Introduce yourself HERE!

Hello all, my name is Nick. I will be relocating to the Santiago area in July. I plan on going to test the waters for 6-12 months to see if it is the right fit for me to relocate permanently. I will be making the move with a ridiculously low budget, about US$2500. My main concern is employment. I plan on overstaying my tourist visa so I will not have my residency/cedula. How likely is it that I will be able to find a job without my cedula? I am looking for something with modest pay and I am not too picky on the industry. A little about myself and my work history so you can get an idea of my work history and abilities. I am a single, 35 year old man. I am pretty much fluent in Spanish, although I do have a bit of an accent. I have a lot of experience in the restaurant industry and I am extremely hard-working and knowledgeable when it comes to food service. I would prefer to work in a restaurant, bar or resort, but I am open to working in a call center or something along those lines. Thanks for your time.

Welcome to the forums!!! Wow you are making this tough for yourself, the govt is cracking down on illegal employees and you will have a tough time getting work. Most hotels and resorts won't touch you and the same for most call centers.

Restaurant work really doesn't pay well my friend - your best bet will be to try to get into a call center who is desperate for English speaking staff.  Good luck and keep us updated.

Thanks for the info. I have a couple of ideas about alternative sources of income if I can't find a regular job, nothing shady. One if these ideas is selling on ebay from the Dominican Republic. Does anyone know the legality or procedures involved with selling on ebay? Thanks!

Read all their documentation online. Your issue will be shipping. If you ship from here it will eat most of your profits.

Welcome.  With that amount of money you really won't need to work.

Working here is difficult (cedula and good jobs)  and pay  sucks

Bob K

Bob I don't think that is monthly, I think that is what he is bringing.

OOPS if that is what he is bringing then "Huston we have a problem"
Bob K

That was my reaction too. But it has been done before......LOL

Pretty much doomed to failure guys!
He will need to go sanky panky to survive.

Hahahahahah  Good one.......

It is going to be attempted. Wish me luck. I will have $2500-$3000 plus about $100 per month. It sounds like a fun adventure. Does anyone know if there is a "pulga" in Santiago? If so, how big is it and what type of merchandise is sold there? I'm looking for a typical flea market where they sell used junk. Thanks

Not sure where or when but I am sure there is one! We will be waiting for your updates once you are here!!

Keep us  posted and good luck.  I am sure there is the  type  of  market you are looking for but I do not know where.

Bob K

Good morning. My name is John Everson and I am 69 years old. I have been married for 42 years and my wife's name is Ellen. I lost my retirement and am looking forward to move to the Dominican Republic. My wife and I receive SS just a little over $2000.00 per month. I just don't know if I want to make the change. I have heard a lot of good things and a lot of bad and I need some input.

I am worried about insurance and utilities. I sure I can always find a 2 bedroom condo at a reasonable price.
All comments are welcome. Thanks in advance.

I will more than likely have to get a part time job which I heard was very hard.

Is there a need for security in different areas. I have 16 years experience in the  management areas.

Thank you.

planner wrote:

Welcome to the forums!!! Wow you are making this tough for yourself, the govt is cracking down on illegal employees and you will have a tough time getting work. Most hotels and resorts won't touch you and the same for most call centers.

Restaurant work really doesn't pay well my friend - your best bet will be to try to get into a call center who is desperate for English speaking staff.  Good luck and keep us updated.

Thank you. I am having a little hard time with the forum but I am learning.

John glad to see your post here. This should help gettnig more responses.

Again have you been here before?

Working here can be a challange with very low wages compared to what you are used to.   A good salary here would be in the $400-$500 dollar a mont h range.  YOu also have to have your residency and cedula to  work here legally.  This process needs to be started in the US and can cost upwards of $1000  each.

Bob K

Hello! I recently stumbled upon this blog and I am so happy to see such a wealth of information!

My Dominican husband and I have decided the rat race of a life we are living in California is not quite worth it and that we want to move back to the DR for a simpler, more peaceful life.

We would like to buy a little house on the north coast, but figuring out how we will support ourselves is our biggest obstacle right now, since it looks like jobs are pretty hard to come by! We are both bilingual- he is a barber/mechanic and I am a paralegal but we are both open to doing anything.

Anyone know about particular jobs/occupations that might be in demand in that area?

