Advantages
of Obtaining Residency Status in the Dominican Republic
Many foreigners
living in the Dominican Republic question the usefulness
of obtaining resident status given the lax enforcement of
immigration laws by the Dominican government. In fact, however,
foreigners who have obtained their residencies enjoy very
definite advantages over the illegal alien, among them,
the following:
-
A
legal resident can work and do business legally in the
Dominican Republic; a nonresident cannot.
-
A
resident is allowed to bring in tax free his household
items, ranging from kitchen appliances, to furniture
(Article 13 of Law #146-00). A nonresident must pay
applicable duties on these goods.
-
A
nonresident cannot sue a Dominican national or a legal
resident in court without posting a bond, usually quite
high. A legal resident is exempt from this requirement.
-
In
case of inheritance, a nonresident beneficiary must
pay a 50% surcharge on applicable estate taxes; residents
are not subject to this surcharge.
-
For
many foreigners interested in not paying taxes in
their home countries on income earned outside their
home country, it is a prerequisite to obtain residency
status in another country.
-
A
resident can enter the Dominican Republic without having
to buy a tourist card; a nonresident must obtain a visa
or buy a tourist card.
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