Moving to Santo Domingo, D.R.

[jmiranda31]

Cejay,I am Puertorrican living by fountainbleu area for the last 17 years,very close to Doral and you are so right about the economy and properies value.
I going to sto.dom. in 2 weeks and come back to Miami once a month to see my family. Hope to do well with the businness with my partners,sorry i can tell you, It is top secret But like you, I will try to make it is Sto.Dom and enjoy life,not just pays bills and see how this economy goes further down.

[cejay]

Oh okay, Fountainebleu is close to me in Doral, right down the street. I know what you mean with the economy and all. We'll good luck with you and your family and business. Dominican Republic is a good place to live but has some restrictions that we don't have here but at least you have the comado's "neighborhood stores" or drive thru liquor stores to deliver or pick up cerveza or vodka when you don't feel like going to the store!! And good cerdo also at the "La Boriqua" and "Vila Mejia" lol lol

[Chirimoya]

Welcome to DR1, cejay, you can use the Private Message function to communicate with jmiranda - please keep postings on this thread for information about moving to Santo Domingo.

My wife told me she is allowed to bring so much stuff without duties and I should be able to get Dominican dual citizenship since I'm married to a Dominican. Dominican has good things and bad things that would get used to. Like good things are good drinks, good friends, cheap food, cheap rum-beer, family, cheap haircuts, simple life, less stress but then bad things like electricity turn off every day "even though we have a generator", expensive cars, expensive name brand clothing, expensive hair and body products, expensive doctor and dentist visits, etc...I'm from Tennessee but the thing that bothers me the most is missing Tennessee football games!!!! Do you think I can get ESPN, CBS, NBC, ETC.. down there to get college football????

You will find answers to most of these questions right here in the Living Forum. Not sure of the details of duty concessions for returning Dominicans but there are threads about it here, so search. You can get Dominican citizenship but it's usual for foreigners in your circumstances to get residency first. Food is not that cheap unless you eat simple, local fare. Doctors and dentists are cheaper than in the US: but you should get good medical insurance. Most Dominican homes have cable/satellite TV and the stations you mention are standard. Some of the products you mention (although not cars) can be bought from the US via the internet and even after paying the private mail services you will end up paying less.

[cejay]

Okay thanks Chirimoya for your help and wish us luck!!! thanks again, cejay

[Yayow]

There are plenty of Americans living in Santo Domingo, I would guess most are retired from whatever they did in the States, as I am. Although I am retired I haven't hit 50 yet, and I have been retired for more than 2.5 years, now, and living in D.R. for almost 2 of those years. I must admit, I am starting to get a little itchy myself, and am contemplating starting a business in the next few months myself.

As far as where the ex-pats tend to live, they would live in some of the nicer areas, as you described, I myself live in Gazcue, and I see ex-pat Americans everyday. Santo Domingo is however more spread out than the places on the northcoast, so it may easily seem, that not many are here.

Good luck in your future endeavors.

Yayow

[cejay]

Thanks for your help and insight Yayow. It's good to know there are some Americans there in the capital. My in-laws next doors neighbors are American, I think he works for the Hope Program or some U.S. government program and I know one other that moved down there like 2 years ago and their son dates my wife's cousin. Let me ask you Yayow, how has your experience been living there in Dominican? Do you speak spanish perfect or little bit? What kind of business do you think is good down there? Restaurant, club, bar, etc...? Just wondering because I'm getting itchy myself to get outta here before things total calapse here in the U.S.. Did you have to move everything down there or did you buy everything "furniture, appliances, etc.." down there? I would have to almost move a full house of stuff so I was wondering how much a container could cost to move everything there?

[Yayow]

Well as far as the experience, I have enjoyed it thouroughly living here, at first on the North Coast in Sosua, and for the last nine or so months in la capital. La capital is a better fit for me, as believe it or not, don't want to be surrounded by tourist all the time, plus I enjoy the things I can do in a city the size of Santo Domingo. I can't see myself ever moving back to the U.S., or not at least for a while. I find my pension goes much futher here than in NY where I was from. As far as speaking the language, I can get by, but I am taking classes to improve my language skills. I realize if I do get involved in something knowing the language in my opinion is essential. I didn't ship all my things here (currently renting a furnished apt.), they are in storage back in the States, waiting to get my residency so I don't have to pay such a big tax to ship it here. But in a place like Miami or NY it is very reasonable and many companies will do it for you, just check with others for someone that is reputable.

As far as the business that is still in the planning/research stage, and don't wish to discuss it until, I have more of the details down. In any case I don't expect to get started besides planning stage for at least another 5 or 6 months.

[cejay]

Sounds good and like your liking it down down Yayow and thanks for all your insight. The longest I have ever stayed down in Santo Domingo was 1 1/2 months right after Sept. 2001 terrosit attack in NYC and I got layed off and was getting married down in Santo Domingo. Are you going thru a lawyer to get your residency in D.R.? If you need a lawyer let me know as my father-n-law, mother-n-law and 2 of my wife's brothers are all lawyers and their offices are right on Ave. Simon Bolivar not far from you at my father-n-laws plaza. Sometimes down there it is just a matter of pulling strings and who you know!!! lol lol My mother-n-law was the president of the passport dept. but now since Leonel was re-elected she followed her friend to another government agency for construction of low income housing and she is the government lawyer for that dept. but don't worry she could help you if needed to get your residence faster.

Yea, if I move down there I put probably start a business too but not sure what yet trying to come up with ideals now but I do love it down there and with so much family "my wife's family" and friends I feel right at home down there. My family in Tennessee is small and my wife doesn't like there so much as she thinks it's too country for her!!! lol lol At this point, I'm willing to gamble and take a chance on living there and if it doesn't work out then there is always the states to come back too but not until the economy improves which would take minimum 2-3 years to rebuild and recover jobs, housing, etc..here. This is like the great depression all over again but lets hope not!