Immigration and Overstay Issues

The info was good, in the wrong place and contains all the lawyers links.  It will be removed and cleaned up and posted in the right place

HI

I was watching a video suggesting Cabrera because it is in the middle no too far
am planing to retire in DR coming from Canada, Pls how long you been in  Cabrera ?
if need to retire should we apply to  a residence paper? am planing to stay in DR for 4-5 month a year
I do speak English and french.
for a good place to rent how much is it?
and for basic monthly shopping like  foods and bills phone electricity ....

You really just need to come visit and check a few places.

hi
We are Canadian couple trying to retire in DR .
do u know if we stay out of Canada for 5 or 6 month on the roll we loose our OHIP?? medical insurance in Canada?

If you live in Ontario, you can be out of the country for 6 months and still maintain your healthcare. 6 months is the limit for Ontario. B.C. and Nova Scotia have a 7 month window....

what happen if i stay more then 6 month can i re active the health care when going back to Ontario
any idea? I may have to ask here in Canada

You will have to return and stay 3 months before it is reactivated I am told.

As I understand it, if it expires and they know it you have to reapply and wait 6 months.  Strange rule, since as a new resident to the country you only have to wait 3 months.   I guess it's to ensure you meet the minimum amount of time in Canada before you leave again.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/ohip-covera … ide-canada

Away for more than seven months

If you plan to be outside Canada for more than seven months in any 12-month period you can keep your OHIP coverage for up to two years if you:

    have a valid health card
    make Ontario your primary home
    will be in Ontario for at least 153 days a year in each of the two years immediately before you leave the country

they keep saying confirmed but offer Zero evidence of how it has been confirmed I speak with people on a weekly basis returning from overstay without problems, literally every week. rumors in the Dominican Republic are really something

Big Carl there are actual confirmed cases of people refused entry.  They are few and in specific groups. It is not widespread or common but it is real.  It is not a rumor.

As I have mentioned before Carl, it depends.  I personally traveled back and forth from Canada, living in the DR for years before getting my residency here.  When I decided to get it, I did so without any issues and received my DR driver's license on the same day as I received my residency and cedula.  Does that happen to everyone...I am sure the answer is an overwhelming NO.

If you don't feel comfortable about overstaying, then you might be better off going the long route and getting your residency.  Yes, it is a difficult overwhelming process for most people.

That's life in the DR.

This was posted recently on DR1.com

Change to arrival passport stamp
Feel like it's been a while since this forum freaked out about overstay fee...

Noticed on my arrival this week to sti the stamp now has a spot to write visa type (marked na for me) and a spot for validity period (marked 30 días for me)

Didn't see any posts here about the new stamps

https://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php/1 … port-stamp

and my reply----

yessir !!

I got it ....
mine's filled out

Visa type = RP-1 (resident
Hasta= my expiry date....Apr 10/22

I notice also that they are now careful to match up the stamps -
IN/OUT are beside each other for easy reference - I assume


I never look... but I just came back Feb 11 - @ POP
My Jan 28 entry at SDQ doesn't have it

My stamp

Can’t do it.... too stupid

They are therefore finally doing what every other regional country does by stating how long you are able to stay in the country in your passport. The visa stamp addresses whether one can work or not. Many countries simply state no work allowed on the entry stamp.

Now it is abundantly clear to everyone entering what is their legal stay allowance by reference one's passport only.

Whether it changes anything in relation to the thread title is another question all together.

I don't understand your comments.  I travel all over the world and no one has ever stamped and mentioned how long I can stay.  Very strange.

When I come into DR I state 30 days on my immigration form.  My passport is stamped but no mention of how long I can stay.  If I stay longer I've not had a problem, I just paid the overstay fine.  I assume that is still the case

Ducketts

It appears to still be the case however it also appears the gov't is moving forward in maintaining control of immigration.

I did specifically state regionally and the Caribbean is a place that expats like to relocate and where countries offer residency by investment. in this part of the world you are made aware of your permitted time allowed in the country and if you want to stay longer you have to get pre-authorization or face the consequences.

If you go to TCI, Bahamas, BVI, Anguilla, St Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, SXM and the Cayman Islands you will have your passport stamped with period of allowed stay defined.

Further more a quick check of past passports confirm, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, Singapore, Hong Kong, Kenya and  Egypt also state the period of permitted stay.

The USA used to do this too several years ago and on a recent trip to St Croix my time allowed was hand written on entry stamps.

Anyhow, DR is now pretty clear on this too apparently and you will have your legal permitted stay documented in your passport. It doesn't mean that business as normal will not continue, but it does prove you have been advised in your international travel document.

And let's not forget that in DR, we are all required to carry our ID by law. Mine is my cedula and yours is your passport.

Don't panic over a post which simply says from now on on, at immigration entry you will be formally advised of your permitted stay. But do consider what could lie in the the future is my advice especially if you are long term expats and have assets here. Also please read your country's foreign travel advice. The UK is clear and more so Canada.

Sounds like nothing has changed except that it will be easier for immigration to figure out how much to charge you when you leave because with their 70-75 IQ they are having difficulty finding the pages....only my experience. 

The last time I left they wouldn't let my son out of the country because his passport didn't have an entry stamp.  He is Dominican\Canadian with a Cdn passport that was renewed in the DR and they kept the old passport, therefore no entry stamp.  Much too difficult for them to figure out what to do...

