steady income.  Thoughts?

yes I  have thoughts....LOL   seems to me you qualify for residencia  based on marriage. Let me ask my lawyer here as I do NOT believe you need that sponsor letter. But i am double checking.

Ok, I am wrong on this. According to lawyer Wilson Rood wilsonrood@gmail you dont need to go through residencia!!! You need 3 documents including wedding certificate and the translation etc...

Contact him as he just did one last month.  I am pleasantly shocked and now looking for Dominican fiance....lol. 

I'm not dominican, but I am available!

Ahhhh honey it only works with a Dominican.....lol....

THANK YOU!!!  I am definitely going to reach out to him.

I was shocked to hear this so I asked twice.... keep us posted!!!!

I definitely will.  At least once I go through it we can pass the information along to others to help, especially since you and Bob are always on, you could pass the info along.

Happy to....

No problem... thanks

Bob K

maybe on the side?  for amusement only?, the affair that is.

OK,, here is the scoop after speaking to 3 different lawyers/firms.  If you have been legally married to a Dominican man for 6 months or more (either here or in another country) than you can either apply for Residency OR Citizenship through marriage.  It has been suggested to go directly for the Citizenship however you must be able to speak at least a little bit of Spanish as you must answer approximately 5 questions and interact with the Immigration Staff.  There is a list of 49 questions that I have seen such as Who is the founder of the DR?  What do the colors of the flag signify?  etc.  You have to go to Santo Domingo 2 times if you live out of the area.  One is for the interview and one is for taking the Citizenship oath.  The fees from what I understand have just been  raised to approximately RD $10,000 but the lawyer I spoke to did not know if that fee included the medical exam or not which was at last RD $6,000.

Whichever route you choose you need the following:

Your Birth Certificate Apostilled and translated and Certified
Your Marriage Certificate Apostilled and Certified
Your passport which must be valid for at least another 6 months or more from the date you apply
For US- An FBI Clearance and/or Police Report from the current area where you reside which must be Apostilled if not from DR and also will need to be in Spanish
Proof of finances
A Guarantor from here in DR to say they would be financially responsible for you
The medical report

If you take the Residency route you MUST leave the country in order to have this temp Visa (60 days) issued and stamped into your passport by the Dominican Consulate in your home country then return here and coninue the process with Immigration to get your residency card and then your Cedula.

If you go the Citizenship route then you do not need to leave DR and can apply for the Citizenship while you are here.  From what I understand once you apply you have your interview within about a month but the whole process can take up to a year.

I have 2 great lawyers I can recommend if needed.

This is just the information I have found out but I suggest you seek your own legal counsel as things are always changing and peoples circumstances are also always different.

I hope some of this helps.

Hello.
I am trying looking into getting my citizenship or at best my residence. Can you please give me the information for the lawyers?

Why don't you private message me with your email and I can forward you some more detailed info if you like.

If you are currently residing in D.R. How do you get: For US- An FBI Clearance and/or Police Report from the current area where you reside which must be Apostilled if not from DR and also will need to be in Spanish? Do you have to leave D.R. To retrieve this report?

What is the qualifying amount they are looking for or is acceptable as proof of: Proof of finances? Thanks.

Yes you need to leave the DR to get the residency items handled. I believe for a "retiree" classification the income is close to us 2,000 a month in income.

Thanks  Planner, but I have not hit 50 yet   My scenario would be more likely to be marriage to a Dominican woman and then opt for citizenship.......would the $2000 a month still hold true or because I'm in my late 40's they will assume that I will still work for a living? Thanks again.

Married?????????????????????????????????????  Big step my friend.

Bob K

LoL not quite yet Bob just gathering info just in case I choose to go down that road again, my next extended stay is exactly just that; to see if marriage is in the cards or not, we have been dating 3 years and 4 months, but need to live with this person for quite a while to see if she is the one She is in no rush and seems quite happy just living together.

There is no formal Income requirement on the Marriage issue.....LOL  On a non formal way, better ask HER!!!  ahahahahahahahahahaha   

You certainly are going about it the correct way.  Good luck

Bob K

Just keep in mind the process is different for a man who is marrying or married to a Dominican woman vs a foreign woman married to/marrying a Dominican man.  Women are entitled to Naturalization/Citizenship automatically through marriage and simply need to deposit her documents, pay the fee, answer a few questions and then take the oath.  I believe there are more steps for that of a foreign man.  You would need to check with a lawyer.

I  dont think that is true any longer, the laws were changed. A man married to a Dominican woman has the same rights and the process is the same.

Planner is correct new laws. The old system does not work anymore.  Thank God I got my residency 9 years ago. I cannot even imagine the nightmare it has become

Bob K

Hello everyone. I now fall under the category of US citizen married to a Dominican woman.

A few weeks ago I married the love of my life.

The following is a link that has YouTube videos of the wedding we had in San Cristóbal.

https://www.youtube.com/user/enriquereyesluis

I have heard that the US embassy offers free assistance on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I'm planning to go and ask them what exactly are my requirements for DR citizenship.

I'll let you all know what they tell me (:

Congratulations honey!!!

It isn't the US embassy that will help you.  It is the Dominican Government that does it.....    It would be interesting if they were willing to help, they can barely keep up with US visa requests etc.  Keep us posted.

Congratulations Luis!  That is wonderful.  I would be very interested to hear what happens at the Embassy.  Please keep me posted.