Why I'm Getting My Dominican Passport ASAP!

Welcome to the Grubernation Newsletter!

I share information, tactics and tips for moving abroad, living your dream and EVERYTHING in between.

In this week’s edition:

• Why I’m Getting My Dominican Passport ASAP

• 3 Investments That Allowed Me to Move to DR

• This Nomad Chose the DR over the US

I’d love for you to check out my YouTube channel for deeper dives into a ton of ‘living in Dominican Republic’ topics with SO much more to come! Subscribing, liking and commenting helps support the channel and means a ton to me.

WHY YOU NEED YOUR DOMINICAN PASSPORT NOW

A year ago, I hired an attorney to work on my residency and eventual citizenship in Dominican Republic.  

My wife is a citizen by birth (lived in DR until age 12) and when we moved here, getting the kids citizenship was relatively easy.  I say that because my wife did all the work 

I got motivated, paid the attorney, she sent me the one thing I need to do which is get my fingerprints so she can do the rest .. and then I got distracted.

Recently, I got motivated again for one big reason!

Before I go on, many have asked for a referral to a Dominican immigration attorney. Happy to connect you to mine. Simply complete this form. As always, ensure you’re comfortable with the person before doing business with them. 

For context, there are 3 ways I’m aware of that you can attain citizenship:

#1:  The  Marriage Route

Being married to a Dominican for 2+ years gives me a much easier path than someone that’s not.  I can apply for an get temporary residency and once granted, can immediately apply for citizenship. 

What’s more, I don’t even need to be in the country! If I never left the United States I can do all of the above simply because I’m married to a Dominican citizen. 

#2:  The Residency Route

Without being married to a Dominican, a foreigner can apply for and be granted TEMPORARY residency.  Once again, you do NOT need to live in DR for this.  After holding temporary residency for 5 years, you can then get PERMANENT residency (still don’t need to live here).  

Then, after 2 years of permanent residency you can apply for citizenship.  That’s a total of 7 years of residency status before getting citizenship.

#3:  The Investment Route

This may be the easiest for someone that’s not Dominican or married to a Dominican.  There are 3 ways to get PERMANENT residency by investment:

• Pensioners making $1500/month USD

• Foreigners making $2000/month USD in passive income

• Anyone that invests $200,000 USD in Dominican real estate

The $200,000 requirement is cumulative – meaning if you purchased two $100,000 properties, that counts.

Once you apply under any of the 3 investment clauses for residency, you immediately get PERMANENT residency and then can apply 2 years later for citizenship. 

PLEASE consult with a professional to confirm all of the above and the nuances of your specific situation.

Now let’s get to the BIG reason…

A Dominican passport is fairly limited in terms of access to other developed nations and/or desirable destinations when compared to many others. 

You can go to places like Brazil, Colombia, Japan, Israel, South Korea and even Russia visa free right now.  

That list has expanded in the last 5 years going from 60 countries to 70 today 

Here’s what got me motivated to finish off my residency, citizenship and get the passport…

In the last 12 months, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has started negotiating for visa-free access to all Schengen nations!!

Schengen is a small town in Luxembourg where an agreement was signed between 27 nations (23 EU and 4 non-EU) to allow for passport free travel between them. 

The majority of nations need to agree to allow the Dominican Republic visa free access, but two variables make me confident this will happen

First is that Schengen has admitted additional countries recently including Kosovo, Romania and Bulgaria.

Second is Abinader has already received support from Spain, Portugal and Italy and is in talks with Germany and France – all of which are key nations 

If and when the bid is approved, Dominican citizens can travael to all of those places plus Iceland, Finland, Greece, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland and many others!

Every investment in the Dominican Republic is and should be considered speculative. 

This is a developing nation with evidence of massive momentum toward being developed. 

Credit rating, corruption, tourism, GDP growth, safety and international investment all are trending in a very positive direction.

That said, it’s still a high risk/high return investment.

With a strengthening Dominican passport, it may not be as easy in the future to get residency (without being here) and later citizenship.

