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Guest2022
Sorting out the Haitian issues with essential workers for agriculture and construction and dealing with corrupt officials at DGM in the FM corruption case and the more recent one at Jimani must be tying up DGM these days.



But there appears to be a sort of progress on the Haitian work permit issue whereby the workers don't have ID from their own country because of the mess there, and the plan is to issue here. 

DGM approved a resolution a couple of weeks ago in relation to cedula issue by the JCE. DGM resolution 04 2022. in an article in Almomento.net this afternoon the nationalist party FNP is hitting back. Read it for yourself. The legal arguments are deep.


Still no new news on the foreigner registration offices - but honestly I would not have expected much news in high tourist season as the DR recovers visitor numbers which are above pre covid and that allows set up and training.

I suspect what we are seeing is a DGM getting it's house in order after years of imperfect management with actions both staff wise, legally and politically. Perhaps developments starts filtering out after Easter?

Enjoy your overstay whilst it exists at minimal cost or better still use the staying extension to be safe going forward.

planner
I am always amazed when they flaunt their wealth.  Criminals aren't always real smart!

Good warnings here for many!
windeguy
Sorting out the Haitian issues with essential workers for agriculture and construction and dealing with corrupt officials at DGM in the FM corruption case and the more recent one at Jimani must be tying up DGM these days.

- @lennoxnev ...>
 Interesting that legal residency does not seem to have a legal basis for providing said legal residents with a cedula.  Perhaps they could come up with a "legal resident ID card" instead.  Just a thought. 

As for dealing with illegal immigrants, this government has shown, like the previous ones under the PLD, that they cannot walk and chew gum at the same time.  The focus firmly remains on illegal Haitians, which is of course a serious problem, and still ignores those illegally overstaying tourist cards where there are still no ramifications for doing so.  I give up on expecting any changes since the government is obviously incapable of multitasking on these topics. 
planner
Maybe  we need to manage our expectations a little?  Maybe they are tackling the most important (to them)  issues?  Maybe recovering from  the pandemic and  handling the worst of the corruption is a priority?  Maybe too there is work going on we dont know about yet?

I am throwing out ideas!
windeguy
I understand social media is showing a big Haitian roundup in La Vega today.  

My expectations are nil for enforcing general immigration laws as this point. 
WillieWeb
My guess is --- the Haitian problem outnumbers the visitor one... many fold !!

As we say to the 'self important' overstayers -
You are such a small component in the scheme.... a flea on an elephant.

To Planner's point....

Tourism is back on track - HUGE $$ maker
Economy grew 6% - Big win
Corruption is being chased - vigorously

They're doing well -  IMO
planner
I Agree with you!  They just can't so everything at once. 
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Guest2022
Listin Diario has today posted this article.

I am wondering what this is all about and is it significant? Are they aiming to have a situation whereby you to stay/reside legally here you must have a cedula unless a tourist or diplomat? 

Doesn't mention temporary work permit holders and student visa holders? I suspect the driving force is the Haitian essential workers (who would get RT3 annual temporary residency) and the soon to operate foreigner registration offices and those of us that are legally 'resident' will all have to hold a cedula. 

Also does this mean someone arriving with a residency visa in process of getting residency has to go to JCE to get a cedula?

Lots of questions here.

And your cedula is linked into all the other government agencies and departments - as I found out yesterday renewing my car insurance - asked it they need a copy of my valid Dominican driving license and was told no they can see that through the cedula. 

Is this another piece in the jigsaw to control illegal stays in DR?

Migration orders foreigners with a temporary card and permanent residence to request an identity card

The provision exempts tourists, diplomatic officials and consultants accredited in the country who enter on an official mission


The General Directorate of Migration ordered that all foreigners, over 18 years of age, who have been granted a temporary residence card and permanent or definitive residence , from RT-2 to RT-9, must request an identity card from the Central Board Electoral (JCE), prior to compliance with all legal formalities.

The measure was approved by this agency through a resolution issued on March 15, 2022, signed by its director, Enrique García.

The provision exempts tourists, diplomatic officials and accredited consultants in the country who enter on an official mission.

Likewise, it orders that the resolution be communicated to the JCE, explaining that it is the body responsible for issuing the identity card, which grants a unique number to each citizen for identification.

Legality

The measure is based on article 45 of the General Immigration Law and article 15, paragraph II, of the Application Regulation, number 631-11.

Law 285-04, General Immigration, establishes in article 45 the following: “Foreigners who enter the country with a residence visa will apply to the General Directorate of Immigration for Temporary Residence or Permanent Residence, complying with the prescribed requirements. in this law and its regulations.

