US citizenship for a Domincan native

April · #1 10-31-2003, 04:49 AM

Please spare me the side bar arguments of why I shouldn't get married to a Dominican man. I need advice. Does anyone know...
Is it less problematic to marry a Dominican in the Dominican Republic or file for a fiancee petition with the U.S. and get married in the States. I am curious regarding the turn around time/procedure. I have heard that you can get a VISA the same day in S.D. On the contrary I have heard more often that it is a lengthy process that could take up to a year and in some situations longer...
Also if I do get married here I will need to get a prenup, any advice as to a reputable lawyer/notary.
Please advise.

Escott · #2 10-31-2003, 06:17 AM

What town in the DR would you like a Lawyer recommendation?

Easier to get maried in the DR for sure. Is your fiance living in the US? It is very difficult to get visas to the US for Dominicans if they are not on the top of the food chain in the DR.

Good luck.

April · #3 10-31-2003, 08:59 AM

He currently lives there (Dom Rep). I am going in December I will go to the Embassy. Good old government you really need to be in their face to get any real answers.

minerran · #4 10-31-2003, 09:43 AM

Hi April,

From my own experience with this kind of situation (although it was Colombia, not DR), I suggest going to the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, not your local INS office. You already said thats your plan - and its a good one! The embassy will have first-hand knowledge of the process, time delay required, etc. They can probably issue a visa for your fiancee on the same day or within a few days. He'll need to get his affairs in order and say goodbye to the family. So plan a two week minimum stay and go to the embassy on the first day there - but call the embassy before planning your trip and get the details first.

I don't think INS will care where the marriage took place, so long as its documented and legal.

Procedures change all the time (as will the delay), even asking someone that did last year what you are doing now, will not be as good as going to the embassy.

Since USA and DR have an excellent relationship as countries, this should be easy and quick.

Bestwishes on your marriage.

Una feliz boda y vida con el para Ustedes!

Randy

Ken · #5 10-31-2003, 09:49 AM

I think minerran is underestimataing the trouble you are likely to have getting a visa. If you really want to get married, and very soon, do so in the DR.

There was a time when it was easy for Dominicans to get a visa, but not now. Too many have gone into drugs, etc. Already they have shipped more than 3000 back after they served their sentence. I am not saying your fianace is of that type, but the image of the Domincan is not what it once was.

minerran · #6 10-31-2003, 09:55 AM

Ken,

Let's be optimistic for her now. You could be right so she needs to call the embassy and find out. Since he lives in the DR, he should visit the embassy ASAP too. Then, they can compare notes on what each was told.

Anyway, I'll pipe out of this discussion because I cannot add anything more to help her.

Regards,

Randy

#7 10-31-2003, 10:41 AM

.............with all of you.

Through my own experience and my friends (2 of them) (have any of you gotten married in the DR and then tried to go to the US??), the ABSOLUTE WORST THING YOU CAN DO is get married in the DR.

You should apply for a fiance visa IN THE US, get it approved there and then bring your fiance to the US and get married.

Otherwise, you better plan on moving to the DR to be with your "husband".

minerran · #8 10-31-2003, 11:00 AM

Stephen,

I suggest giving her more details.

Explain to her why its better to get married in one place v.s. another and what the pitfalls are. Same for the issue about getting the visa. She needs specifics.

Randy

#9 10-31-2003, 11:20 AM

Through our experience only, and in harsh and simply terms:

It is too complicated.............if you call OR visit the embassy in the DR they will tell you that it doesn't matter, but once it's done, it's too late... and believe me it does.

If you get married in the DR you have to "immigrate" your spouse to the US and it takes much longer than getting a fiance visa from the US.

If you get married here (in the DR) and then want to try to get a tourist visa for your spouse, they won't let you. They will want you to "immigrate" or will give you a tourist visa ONCE you (the US citizen) have been married to the person for over 2 years AND have residency in the DR. They consider all DR marriages FAKE.

It basically comes down to this:

A SURE THING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING:

It is NOT "that hard" to get a fiance visa from the US side. Once you have the Visa, your "future" spouse is able to travel to the US and once he is there you have a certain amount of time to get married. Once this is done, who cares how long the paperwork takes, cause he is already with you on US soil. If you do it in the DR you will feel like you went to hell and back and will end up getting divorced over the deal. (I know of 1 case like this)

Even though you will still have to deal with the Embassy in the DR for the final travel papers, you are **NOT** married and you don't have to go through all the "are you really married stuff".

BASICALLY.........DON'T MAKE ANY DECISIONS UNTIL YOU TALK TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOTTEN MARRIED IN THE DR AND THEN RETURNED TO THE US. I DON'T THINK YOU FIND MANY OF THESE "UNFORTUNATE" PEOPLE!!!!!!

My qualifications for having an opinion: Lived in the DR since 1993 (have residency), have obtained a total of 6 visa's over the years for Dominicans including a wife and adopted child. Travel back and forth on the average of 10 times per year for over 9 years. Have had 2 friends (females) marry Dominican males (through fiance visa's) and are living in the US. I have had one female marry a domincan in the DR and he never got to the US. (They are now divorced).

ONLY MY OPINION!~ ..........and how does anyone consider that the DR and the US has an excellent relationship...... have you ever heard any of the comments made by the immigration people at JFK??????

minerran · #10 10-31-2003, 02:29 PM

Stephen,

I'm not going to sit here and argue with you. People on this board love to cherry-pick a comment or two from a post, take it out of context, and attack it - like my "excellent relationship" comment. Whatever.

I said up front that I had no direct experience in this, so my ideas about how it might go were merely supposition. I did not challenge what you said and did not question your qualifications - I suggested you provide more details - which you did and I'm sure April will appreciate. If its as bad and horrible as I get the impression it is from your post, then the only solution is for her to seek legal counsel from a qualified attorney who specializes in DR.

April, here is a link that I found for you
===========================
http://santodomingo.usembassy.gov/Co...riagelegal.htm

Randy