Immigration and Overstay Issues

Honey this changed several years ago. I will ask one of my lawyers for the law. I am neither a lawyer not do I have time to search the law.

Your quote of me above is several years old. It changed!

For clarity you must still go thru the residency process. There is I believe a 6 month wait or something,after then you can start the citizenship process.

https://do.ambafrance.org/Situation-mig … ominicaine

Planner, different people report that different lawyers tell them different things, same for the consulates, same for gov offices in the dr.

Yes that is how it is Colonel. But the actual law is there.  I know people who have used it!

Great post everybody, i plan to purchase property  in DR next several years puerto plato-sosua region. My first trip going end of year to celebrate new years.

Welcome to the forums!!! Lots of things to read about and learn. It's a process and we are here to help.

It is in the Constitution here. I posted it a few months back,
Basically, temporary residency/residencia is gender neutral.
The hoops seem to be the same, so far.
Tom.

Thanks Tomas,  I have no time to go looking for it.....LOL

I forgot to mention I was quoting the Constitution as it applies to people married to a Dominican, assuming people would realize that. Then I remembered a famous quote, "ASSUME NOTHING!"
Have a happy Dominicanday!
Tom.

Thanks for your post ,it will assist the expat with the facts to asssist them as they go through the process as to their personal needs. Pugypugy

DR executive order 430-17 mandates that the airlines include the $10 fee in the cost of their tickets. It was supposed to go into effect Jan. 1 but has slipped to April 1st. Probably a good idea to check your ticket if you have purchased one for a flight close to this date.  One less line to enter!  I was going to suggest taking a copy of the Executive order with you just in case (for the airlines or in the DR), but after a bunch of searches, I couldn't find the government document.  My source was Lebawit Girma the author of the popular Moon DR Travel Guide.  Baby steps in the right direction......

I'm a play by the rules gal, so I was wondering if there is a place nearby where you could leave for 24/48 hours and come back to the DR resetting the clock for another 30 days.  For me,  it would have to be cheaper than a roundtrip flight to Florida from the capital which in May would be around $250 on Spirit. (Let's not start a thread on Spirit Airlines - it's the Devil I know!)   I'm not familiar with the smaller airline names that might fly around the  Caribbean in safe planes.  I would love to fly into Las Terrances (SDI) for once (I'm US based), but Santo Domingo is a familiar airport (SDQ). Any feedback appreciated.

Nit sure if that will or will not be enforced but good to know about it.

You can pass into Haiti but that may not be convenient.

You can fly into Puerto Rico, no idea of flight costs or take the ferry from SD to puerto rico.

"confirmed", dors not really mean confirmed, the same way "permanent visa" doescnot really mean .......permanent..........same as "mañan,, usually doesnt mean ..tomorrow.

True!!!

Take the ferry to Puerto Rico for a day?
Tom.

oops, guess I should have read all the posts!

Hahahaha.  We all do that sometimes honey.

Thanks.  What do the initials SD stand for? I will do my own financial analysis, and post any meaningful results.  My questions to group remain:

1. - although it's the DR law that you have to depart after 30 days, and logically leaving the country and reentering again soon after should address the merit of the law.  But are their "informal" DR attitudes that might cause any issues returning? Just looking for experiences of the group or their visitors if any.

2. I could do a "what airlines fly" to all the nearby islands, and one by one pick through them, but using their sites does not compare to personal references on specific airlines.  Safety, of what will probably be smaller planes that island hop is my chief interest and concern.

3.  A "nice to know" question is does the DR Government post any of their government documents online and if so can you provide guidance on how I would access the information.

Personally, I will not need the information immediately, but there is a strong possibility that I may be building a house in Las Terrenas in the future and I see myself coming and going for several months if that does happen. Just doing my planning and watching for Spirit Airlines 90% off discount offers!

P.S. It's 30 degrees F/-1.11C, snowing with weather alerts for accumulations of up to 8". I CAN'T wait to join you.