In the paragraph of that article it states that "the foreigner will request an extension of his stay in the country before the General Directorate of Immigration, when the time authorized for his stay is not enough to exhaust the process of applying for residence." It adds that this extension may not exceed 30 days , but may be renewed at the discretion of the competent authority, at the reasoned request of the petitioner.

Meanwhile, article 35 of the regulations for the application of the migration law indicates that “By express mandate of numeral 2 of article 25 of the Constitution, every Foreigner who is in the Dominican Republic and who has been admitted as a permanent resident, is obliged to register in the Immigration Book that the DGM will open for such purposes, prior to the delivery of the residence, whether it is temporary or permanent.

And in paragraph II of that article, it provides that "Every Foreigner, at the time of obtaining their temporary or permanent residence in the country, will have the obligation to go to the Central Electoral Board in order to have an Identity Card issued in accordance with to the resolutions issued on the matter by the Central Electoral Board”.
windeguy
Looks to me that when you are a resident that in addition to having a temporary or permanent residency card you must also have a cedula.  Is this something "new"?  I think not, just a restatement of what already should be done. 
Guest2022
It perhaps is for a specific reason . RT3 holders are temporary resident workers and this would be the category which essential Haitian workers fall into. If in doubt go to the DGM resident services page and find RT3. . There apparently are only 38k officially registered so we are talking big numbers of new temporary residents and cedulization so Haitians have an identity card for use of services in DR. 

The issue of other temporary legal residents including those with student and short term visas longer than 30 days is confusing. Tourists are non residents clearly. 

We should not confuse cedulas with citizenship and voting rights. We are talking cedulas as identity cards for legal stayers  here is my take for Haitians but it can easily translate to all to control illegal immigration. 


windeguy
While it also applies to RT3 holders  I see this wording:  " The General Directorate of Migration ordered that all foreigners, over 18 years of age, who have been granted a temporary residence card and permanent or definitive residence , from RT-2 to RT-9, must request an identity card from the Central Board Electoral (JCE), prior to compliance with all legal formalities."

Guest2022
We know that people with temporary residency RT3 don't get a cedula right now as confirmed on another social media site today through personal experience.

But what are temporary residencies RT2, RT5, RT6, RT7 and RT8? From the DGM site we know what is RT3 (labour) , RT4 (religion) and RT9 (ordinary). Perhaps for all categories other than RT9 which as expats we are aware that a cedula gets issued as a matter of course guided by lawyers.

I think what we should focus on is the requirement to get all persons over 18 years of age other than tourist or diplomat to get a cedula or rather Dominican ID. That seems to be the more significant issue. You would then have people who are legally here with a Dominican cedula and those without are tourists, diplomats or people here illegally.


WillieWeb
Exactly.... the thin edge of the wedge to identify 'non-legals'...............easily
planner
Diplomats have special status. Let me ask Lishali for clarification
planner
Here is what Lishali (Lily) Baez  sent me:

There is a new resolution April 2022, RT2 through RT9 will now have a cedula, it’s approved but not happening yet because the Immigration Department needs to upgrade their system to implement cedula number along with the residency number.   RT-2 are workers in a DR company registered as investors with a lower investment, RT-7 dependent of RT-3 which is a Work permit.  RT 9 is ordinary temporary residency. RT4 is for religious person.   Not sure who receives RT5 and RT6, I’m asking.  All of the above had permits from the Immigration Department, but did not have cedulas, which makes their local activities a nightmare because everyone wants/needs a cedula, now they are all having a cedula

RT5 political asylum and RT6 refugees  -  on the list but currently not being used.

Guest2022
Excellent information. 

Will student and sports visa holders get a cedula in due course too? And residency visa too which has a short duration and after lodging documents here, getting residency and cedula takes time?

The cedula is the Dominican ID document and ensuring all those legally residing in DR hold one makes sense. It could offer a means of more thorough immigration management if demanded for longer term daily life activities such as utlities, banking and insurance and more. 

I do think expats who overstay should start rethinking their longer term planning including using the staying extension. 

Clearly DGM continues bit by bit to get its house in order. 

And the planning of MIP Provincial Foreigner Registration Offices begins to make more sense now too. 



