Permanent Residency for a Pensioner

As a pensioner it's temporary first.  The fast track is for investor residency

Ok,  Thank you for your help.

You can do a dominican background check as a US citizen?

When did you have to take the medical exam?

On numerous attorney websites in the DR and at a recent conference I attended at the Holiday Inn in Santo Domingo, I learned  the "fast track" residency program includes three subsets.  You can apply by either 1.) Making an investment of $200,000 +/-  in select real estate,  2.)  Qualifying under the Rentista program (for a person holding real estate that produces verifiable monthly cash,  AND  3.)  the pensioner option, where the retiree has documented benefits of at least $1500/month.  This fast track program allows you to avoid the temporary residencyall together and apply immediately for permanent residency

I have submitted proof of my retirement benefits, certified and authenticated by the State of New Hampshire. All my documents have been accepted by the immigration department during my August 2, 2024 in-person meeting including my Cover letter requesting permanent residency under the Pensioner provisions, Also submitted was my DR criminal check and Dominican Bank letter (Banco Santa Cruz).

Following my meeting with immigration I was immediately sent for my medical exam (blood test, chest x ray).

My concern is, I keep hearing on forums and from people that you don't get immediate permanent residency as a pensioner despite sites and attorneys saying just the opposite.

I am still waiting to hear from immigration.  It should be soon. 

Has anyone on the forum received permanent residency immediately under the Pensioner provisions.

Thanks

Ed

@eddykelley4

Yes I have; but you still must renew yiur residency after 1 year and then you will renew after 2 years.

My Cédula was good for 2 years at start and had to renew that after 2 years.

However, highly suggest listening to your attorney.

Policies change overnight here and sometimes you will find what I had to do may not be the same for you.

Goodluck!

Thanks for your quick response,Chris. 

Any day I should find out what is going on, but it's frustrating to hear different things from different attorneys.  My attorney is out of Punta Cana (recommended on this forum) but has an assistant (not a lawyer) in Santo Domingo that uploaded my documents to the Immigration portal and brought me to immigration and my medical exam.  The assistant seems to think it starts with a one year residency first.  I don't see the "permanent" in that....but what do I know.  I just hope Immigration is processing my paperwork properly.

Thanks again Chris.

I tried to reply somewhere to this. As pensioner when I first came to the Dominican Republic to meet the lady now my wife (introduced to me by her younger sister living in Alberta) in 2017, I wen through the Visa application process in Canada. Once approved, I arrived back here & eventually became a client if Lishali Baez, a very good and knowledgeable Immigration lawyer in Santo Domingo. I married my wife, a citizen, in Mar 2018 & I still had to complete 5 years of the the yearly Residency/Cedula renewal. I am now in that 5ht year & look forward to longer term Permanent Residency & likely citizenship if (if I can ever get spanish up to par). As stated, laws change quickly. I have asked about Permanent Residency & this is the prescribed program by a respected (by many Expats) lawyer!!

@eddykelley4

Yes,  logically your thoughts are correct, however, they tend still to have you renew for control and actually my opinion more money.

I'm also here on a Pensioner's visa and getting ready to do my first renewal.  Yes, you are a permanent resident vs. someone who is here temporarily for work, school, a missionary, etc.  However, your ID cards need to be renewed periodically, just as your driver's license in the US needs to be renewed periodically.  Your residency card is good for one year at first, then it goes to 2 years.  Your cedula is good for 2 years. 

Although my cedula doesn't expire until next year, my lawyer advised me to do it now with the residency; that way, both will expire and can be renewed at the same time, every 2 years going forward.  It will save me a trip to SD.  (The first residency card issued is for 1 year; after this, it's 2 years... until some point when it will go to 5 years, then 10 years, I think).

@mocaman67

You can apply for citizenship already based on your marriage to a Dominican citizen. Is going to be the only option to avoid renewing the residency.

@eddykelley4

Is permanent by law, which means you can apply for citizenship after 2 years of having that type of residency.

The other type requires at least 7 years.

Also it has a lot of tax benefits that the other categories don’t have.