It's different every time.  Welcome to the DR...

ducketts wrote:

I don't understand your comments.  I travel all over the world and no one has ever stamped and mentioned how long I can stay.  Very strange.

When I come into DR I state 30 days on my immigration form.  My passport is stamped but no mention of how long I can stay.  If I stay longer I've not had a problem, I just paid the overstay fine.  I assume that is still the case

Ducketts

There is a new entry stamp... effective quite recently...
Where they write in the type of visa you are entering on and how long it’s valid for

This is brand new

Willie, different stamp, same meaning...only my opinion.  Doesn't mean that there are any changes with the way they allow people to stay or not.

Thank you for the information.

I arrived in January.  I checked the stamp in my  passport and it is the same as last years' stamp.

No mention of validity or anything else.  But I get the message and thank you for that.

Ducketts

Cdn Mike
I agree ... sort of
The opposition has upped its game... as I see it

It’s a tracking device, a notification to those entering
and a clear path to claiming whether you are legal or not

The cards are stacked in their favor

There will always be those who insist that nothing ever changes and everything will remain the same even if something (they consider insignificant) changes.

The new (notice the word "new")  passport stamp showing the last legal date of one's stay actually is something different.  At least it will be more clear than before until what actual date one is legally in the country (and how long ones out of country license is valid if on a tourist card).

Yes your're right.  It's a pity as other countries like Costa Rica allow an automatic 3 months stay.

I have no intentions of living in DR-just to come over for 3 months as I have done for the last few years.  If this proves in future impossible then I'll have to look at Costa Rica or one of the other islands

The other option is to come for the 30 days and go to the immigration office and apply for a 2 months Visa, which is what the consulate keep on telling me to do but that is a pain and expensive.

Ducketts

Again my information is that longer stay visas are on the discussion table at this time. They are being discussed and considered!

planner wrote:

Again my information is that longer stay visas are on the discussion table at this time. They are being discussed and considered!

Perhaps in 10 years or so , they will make decisions on those longer visas.

You must remember - RD is different....always

Most countries demand minimum stays for residents

RD has a maximum absence stipulation....(6Mos)

You are so right. Just because they are discussing does not mean they are going to make any decisions or take any action.

Interesting thread here.  We are coming to DR for 121 days next winter.  Is there anything we have to apply for ahead of time?  On the entry form where I used to write 14 days, do I just write 121 days or is it more complicated than that?

Golfdogs wrote:

Interesting thread here.  We are coming to DR for 121 days next winter.  Is there anything we have to apply for ahead of time?  On the entry form where I used to write 14 days, do I just write 121 days or is it more complicated than that?

I can see that you are planning in advance your vacations for next winter, why dont you visit a Dominican consulate and tell them you want to come for 121 days 4 months and you wants to apply for a visa that let you stay 3 more months as a turist card is only for 30 days.?

Thanks.  We have just returned from DR.  Will look into this.

There is no visa for this. 

At this point you come and stay. Put 30 days on the tourist card.  Next winter is a long way off, hopefully they are going to approve longer stay visas.

Interesting.  Thanks, will do.  Just checked online and it confirms what you just said.  We are booked and coming.  It seems like a long way off but with a daily countdown from my husband, seems like very soon.  Ha.

Left after spending 7 weeks in Las Terrenas. Cost me 2500RD to leave. They tried to charge my wife the overstay fee as well, but she told them no as she is Dominican flying on a US passport. They did bust her chops by making he go to another line to get a copy of the passport. We travel to the island 3-4 time a year and never had to do it before. 
But it would not be the DR without a little excitement.

Well, I was concerned enough about this issue that I undertook to get a 60 day visa to apply for residency.  I left the DR in September and began my task of getting all my paperwork ready.  To comment on the process .... I am still here in U.S. and have spent more than a thousand dollars to get all my paperwork in order.  I followed the DR Embassy's instruction to the letter but I still had to get additional documentation, including things that, under U.S. law cannot be obtained.  I am a retired federal Administrative Judge, have been an attorney for more than 35 years and I have never experienced such equivocation from a government agency.  Other than spilling my frustration out on these pages I wanted to know what do I have to look forward too in obtaining my residency.  If anyone can list the steps and possible documentation I will need or at least give me a government webpage that will give me more or less accurate and recent information I will greatly appreciate it.

I  can understand your frustration!  The rules morph and change on a constant basis. What one dept will tell you is often different from another. I am sorry you are dealing with it all. 

Govt websites are often out of date and full of incorrect info.  I will message you privately with a recommendation.

Refer to the DGM website and the online residency application for the latest information as starters (services)

https://www.migracion.gob.do/

They now have a forum on this site and you can ask your various questions including extending the tourist visa which has a thread.( see publications)

I have used a lawyer for my applications so if you plan to use the residency by investment route, I can offer no advice as I went the standard easier route back in 2011, but this will probably save you 4 temporary residency renewals.

I can understand your frustrations but why bother.  You have a perfectly good time renting and staying in DR for 3 months at a time.  Property prices have gone down since I've been coming here and would be happier investing my hard earned money in the US or Europe.  Just a personal opinion.  Good luck anyway