Dominican Republic Help?!

[Gingerfur 0]

Here is my story, but short and honest:

• I am an American. Early 30s.
• No kids.
• I have a gym membership.
• I have lived in the Dominican Republic for ten years.
• I have my DR residency and cedula.
• I go home to the U.S. every summer and Christmas.
• I have a "nice" job (approx. $25,000/US) with an American school here and plan to stay for a while!
• Everything owned is in my name or my employer's name (rent, utilities, etc.)

We had our first date, 5 years ago.

We met each other at church!

We were engaged almost 2 years ago...

We were married 6 months ago, here in the Dominican Republic.

• He is Dominican. Late 20s.
• No kids.
• He has a gym membership.
• He is a youth pastor at our church and does prison ministry here with a friend.
• He has his passport, but no visa.
• He just lost his job (the factory went bankrupt); an empty bank account b/c we use mine. Every day he searches.
• He studies at the local university here---1/2 way through his studies (on a break b/c of finances)...
• He doesn't own anything. No car...no land....nada.

I have hundreds of Americans and Dominicans, and photos, who can prove our loyalty and validity! I DO know about the jerks out there who abuse the system with their Sanky Panky, etc.

This summer, I'll be working for two weeks and studying at a local university for the other two. I see ourselves going for about a month and we'll be staying with my parents.

The US Embassy in Santo Domingo told me that we have two choices:

a) Tourist Visa (EVERYONE says "good luck with that one"!)

b) A spousal visa that goes toward his residency in the $U.S. (Expensive, and you MUST move back to the U.S....and that isn't what we want!)

FIRST: DO we even have a chance????? I know it is for every individual interview, but still...I dunno if I want to spend the money and waste the emotion on getting denied.

I need all the advice I can get!!!!! I'm open to EVERYTHING you can give me!!!!!

SECOND: What paperwork or belongings should we gather together?

THIRD: The embassy claims that we could get an appointment as little as a week after we call and pay. Is that true? Sounds awful quick coming from a Dominican office...

Thanks, SO much!!!!

Ginny

[LBeachey 45]

China presents a similar quandary, I think you take your best shot at a visitor's visa. Since there is a USCIS office in Dominican Republic, you cna DCF and you might be able to get approved in time, I think trying for a Tourist Visa is better.

1. You need to document your relationship but more importantly any and all ties/reasons to return to DR.

2. A detailed itinerary in the US usually helps. A letter from your parents inviting him including the itinerary would help.

3. A letter from your parents assuming financial responsibility for your husband in the US would also help (I think there is a USCIS form for this but not sure which one).

It is a Catch-22 but I think I would make your best case for the Tourist Visa.

[Frances&Bryan 6]

Hi Ginny, I agree with the above post.

Since he doesnt have much ties as to returning to DR, your marriage is the only tie in their eyes as of right now. However, you're a US citizen so that would probably be a red flag to them.

On the other hand, YOU have ties to DR (job, house, employer, etc) so that could help his with Visa being that the 2 of you are married.

About the spousal Visa, i think they are right when they told you that you would have to move back here in the states since you would need income from here i assume.

Have you looked into the DCF visa for him since you live over there and you're an american...? I'm not too familiar with it, but you can give that a shot.

Anyway, hope everything works out for the 2 of you

[GodsGift225 54]

If you go for a tourist visa, they will take into consideration many things, above all that yes it's hard to get but at the same time is not that hard as long as you have money in the bank to show there is no need to stay in the USA, a good job, a business, etc, anything with his name on it, house, lease, car, etc... anything showing he has property and will return back to his country and not over state his visa.

Now if you go for the CR1 visa, you can do DCF (Direct consule filing ) since you are a current residence of DR you go for the spoual visa, and have hime travel every so often in and out of the country, but not last no more then 6 months out of the USA.

[tun2usa 5]

Hi,

Your husbands' chances to get a visitor visa are slim (almost nonexistent) but it never hurts to try since u'll only have the visa fee at risk. I would like to focus on the fact that the embassy will look at your husband as an intended immigrant (they look at everyone that way). He needs to prove the opposite. The opposite is only proved by having STRONG ties to his home country. Does he have a good job? does he own a house? does he have kids there? does he have bills ? is he enrolled in school? those are considered strong ties .

What you do in his country , what you own and your career has no influence on the decision. Well maybe they'll have 10% influence but 90% of the decision will come from focusing on what your husband has to offer, not you.

Its really hard for him to get a tourist visa since he has no ties to his country (assuming this from what you wrote). However, he can explain to the embassy that you two has no intention to live in the US (hopefully they'll believe it) and maybe take your job contract showing that u'll need to go back to DR yourself to work after the holiday. He needs to take every possible document. The thing is that most embassies rarely to never look at any documents. They rely on the online application ans most of the time they make half of their decision before the interview.

I would advise you to try but again you'll risk 200$ fee or so. If you two decide to live in the US then go for DCF and his chances will be much higher to enter the US.

good luck

[Gingerfur 0]

Man, this forum is awesome, thanks for your quick responses already!

Again, we want to LIVE here.

I've been here since 2003 and we went on our first date in 2008. We were married in 2012.

The country doesn't give an opportunity for an American----choosing to live/work overseas----marry a Dominican----and get a spousal visa for him to go visit when they're home visiting too.

His only option is a Tourist Visa. The other one causes you to move to the U.S.

Yeah, people have mentioned getting the one that goes toward his residency........but that means that we have to come/go every 6 months AND make sure we move one day ("within two years").

[Gingerfur 0]

I just think it is sad when people think life is all about the money.................some people DO choose to live a simple life to help others out (teaching)........

