Requesting provisional residency without tarjeta turistica
 

Hi!

I have two questions:

1) has anyone ever obtained the Dominican provisional residency on his own, ie without an attorney? That's what I would like to do.

2) My passport and my tarjeta turistica were stolen. What should I do to prove I legally entered in the country? I have another citizenship, so another passport, but I didn't enter the country with that one.

Thank you for your advices

Cathie

I had an attorney to get mine and I couldnt have done it without one I am sure. Tons of paper and traveling to 4 different places and going though the government rigamarol was amazing even being walked through it. Hell even the machine broke right after they left out a letter in my name.

In a year I am going to the same attorney to get the permanent one done.

Good luck.

Thank you Jazzcom. Anybody knows what I should do about the lost tarjeta turistica?

Cathie

What country/countries are you from Cathie?

I entered with a Swiss passport but I also have the French nationality.

We went (my Dominican wife and I ) through the process by ourselves from depositing the documents in the "Cancelaria" to receiving the Provisional Visa. I am in the middle of collecting my documents etc. for the "Definitiva". We had, welcome and greatly appreciated, help from some lawyer friends and family of the wife's children and other friends.

The process is very long and complicated, with many journeys to and from Santo Domingo, if you do not stay there. Lots of travel within a large area of city, and even over-night stays. You need to know the city and plan to visit certain buildings on the same day, deposit documents before certain hours on certain days and collect next day. Machines that break down, wasted journeys, phones that don't get answered etc. are some of the hazards you meet and not the least of them all is the difference in language.

After my experiences what do I recommend? If you can afford it, hire a lawyer. We could not and cannot therefore we had to do it the way we did.

If you go to the airport or a port and buy a tourist card this will be valid for your application as long as your passport shows your last entry date.

Re: Requesting provisional residency without tarjeta turistica
 

The procedure is as follows:

1) Report the loss to the Police and obtain a certification of your report.

2) Obtain from the Immigration Department in Santo Domingo a certification regarding your date of entry into the D.R.

3) Obtain a new passport from your consulate in Santo Domingo.

4) Go with these docs to the airport. Pay an extra $10 exit tax.

Thank you very much for all your answers!

I guess I won't have to go to the airport and pay an extra 10 USD tax on exit if I want to stay in the country and begin the procedure of residency, right?

I may not have this 100% right but I believe you can get a Dominican passport 1 year after you get your permanant residency.

No Dominican Passport
 

Jazzcom, you do not obtain a dominican passport after having been a permanent resident of the DR. You have to apply for a Presidential Decree in order to obtain a Dominican Citizenship and comply with the rules and regulations prescribed. Only after been naturalized Dominican that you can ask for a Dominican Passport. Anyone knews an efficient and honest lawyer who does application for Dominican Citizenship ?

Secondly, in respond to Cathy I have to say that it is very difficult to obtain a provisional residency by yourself. You must hire a lawyer, I am telling you it is worthed. However, you have to find a reliable lawyer who does not charge too much. I found a lawyer in Santo Domingo who did my permanent residency for 6,000 pesos. A great deal and it was fast (3 months). Goodluck.