Sondrax
Hello,

today we had one of the most nervous situations in our life. We are from Poland, and we decided to move to DR for a few years. We bought here a car, thinking about buying/build house, and we are totally destroyed after today. We came to DR in January, after few days we extend our truism visa on official immigration site. We had small problems with certificate medico, but we fixed it fast and received positive decision – our stay in country is legal 120 days (30+90). We want to make short break and reset our visa, so we decide to fly for 2 weeks to Puerto Rico, but our good mood need to be destroyed by immigration department. We… need to pay AGAIN for our visa, because they didn’t see in the system that we did it before, we don’t joke. Not only that, but we spent with talking about 40 min, talked with 5 or 6 immigration persons in airport, showed decision that we did it before, showed bank statement with payment, everything for nothing. We had about 10 min to start our flight, so we had two options, don’t fly or pay it once again. This is ridiculous, that you want to do it legal and in the end you need to pay for the same. We are driving a car here, we need to be legal in Dominican Republic so for us doing it online is the best option… but we are enough and very very disappointed after today.

We don't know what do now.

planner
While I am sorry for your experience, that is not unusual.   Nothing here works as we think it should. 

Frankly if you cannot handle that kind of screwup how will you handle the big ones?  seriously this country is inefficient to put it nicely.  And sometimes I use much much stronger words!   

What happened to you is wrong and you may be able to fight it and get a refund but it will cost you huge amounts of time and frustration.   
Tippj
I’m sure you could get a refund by asking the Dominican imagination office on how to go about it , being that everything is documented , but how much energy and time does someone want to spend doing that instead of enjoying the rest of your stay  ……. Write it off as a leaning curve and remember this is a third world country
rfmaurone
@planner
You make a great point, we have to look at these things in a brighter light, from what I can tell, the systems rules and culture has not matured as much as in Europe & the United States. I don’t expect electricity and water be available 24x7x365.   If we acknowledge this part of the world, Hispaniola and the balance of the Caribbean are still developing then understanding the things that don’t work the same way they work in the US & Europe. I hope this unwinds some of the stress I sense in this thread.  All have a great day, be the difference you want to see. Planner thanks for all you do, you rock star, rock !
planner
Thanks all!
Jonnie San Pedro
Sondrax, I proceed with a general mindset that I will always be ripped off. When I'm not (95% of the time), I feel happy. This may sound cynical, but not so when tempered with a small dose of humorous outlook. I would advise never paying in advance for anything when that option is available. I have no doubt I will be paying the exit fee at the airport when my extension is up, so there wasn't a moment of consideration to paying in advance online. Again, don't fret. Just live, learn, and have a cold drink.
Sondrax

The worst in this story isn't that you need to pay twice for the same, worse for me is that, that this girl who checked it, even don't ask us if we do it online. They can't imagine that you trying to be fair and correct with law and you did it before.

How they can't resepct official goverment site and official confirmation that you did it before. It's really sad, becasue I feel that in have to pay again (even with confirmation that you did in online) for the same all the times I will left the coutry.

The simples thing (what doing 99% persons) is pay fee after you left they country. It's shouldn't work in this way that better to cheathing than trying respect law.

Thank you for yours words and helping me!

Guest2022
Did they not give you a receipt when you prepay online? For government not to give a receipt for a payment received is odd from my experience.

Anyhow you must have a credit card record for your payment online to get a refund so all is not lost.
Jonnie San Pedro
On a tangent relative to the original topic, one aspect of the extension that is a bit inconvenient and discomforting is having nothing to show for a successful application for an extension. Presumably, it is duly recorded in the computer system. That's it though. Nothing to show a government official, a cop, etc . . .
Guest2022
Are you not sent an email confirming the approval of the extended stay as they state in their website?

I would have thought payment confirmation would also be sent.

There are several posters who have done this successfully so perhaps their input is needed.
Jonnie San Pedro
Lennoxnev, I stand corrected. I have just gone back and logged back in to the portal. There is a PDF document (not originally available when I was approved) that shows my extension approval.
Guest2022
Irrelevant following next posting
Jonnie San Pedro
I stand corrected again. They did give me the 120 days.
[link under review]
Jonnie San Pedro
So to be clear, once you are approved, you will have a PDF letter you can print or save on your phone. In my experience this was not available immediately upon approval. After you are approved, check the portal every day or two until the link appears.
Sondrax

Welcome back friends:

I had/showed my PDF letter - there was everything, my names, address, passport details and last days when is valid my tourist visa.

I showed also my bank statement with confirmation payment (was 2500 DOP price that I PAID)

They checked it few times, few different persons, someone really was trying to help me, but some government officials at the airport don't care about it.

What is interesting, guy who checked my passport don't say anything, everything was ok and correct. He later was trying to help us and talking with others, but he can't do more. We have to pay.

If they don't respect it and I have only two options: pay or miss my plane.

I can't understand what I can do more - only maybe call to president to respect law.


Guest2022
You say it was us that went to PR and say you paid 2500 pesos.

If you hadn't paid enough for the whole family, then that might have been the issue with immigration.

