Denise
@ddmcghee
American expat in Dominican Republic
Forum posts
1810
Contacts
37
About me
American, Married
Lives in Las Terrenas, Saman脙¡
Speaks English
Registration: 15 May 2017
Activity
Solar Energy in Punta Cana by Ethen Royal
Hello, I am look for some information to have solar energy installed at my villa. Does anyone have any contacts in the area who can do this, or does anyone know the price range this should be around?
Price range is going to vary significantly based on what you want. Systems range from small systems that provide a little offset to your electric bill to large, off-grid solutions. The number of panels, inverters, and batteries needed, as well as ... Read More
To move or not to move ? by Locomotionone
I have been planing for a while to move to Dominican republic this month ,I am a disabled cancer survivor ,I just recently found out if I stay in a foreign country more than 30 days I could lose my benefits,any suggestions ?
@Tippj Exactly - SSDI will usually continue, but SSI does not if you are outside the US for more than 30 days. Read More
Credit cards and other ways to pay bills by wondering9
So when I arrive (hopefully soon! seeing some progress!) I will be staying ~full time/year round, renting rather than buying a home, my main income source will be US Social Security, I will not have a car at least at the start, and I will be on a ...
We own our home, so we don't have rent receipts! We certainly spend our full pension and then some each month, but documenting that will be a pain! Especially in an economy where cash is king! We do have credit card receipts that show spend at the ... Read More
Credit cards and other ways to pay bills by wondering9
So when I arrive (hopefully soon! seeing some progress!) I will be staying ~full time/year round, renting rather than buying a home, my main income source will be US Social Security, I will not have a car at least at the start, and I will be on a ...
Wow - that must be a recent change! In September 2023, we just had to show the deposits into our Dominican bank account. We didn't have to provide receipts showing how it was spent. Read More
Residency - updates and changes 2024 by planner
We are seeing changes in processes here and it's time for a new thread with updates.LIshali had agreed to update us here on those changes and to clarify a number of issues as we go along!First let's talk the basics: how you start and which type you ...
Just as a reference on some US government agency timing, we just applied online for Social Security benefits. At the time of application (March 18), the website said the normal processing time was 30 days. I took that to mean calendar days. It ended ... Read More
Mail forwarding (envelopes, not packages) by wondering9
I've been reading previous threads on this topic but am still not sure how this works for letters rather than packages. I receive very little snail-mail and most of that could be handled via scans/emails rather than actually receiving the physical ...
We have our mail go to a family member. They recycle the obvious crap, scan and email us anything that might have value, and periodically package up and mail to our freight forwarder in a padded envelope anything we have to have. Read More
Cap Cana School salary range by rarjona0702
I have a job interview later today for a teaching position in an international school in Cap Cana. Does anyone know what is the salary range for a high school teacher? I googled it and it says between 875K to 975K annually. Is that enough to live ...
My guess is that it's not enough. Plenty of Dominicans get by on less than that, but roughly $1000/month would be tough for an expat. Unless they provide housing... Read More
Use of cleaning lady by ddaoud3
Hello all:I am using an independent cleaning lady in DR, whom I use after I or short-term rental guests leave. Is there a clear legal process in handling such arrangement? She is not employed staff, just hired on the job-to-job basis. Are there ...
@ondami Good quality brooms are hard to find here, and vacuums other than shop vacs are nearly impossible! I suggest bringing both if you are bringing in a container! We've had to ship in or bring in a couple of vacuums/dust busters. But even with a ... Read More
How to bring your mid to large size dogs to the DR by Nick Boork
The time is getting closer to our move to the DR. My wife Yngris and I are looking forward to retiring in Santiago. No travel dates yet but we're concerned about getting our dogs there with us. Anyone have experience that could provide some ...
Contact American Airlines Cargo and their PetEmbark service. This is a separate company from the airline, but it uses the same flights, so that you can fly with your dog. We used them to bring our 25-pounder down in late 2020. Read More
Residency - updates and changes 2024 by planner
We are seeing changes in processes here and it's time for a new thread with updates.LIshali had agreed to update us here on those changes and to clarify a number of issues as we go along!First let's talk the basics: how you start and which type you ...
I've never heard of a visa application that met requirements being denied. There are plenty of instances of people giving up because they tire of jumping through hoops.The only reasons I've heard for residency applications being denied are related ... Read More
Ministerio de Relacioned Exteriores visit by Slin1953
Hi allI will be in Santo Domingo June 9th to turn in my application for visa/residency I am planning to represent my self How can I get an appointment for the Ministerio De Relaciones ExterioresIf somebody been thru the processed please just let ...
@UncleBuckThank you for also pointing this out! I can sometimes get bogged down in semantics/accuracy (like when people refer to passport control/migracion as customs), but in this case, the OP is confusing two entirely different government agencies ... Read More
Moving to DR without residency (yet) by rgwsf
Dear All: maybe I can get some advises/answers here :). I have been leaving in DR for 1.5 years but yet to apply for the residency (not time no need... was). However, my house in Los Angeles might be sold within a couple of months (we did not ...
We used Arelis at Radca Couriers as our customs agent. She knows the process well and can provide some insight into how valuations are done on used household items. We imported with residency, so we had full exoneration on the taxes on the household ... Read More
I have my visa to Dr by Slin1953
Hi allafter I turn in the original documents to the Ministerio De Relaciones Exterior in Santo DomingoHow long will it take to receive the residence thanksslin
There are two waiting times - from online submission of your application to your actual appointment to complete your application (a couple of days to many months), and then processing time from that appointment until your residency is approved. That ... Read More
Business conventions in the Dominican Republic by wondering9
Another super-specific question: when someone in the DR says "24 business hours," is that equivalent to when someone in the US says "3 business days"?(I think we're all already aware that different cultures have different approaches to time, so no ...
I've never heard 24 business hours, but I was told something here - can't remember what - would be resolved in 47 hours. Not 48, not within 48 hours, I was told I would get a response in 47 hours! 馃ぃ Needless to say, it was well beyond 47 ... Read More
Quarantine for pet bird in Dominican Republic by muggo
Greetings:My husband and I are planning to visit the Dominican Republic shortly with our pet parrot. We are familiarizing ourselves with all the governmental regulations and find that quarantine is mandatory.Can anyone tell us what the quarantine ...
@muggo Leslie - you say you are coming for a "visit", which sounds temporary. I would not put any animal through relocation and quarantine unless it is a permanent move. Hopefully, you can find a trusted family member or friend to watch over your ... Read More