Please recommend a good lawyer to handle Residency in the DR!

[richardmci]

Note from Mod;

The OP is looking for lawyer recommendations that our DR1 members have used and were happy with to get their Residency in the DR.


Thanx in advance.

[Chip]

If you need a good immigration lawyer here in the DR to help with your documents to go to the US you might check some firms in Miami or NY(via the internet of course)to see if they are affiliated with any here in the DR.

If it is concerning immigration to the DR, check the legal section for references. Also, it can be done cheaply if you live here and can speak a little Spanish.

[Chip]

Originally Posted by richardmci

should have made clear am looking for immigration to DR ... this board would probably not be the right place for US immigration.

chose "Best of DR" because Robert suggest this as a category for this forum. Also, the Legal board deals with specific legal questions, not references or endorsements to particular practitioners. And, a prominent immigration lawyer serves as expert to that forum ... it would be bad form IMHO to discuss lawyer pros and cons there.

Bold 1 - still there are requests as such once in a while, and I do live in the DR and know a Richard.

Bold 2 - Say you but it is done more or less all the time, recommendations of good lawyers and who to stay away from

I searched the legal forum for the threads that have to do with "residency" and quite a few came up with info you need.

Assistance with Permanent Residency

help with residency in santiago

residency card?

Also, depending on how much money the lawyer thinks you have, they will probably try to charge between US1k to 2k per residency.

You can do it yourself here for US300 or so - I did mine for even less.

Also, you don't need a residency to live here legally for any period of time. There are many who have lived here for more than 10 years and traveled w/o any problems.

[richardmci]

Thanx Chip ... good stuff. Q: can you drive legally beyond, say 90 days, if you don't have the residency? Isn't that the motivation for the residency visa?

[Chip]

Originally Posted by richardmci

Thanx Chip ... good stuff. Q: can you drive legally beyond, say 90 days, if you don't have the residency? Isn't that the motivation for the residency visa?

What is your definition of legal? No seriously, I have been driving with an expired Florida drivers license with no problem. People have told me you have a certain amount of time to get a Dominican license but then again I'm sure there are hundreds of expats who don't have one.

Also, what's the darned rush? Just do it all when you get here and save yourself a bundle. As much as they changes the visa requirements here I'm sure any stateside lawyer will charge a whole lot more. Just come here and do it.

[richardmci]

Chip,

I'm not talking about getting a stateside lawyer for DR ,,, that wouldn't be smart. I agree it should be done in DR. The issue is what documents to bring so that you don't have to be running back and forth. I have read the Guzman stuff closely, and still there are complications. Someone said they lost their hair DIY and would have it done by a DR lawyer next time. (I've already lost mine so what's next)

With all the respect due to you for your experience, what would happen if you are driving and got in a car accident, and there was an injury to another party? You don't have a DR license. You don't have DR residence. You are driving on an expired Florida license. Seriously, please discuss just a bit. I don't scare too easily but there are a few car and driver scare stories on these forums.

richard

[AnnaC]

The OP is looking to our members for any recommendations of lawyers you have used to get your Residency in the DR.

Look quickly I'm moving this to the legal forum.

Good luck

[Matilda]

Maybe I am wrong here, but as far as I am aware if you are here over a certain amount of time (3 months?) you need a Dominican drivers license. If you do not have one of course you can drive but if you have an accident then your car insurance is not valid.

And if your tourist visa expires then you are here illegally. The Dominican government may not deport you as some other countries would but you are still in the country illegally, and as such you have less rights than Dominicans and foreigners who do have residency. That is not to say that many ex pats do live here illegally without problems.

Matilda

[Robert]

Matilda, exactly. Plus you will have problems if you have an accident and you are on an expired visa or more than 90 days. This is the reason the cops/insurance will always photocopy your passport entry stamps if your not a resident and have an accident.

[Chip]

Originally Posted by richardmci

Chip,

I'm not talking about getting a stateside lawyer for DR ,,, that wouldn't be smart. I agree it should be done in DR. The issue is what documents to bring so that you don't have to be running back and forth. I have read the Guzman stuff closely, and still there are complications. Someone said they lost their hair DIY and would have it done by a DR lawyer next time. (I've already lost mine so what's next)

With all the respect due to you for your experience, what would happen if you are driving and got in a car accident, and there was an injury to another party? You don't have a DR license. You don't have DR residence. You are driving on an expired Florida license. Seriously, please discuss just a bit. I don't scare too easily but there are a few car and driver scare stories on these forums.

richard

Truth be told, I have a FL DL that is up to date that I leave in my house.

Answer a few questions for me so I can give you some advice.

1. Are you married to a Dominican and if not do you have any Dominican friends who can act as guarantor for the application process?

2. Do you have tax records for the last two years?

Also, if you don't have a State issued birth certificate go ahead and order two of them.