Inter island flights are as safe as flights can be. Turks & caicos $400 R/T, don't know about Puerto Rico. Check the ferry costs to PR.  SD is Santo Domingo, the capital city.  Like many of the edicts the govt. comes up with, I doubt that this one will be long lived or rigorously enforced, At least I hope not. Maybe it will go the way the helmet law for moto concho passengers went.  I even saw a hotel golf cart on the street today!  Laughter is a prerequisite for a happy life here, or I guess anywhere.

Thank you Tinker40!  You always have good information delivered with a sense of humor!

Answers.

1. No

2. I assume as safe as any small plane trip.  I have only flown,to Port au Prince once and won't be doing that again.

3. There are lots of govt docs online. All are in Spanish so you have to know spanish,to really start searching  for or using them. Not all is online but many are.

Currently 84% F under bright blue skies in santo domingo! 

Thanks Marklp for seeing the bumps on the Green. I prefer the smaller planes, greater glide ratio & a slower stall threshold.  Rather hit at 60 than 185.

They go by entry stamp in passports.

It's cheapest just to pay the shakedown.

Shakedown here is spelled  bribe.  Exit fee is not a bribe, it is a fee paid.  Look at it as a use tax.

Yes, there are several euphemisms for shakedown.  No problem using any of them, just admit to what they are.

It's a shakedown when it goes in their pockets. I agree with Colonel on this one.

It's a shakedown whether in the pockets of a low level agent, or a higher level one.  It's the high level one that insist on it, NOT the low level ones.

Hi planner,

Latest news ...

Tourist stay shifts to 60 days

See the Mirex note herewith.

Mirex  April 2018

Best regards

G.V.

Thanks, however, too small to read clearly, plus, my Spanish isn't fluent enough to understand it all anyway. I'm sure someone will translate it for us.   May this indicate perhaps a return. though, to sanity.

Thanks. I can barely read it but got the jist. I will read clearer tomorrow to figure out when it goes into effect.

It is perfectly legible and easy to read.  Possibly your browser settings or you are using a cell phone.  Just zoom in...easy on a windows computer, no problem with the link.

The issue Mike was I was trying to read on a cell phone.  On my computer its quite easy.  And it appears the tourist visa has shifted AGAIN to  60 days. Good grief they keep changing their minds. 

Lets see where else this is reflected. overstay fines now need to shift again.

Please change the  name of the thread from 'confirmed'.  Nothing is ever confirmed in the dr, but rather....forever changable, always arbitrary, mostly never what one expects in 'the world', etc.     A better name would be something like....''latest rumor'', or....''my anecdote''.

Hi, all...SADLY, I can not agree that this very official looking letter in fact extends the tourist visa to 60 days.  Please note at the bottom, it says is is directed to accredited embassies n consulates.  I get the feeling that it is REMOVING THE OPTION of paying an overstay fine n stating it is imperative a valid Temporary Residence (or, Permanent) visa app be filed with MIREX  upon arrival into the country with a tourist visa n gives you 60 days to do it.

What this letter does NOT say is what happens to overstayers exiting the country that did not comply with the requirements in this letter.

Be assured I will send this today to my attorney in Santiago today n report back what they find out as things evolve.

Suerte -CapnRick

CapnRick, that's a very definite........maybe.

Well  clearly none of us is clear on this.  IF THIS applies to the Visa that is given to apply for residencia then that is not applied to tourists. At best this is ambiguous!!!!!

Lets see what a lawyer says.

Here is what my lawyer responded, I asked if this is extending the tourist visa:

No, just the opposite- it's a warning that all tourists, business travelers and visitors with the 60 day allowance, need to apply for a residence or work visa.  They could face deportation. What a bunch of nuts!!

So this ONLY effects those applying for residencia who get the  60 day visa to do so.

And the crazy just gets crazier...

It does it does it does.

So to recap: this is a warning letter that those who apply for the  60 day visa need to actually apply for residencia.

The tourist visa HAS NOT CHANGED!