And then the reality of minimum wage here!!!! My husband once had a "good" job where they paid him $1 US/hour, seriously.

His last job, he was making about $12 a day.

Seriously.

And I am 100% sure that he didn't marry me for the money, when I make about $5/hour here, which is a GOOD salary, and we've planned on living here for a long time.

[LBeachey 45]

In your situation, people have gone the CR-1 route, once he enters his Immigrant Visa is his green card. As long as you plan on being in the States for about a month he likely will get the green card mailed to him.

Your would use your parents house as your address and presumably they have enough income and would agree to co-sponsor him due to your lack of US based income. The fact that you don't have plans on moving back to the States is dicey. However, if you can document a solid relationship all you need to show is intent to move back. Often things such as applying for jobs in the US is enough. You have to be careful here because you don't want to lie to immigration but an intent to move back doesn't necessarily mean you will.

Once he has the green card, you have a year to come back after you leave. The first time you likely won't have much of an issue but at that point unless you do really plan on moving back to the US you are likely better off surrendering the green card. The good news at that point getting the Tourist visa should be relatively easy and if/when you do choose to come back to the US, the second Green card should be fairly straightforward.

The problem obviously is this is a very expensive and complicated method to essentially get a tourist visa.

[reese1 68]

It doesn't make sense finacial to apply for a spousal visa if you have no intentions of staying in the US anytime soon. With your strong ties to the country even though you are the USC and he is your spouse he may actually have a chance. There was someone that got approved for a tourist visa based on the same situation and they were not even married. The only thing you can do is try and find out. The good thing is you will not have to wait a long time to find out. As you were told you do get an appointment right away. Best of luck to you!

[Gingerfur 0]

Another question:

If he gets a Tourist Visa, and we decide to go for the spousal visa (that leads to his residency in the U.S.) within five years, will they give it to him? Would they give it to him if he is rejected for the tourist?

We wanna live "poor" in the D.R., why does everyone think that the gringos wanna live in their country b/c of the pay? It is all about the Benjamins. I hate it and all the sanky panky people out there who have abused the system to make it SO difficult for everyone who is legit and in love.

[Frances&Bryan 6]

I just think it is sad when people think life is all about the money.................some people DO choose to live a simple life to help others out (teaching)........

And then the reality of minimum wage here!!!! My husband once had a "good" job where they paid him $1 US/hour, seriously.

His last job, he was making about $12 a day.

Seriously.

And I am 100% sure that he didn't marry me for the money, when I make about $5/hour here, which is a GOOD salary, and we've planned on living here for a long time.

i agree with you 100%!! it is very sad! If it were up to me, i would love to live over there, get a job and just be comfortable living a simple life.

I've actually thought about it as plan B. With God willing my fiance will know what it's like to live here and then i know for a fact que el se va a querer ir juyendo de aqui haha! So i will be right by his side moving back to the DR. he knows that deep down inside that is what i truly want lol There's no place like home

Also, about your hubby's visa, i would give the tourist visa a try since you guys dont want to come live here. It's worth a shot.

[reese1 68]

Another question:

If he gets a Tourist Visa, and we decide to go for the spousal visa (that leads to his residency in the U.S.) within five years, will they give it to him? Would they give it to him if he is rejected for the tourist?

We wanna live "poor" in the D.R., why does everyone think that the gringos wanna live in their country b/c of the pay? It is all about the Benjamins. I hate it and all the sanky panky people out there who have abused the system to make it SO difficult for everyone who is legit and in love.

You won't have any problems at a later date if you decide to apply for a spousal visa. Even if he is denied the tourist visa, this has happened to many and they still were able to obtain a immigrant visa.

I agree with you I have been here in the DR for going on 4 years now. All though I do travel back and forth to the States quite often. What made my decision to move back to the States is that now that I have had another child what it costs for my son to be in school here I can not afford two children in school based on what my fiance makes. I have loved living the "simple life" here. But time for us to start a new chapter with our family.

[kayleighanddanny 7]

Hey there. I live in the DR as well and have been looking into visas. First things first- abandon your idea for the tourist visa, you WILL get denied. As soon as they see he's married to a USC it's almost an instant denial. They've pretty much decided if they're going to give it to you or not before he goes to his interview based on his application.

Because you have your cedula you can apply through Santo Domingo. You need to prove you are attmepting to re-establish domicie though. All in all, the direct consular filing (DCF) route in the DR takes about 5 weeks to 2 months from start to finish. I want to do this but I don't have my cedula and you know how things here in the DR- SLOW. Who knows how long it'd take for them to process my paperwork to get it.

This is going to be the best, fastest way for you to get him there. It's not all that expensive either. Get all your documents of importance inextensa y legalizada. You do NOT need translations because you are submitting in Santo Domingo. Spanish and English works! It's also a little less money.

[Gingerfur 0]

Bueno..............again, you guys are being so helpful!

Now we're thinking and praying about just moving back to the U.S.

I'm in fear of being robbed...all of the time.

We don't have much going toward savings OR retirement.

We'd never be able to afford a car...a house...

Yeah, we'll see.

Keep your advice coming though.

I just know once we move............I won't want to move back. Visit? Yes. Move back? Probably not. I'm ready to "nest".

[LBeachey 45]

This is going to be the best, fastest way for you to get him there. It's not all that expensive either. Get all your documents of importance inextensa y legalizada. You do NOT need translations because you are submitting in Santo Domingo. Spanish and English works! It's also a little less money.

A US Consulate accepts documents in Spanish without an English translation? I am not saying you are wrong but I am surprised. The USCIS is very clear about needing an English translation.