Carlos welcome to the forum.  A couple of points
1. NEVER post your personal information on a public site.  I would remove it
2.  Not sure of he point of your post
3.  Why not introduce yourself and tell us a bit about you as well as any information you would like to share.

Bob K

What services do  you offer.
Bob K

Welcome Tess to the forums! We are here to help, north coast has a lot to offer but.jobs arr not entiful. Being bilingual will really help.  Have you been here, how often? 

Read the various threads to get a sense of things, then come back with your questions. You may find work with a law firm helping expats or this trying to get to the usa! Neither barbers nor mechanics make much $$$$.

Bob, Carlos needs to buy an ad in order to " advertise" his services.

Thanks for the welcome and advice.

I lived in a small town called Hato Mayor near Higuey (where my husband grew up) for a few months while working for a non profit (no tourists, VERY "dominican" experience sans running water, electricity etc.) I have visited various places on the island over the years including Sosua (my favorite place so far!).

Send me a private message if you know of any immigration lawyers on the north coast. I currently work in immigration law and love it!

Carlos:
Why, so I can go there with $2460 instead? Unless you know where I can get my hands on a "cedula falso", I am having a hard time thinking of any information you can give me that these nice folks in the forum won't tell me for free. Just out of curiosity though, what services do you offer for my $40?

ncas,  this guy needs to purchase an ad if he wants to advertise his services.  He has just been reported on another thread for behaving in an aggressive and slightly nasty way.  So not worries about him....

Hi Everyone, my current city is Houston, Texas. I am an English professor and a business/technical writer.  My educational level: BA and Masters degrees in English. I plan on visiting the DR for a week or so  this August. (I don't speak Spanish fluently) Shameful considering I lived in Los Angeles for 15 years.

In the past I've been a paralegal and I can write anything. If I had the right connections and guidance I wouldn't mind moving to the DR after a few visits. Are there American law firms/companies in the DR?

I am the proud pappa of a 4 year old, 90lb American bulldog - Zoie.

Welcome professor.
We should introduce your baby to our 140 pound rottie.
I know of no American firms that practice law here but there are many that work with US firms.  Others may have more information for you
Where are you going to visit in August?

Bob K

Welcome Professor......   I have worked in the legal field here and Bob is correct, many of the Dominican firms have associations with American firms.   the law here is very very different then American law, its base on Napoleanic code and without Spanish you will find it tough! 

That being said, there may be other opportunities for you.  My advice - find something or someone to work for  long distance, virtually and then make the move.

Of course you need to come check this place out!!!!

Hi Professor. Welcome to the forum. The perfect place to gain some great insight on spending time in DR.

Y ¿no hablas espanol? Tienes que practicar eso senor..   (start there lol)

Yes.  you need to learn and practice your Spanish. IF there was one thing, just one, I wish I had done differently it would be to learn Spanish in my first year - I mean seriously learn it!!!!

Hi everyone my wife and I are planning to go to Dominican in November 2014 for 3 months, I see its no problem to overstay my tourist visa and pay the overstay fee when we leave. I am told I have to have a return ticket or I'll be sent back is this true or can I buy a one way ticket and then overstay?
We are retiring and want to travel so our next destination is unknown till we spend our time there then go somewhere else for 3 months
Even if we bought return tickets for 3 months later wont they see this at the airport security when we arrive and only have a tourist visa good for 30 days?
Can someone help me with this and what to do about it or what they have done?
Thanks Joe

Welcome to the forums, i responded to your other post on this!  If you have any other questions feel free to ask them.

Thank you where do I find the other post lol

Oops I found your reply lol thank you

You are very welcome!   

I don't know where your other post is but if you do not have a residency here you will need a return ticket or the airline will not let you board your flight to come down. They don't check your return ticket at customs here.

Still currently no problem with the overstay issue for your visit other than possible if you are driving here.  If you are legally going to drive here your lic is not good after the 30  day tourist visa expires.

Bob K

Bob,

I'm thinking about the capitol city? I have  more study to do about the DR. How long have you been there?

We have lived on the north coast for 8 years full time.  The capital for me is fun to visit on occasion but way too big, loud, busy, dirty city for my tastes.  Planner will have a different opinion. But we moved here to relax and live by the beach.

Bob K