Therefore, I have a fire lit under me to get my residency and citizenship ASAP so my family has our second passport in a country that, I believe, will continue to progress toward visa free travel in more and more of the developed world.

I LOVE the United States, but if China takes over as the economic super power, or if BRICS gets more momentum .. I’d rather my family travel as Dominicans in the future instead of as Americans. 

3 Investments That Allowed Me to Move To Dominican Republic

Fair warning .. what I’m about to say is likely NOT what you’re expecting.

In fact, most people will not even consider the investments that I’m about to outline. That may be due to lack of full understanding, unclear sense of the return, or more likely the fact that it’s outside the norm.

I had an exchange with someone on Instagram this week where they asked for advice on how they can earn money and move to Dominican Republic.

I scrolled up in the DM and saw the same question asked 3 months ago along with a tactical reply for a key action step this person could take.

When I saw that, I simply replied to this new request by asking ‘did you do the last thing I suggested?’

Unfortunately I could predict the answer.

‘Not yet’ he said.

I’m not judging or shaming this individual, but more pointing out that most of us want the quick, simple path to an outcome and aren’t willing to try something someone else has done because they can’t see today what they get tomorrow.

With that in mind, I’m going to share the BEST investments I’ve made that have given me the ability to earn and live anywhere in the world.

#1: My Network

In 2018, I learned of these things called ‘mastermind groups’. The term comes from a book called ‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill.

He explains that when two or more minds come together to work consistently on a problem they create a ‘master mind’ that shortens the distance from here to there.

Mr. Beast explained this principle PERFECTLY in just 2 minutes. 

The challenge is, where do you find the people to ‘mastermind’ with - that will be committed, dedicated and share values.

I’ve found that money creates accountability. 

You give me free tickets, I may go.

I pay for the tickets, you’re damn sure I’m going.

For me, I wanted to learn how to be an entrepreneur, how to invest in real estate, the principles of business since I was a lifetime employee.

Annually, I invest over $20,000 to be a member of a ‘mastermind’.

There are many great ones, but I chose Gobundance.

Gobundance doesn’t necessarily teach me anything, it doesn’t promise an outcome - but I pay good money to simply be in a room where I can share ideas with people who have the experience, knowledge and guts to tell me where I’m right and wrong. 

Sounds crazy huh?

$20,000 for access to hang out with people?

Well, here’s my return over time:

• Partnered with another member in an apartment syndication company called Quantum Capital and we’ve done 12 deals together

• Met a member who had me assist with their sales work earning me six figures annually

• Became a series A investor in Green Coffee Company since the founder is a Gobundance member and my initial investment has more than doubled (PLUS GCC just became the exclusive rights distributor for Juan Valdez brands in the US and Canada AND .. they are now the largest coffee company in Colombia)

These and other opporutnites have earned me well into the six figures in equity and income over my 5 year membership.

Your network is your net worth - period.

If you’re hanging with fat people when you’re trying to get a six-pack, the path forward is much harder than if you get around others that have what you want.

But there is a key to this .. all I do is serve! 

I don’t ask for anything.

I don’t expect anything.

I just see how I can help others, and the return comes. 

The incalculable return on investment is the experiences that come from knowing amazing and accomplished people.

My family and I were invited to sit in the owners suite at a Major League Baseball team since I became friends with the owner of the team by joining these mastermind groups.

That means my kids normalize success, they have a sense of what is possible because of the experiences they gain.

While at the game, I met this author and venture capitalist who was thinking about running for Senate. Super nice guy. We had a couple drinks, burgers and even ice cream out of a plastic helmet.

This has NOTHING to do with politics - again at the time he was just an author, wasn’t even a Senator yet. 

But the point is you meet some pretty interesting people which leads to pretty interesting opportunities financially and otherwise when you invest in who you surround yourself with!

#2: Others Success

What I learned from all these successful entrepreneurs I’ve met is that they don’t ask ‘what’s a good business opportunity?’, they ask ‘where do people need help?’