How many flew? How many multiples of 2500 pesos did you pay online to DGM? Two family members = 5000 pesos 3 = 7500 pesos. What sum did you pay at the airport?

At least you have a record of one extension payment as you state in your e-mail, and should be able to get a refund for that if you paid twice. Go to DGM or e-mail them or use their forum online if this is the case.

Your posts and records appear to support a claim to DGM.
Sondrax

We were in two persons, so we paid 5000 RD (2x2500) but we showed on aiport also TWO PDF (two tourist visa) that we paid the same amount (each 1x2500RD so 5000 RD total for two person), I am in Puerto Rico now but back soon and for sure I will mail and go to imigration office in Santo Doming. It's not about money but I am really angry about this situation.

It was happen a lot of people on aiport, but they didn't pay it via internet before, so they pay it normally on aiport. As I wrote, the worst for me isn't that I paid but is that they don't even think that you could do it online, it was look like that they first time in their life see this kind of pracite.

Maybe more turist are flying from Punta Cana and they know how to operation with this, anyway it was really dissapointed for us.

Guest2022
They were looking for an official receipt of payment.

Thats how government institutions work in DR. Always insist on official receipts. A copy of a bank statement means nothing to them. They were only doing their job as told.

Perhaps check the portal to see if a recept was posted after your extension confirmation noting Jonnie SP post above?

A bad experience but you should be able to reclaim successfully.
Sondrax

That's what I got and showed - they didn't care.

76df3f5330f34.png


Riva31
Hello,

today we had one of the most nervous situations in our life. We are from Poland, and we decided to move to DR for a few years. We bought here a car, thinking about buying/build house, and we are totally destroyed after today. We came to DR in January, after few days we extend our truism visa on official immigration site. We had small problems with certificate medico, but we fixed it fast and received positive decision – our stay in country is legal 120 days (30+90). We want to make short break and reset our visa, so we decide to fly for 2 weeks to Puerto Rico, but our good mood need to be destroyed by immigration department. We… need to pay AGAIN for our visa, because they didn’t see in the system that we did it before, we don’t joke. Not only that, but we spent with talking about 40 min, talked with 5 or 6 immigration persons in airport, showed decision that we did it before, showed bank statement with payment, everything for nothing. We had about 10 min to start our flight, so we had two options, don’t fly or pay it once again. This is ridiculous, that you want to do it legal and in the end you need to pay for the same. We are driving a car here, we need to be legal in Dominican Republic so for us doing it online is the best option… but we are enough and very very disappointed after today.

We don't know what do now.

- @Sondrax

Keep all your prove that you double paid, you can get a refund with DGII  or Inmigration office showing that you double paid the tax.    Sorry to heard  about it.
AlaPlaya
Hello,

today we had one of the most nervous situations in our life. We are from Poland, and we decided to move to DR for a few years. We bought here a car, thinking about buying/build house, and we are totally destroyed after today. We came to DR in January, after few days we extend our truism visa on official immigration site. We had small problems with certificate medico, but we fixed it fast and received positive decision – our stay in country is legal 120 days (30+90). We want to make short break and reset our visa, so we decide to fly for 2 weeks to Puerto Rico, but our good mood need to be destroyed by immigration department. We… need to pay AGAIN for our visa, because they didn’t see in the system that we did it before, we don’t joke. Not only that, but we spent with talking about 40 min, talked with 5 or 6 immigration persons in airport, showed decision that we did it before, showed bank statement with payment, everything for nothing. We had about 10 min to start our flight, so we had two options, don’t fly or pay it once again. This is ridiculous, that you want to do it legal and in the end you need to pay for the same. We are driving a car here, we need to be legal in Dominican Republic so for us doing it online is the best option… but we are enough and very very disappointed after today.

We don't know what do now.

- @Sondrax
If you have the receipt, I would send the Migración department an email and see if they can provide you with a refund for the amount you already paid them. info@migracion.gob.do.

One thing you didn't mention in this post was how long you paid for on the extension. If you paid only 2,500 pesos per person, but were here more than 90 days (calculated from the date of your entry), then you and your partner owed 4,000 pesos each, not 2,500 pesos. Perhaps they collected the difference at the airport from the amount you paid Migración and the amount you owed?

As a matter of practice, I have requested/obtained several extensions to tourist visas. Each time I complete the paperwork online, I always request the maximum number of days, but I never prepay, because I don't want to overpay on the extension, if I end up leaving within the 90 days, instead of 120 days. There is also no penalty for completing the paperwork and then waiting until your departure to pay.