My core business is a membership community of aspiring entrepreneurs that I created prior to leaving my day job. 

Like Gobundance (and actually partnered with that organization), my Emerge community is a group of people who pay $5000/year to be surrounded by like minded people holding them accountable.

My role is taking time, energy and effort to ensure that environment is cultivated, that connections are made, that information is exchanged for others to have success.

We’ve had 90 of our members go on to become millionaires not because of something I did, or some program they followed, but because they maximized their investment to network, partner, grow and get exposure to bigger and better opportunities.

All I did was recognize people wanted this and put a team, structure and systems around it to give them the space to grow.

When I moved to DR, I shared my story like I always have on social media. The intention was just to document this incredible journey for me, my kids and to help others that have interest in doing something like this.

I’m perfectly content to make a living off of my Emerge community and host my podcast.

But at a certain point, so many people started asking for a realtor connection in DR so they can start looking for property.

Initially I would say no, but then realized this is an opportunity to invest in others success.

I’m here, I’ve met realtors and worked with them, I’ve built relationships and have a level of trust with some of them.

So I offered that connection to help others be successful with their path to ownership in DR and the realtors pay me a percentage if a referral closes with them.

Many people tell me they understand my approach - that I’m trying to promote DR so that people buy and I get paid. That’s a cynical and false assumption.

It’s also why I believe many are not successful. They see the world in transactions.

What I do is serve a community of people to the best of my ability with no expectation of a return. Knowing that the return I get will be proportionate to the value I provide.

I don’t think ‘oh this video or newsletter will get me leads and closes so I get paid’. 

I think ‘this is something people are asking for, so let me show them’.

Case in point was a recent Instagram reel about Talentum, a special needs school in Punta Cana.

Over the years, I’ve replied to countless people asking about special needs services for kids locally and told them they’re better off not moving here or looking in Santo Domingo.

When I found Talentum, I was so excited I had to see it and share it.

By being in service and providing value, I have confidence that it’ll eventually pay off in some way shape or form. 

I then remain open to the possibility. That’s served me for 46 years!

#3: My Employees

There’s a false saying going around about the current generation indicating ‘they don’t want to work’. 

Did you know that there are articles dating back to 1916 in newspapers and magazines where the older generation is lamenting the fact that the new generation doesn’t want to work anymore? 

After the Great Depression, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the 70’s inflation crisis, the Savings and Loan collapse in the 80’s, the dot com bubble in the 90’s, etc etc.

What’s true is this generation is demanding we invest in their success in a different way than we have.

Gen Z or Millenials are very wise. They prioritize life over work.

That’s CRAZY talk to boomers and Gen X folks like me.

WE tell YOU the company vision.

WE tell YOU what we need in our business.

WE tell YOU if you’re a fit for what WE are trying to accomplish.

The best organizations in this era don’t have issues with people not wanting to work, they don’t have issues with recruitment or culture. 

The best organizations know this..

Be a leader that understands and enrolls in THEIR vision, not the other way around.

Imagine a workplace where you boss understands your goal is to move to DR, and they even insist on you having a picture of your dream DR house on your cube wall.

And then every performance review or sit down is focused on how the company and leader is working to make YOUR dream a reality. 

You think you’d wanna work?

You think you’d be all in for that boss/company?

Sure you would.

I invest in the goals and ambitions of the people that I have the privilege to work with. 

I’m not perfect, but that’s the energy and culture I work hard to create.

Investing in my teams goals makes their investment in me stronger, and it allows me to do what I want, when I want.

Which one of these three are you willing to invest in?

Nomad Chose Dominican Republic over United States

Dan Kerchum is known on Instagram as the ‘Flying CMO’ (give him a follow). He and I sat down at Don Pulpo in Punta Cana and discussed why he chose a luxury lifestyle in DR over the 6 other countries he’s lived in, including the United States!

Best discussion over Mofongo, Fried Snapper and Conch that I’ve EVER had 😄 

What hit for you in this week’s edition? And what topics might you like to hear about in future editions? Thanks again for being on this journey with me.