So to be clear, once you are approved, you will have a PDF letter you can print or save on your phone. In my experience this was not available immediately upon approval. After you are approved, check the portal every day or two until the link appears.

- @Jonnie San Pedro
With regards to this, as soon as the Migración department approves (the third step on their little timeline on the website) the extension, the .pdf document is available for download. It's there when they send you the third email.

And a final miscellaneous note regarding processing time--in my experience the typical processing time frame from the date of submission of the application to the date of approval is 3 days (with the original submission being processed either the same day or the second day). However, on my most recent application, my submission was not processed until the 4th day, and was not approved until the 5th day. The government also seems to have removed any mention of a 3-day turnaround time which was previously included on the information page for the tourist extension application.
Guest2022
Surely with deported and returning Haitians in mind, this amendment to the Immigration Law 285-04 is proposed:

Bill seeks to imprison and fine undocumented repeat offenders in the DR


The project to amend the General Migration Law 285-04, authored by Senator Carlos Gómez , seeks to define and punish the illegal entry of foreigners into Dominican territory on the understanding that migratory regulation and control in the country is a right inalienable and sovereign of the State, for which the government must guide its migration policy towards strengthening the legal entry of foreigners and the control of irregular immigration.

The conditions of entry, permanence and exit of foreigners in the national territory, as well as those of exit and return of nationals from or to the national territory are established in the General Law of Migration and in the regulations of application of said legislation.

A press release from the legislator of the Espaillat province, Carlos Gómez, establishes in the recitals of the initiative, that "the presence of foreigners in national territory is regulated so that everyone must be under a condition of legality in the country. ”, in addition that “ the conditions of entry, permanence and exit of foreigners in the national territory, as well as those of exit and return of nationals from or to the national territory are established in the General Law of Migration and in the regulations of application of said legislation.

The bill to modify the law establishes as illegal re-entry “when any foreigner enters, attempts to enter or is at any time in the territory of the Dominican Republic without the approval of the corresponding authorities after being denied admission, is expelled, deported or left the country while there was a pending removal or deportation order.”

It also considers as a crime the illegal re-entry of a foreigner to the Dominican Republic, when he has been the subject of a process of inadmission, deportation and expulsion from Dominican territory, without having the proper authorization from the competent agencies, sanctioning, according to evaluation of the circumstances that gave rise to the non-admission, deportation and expulsion from Dominican territory, and taking into consideration whether or not the person who re-enters illegally has a criminal record in the Dominican Republic, with fines ranging from two to one hundred minimum wages and / or imprisonment of fifteen days up to five years.

In the event that the person who re-enters illegally does not have a criminal record, he or she will be sanctioned with fines ranging from two to twenty minimum wages in the public sector or with fifteen to ninety days in prison, both penalties being imposed at the same time. .

In the event that a foreigner, without the approval of the corresponding agencies, after being convicted of committing a crime or crime that gave rise to deportation or expulsion, re-enters the Dominican Republic illegally, he or she will be sanctioned with fines. ranging from ten to one hundred salaries in the public sector or prison from two years to ten years in prison, or both sentences at the same time.

Senator Gómez's project establishes that any person who, after being convicted of illegal re-entry into the Dominican Republic, enters again without having obtained authorization from the corresponding authorities, will be "sanctioned with double the sentence previously imposed."

Just another indication the current politicians want tougher immigration control and penalties.

Few overstayers have been denied re-entry but there are occasional cases and they would no doubt be sanctioned if they re-enter without a visa if this amendment gets signed into law.
Guest2022
The problems earlier this week at Ciudad Juan Bosch in Santo Domingo has stirred a hornets nest:

Director of Migration recommends illegal foreigners in the DR to go to their country without causing problems


The General Director of Migration, Enrique García, recommended that foreigners who are illegally in the Dominican Republic go to their country to avoid problems, after the incident that occurred in Ciudad Juan Bosch where the institution he directs carried out an operation as a result of a confrontation between Haitians and agents of the entity.

"The incident in Ciudad Juan Bosch is something that should never have happened, it is unfortunate that some illegal aliens are taking these actions that are painful for everyone," he said.

He reiterated that he has always stated that the General Directorate of Migration respects human rights and due process, but that they will not allow disrespect for authority.

“We are not going to allow disrespect for authority, we are a free and independent country that has every right to expel any illegal foreigner and we are never going to give that up,” he emphasized.

He argued that if foreigners face authority, they will face authority. “Whoever is not legal in the country, we recommend that they leave the country and not look for major problems,” he indicated.

Illegal immigration is front centre yet again and whilst this is about Haitians, they have to apply the same to all foreigners so there will be other examples being set even if few.
ddmcghee

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