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overstay

Last activity 05 February 2019 by planner

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Mikbri

IF a i was to go to DR and live for say 6 months ,come back to states for month or two and go back to the DR,will i still be able to get back into country even if i have a prior overstay stamp on passport ???

planner

Probably most likely.  This is not a widespread problem at this point in time!

DominicanadaMike

Never a guarantee but at this point I know of no one having any issues with overstay.  I work with lots of people that overstay and I have yet to encounter 1 problem.  At this moment it's more propaganda as far as I am concerned.  Even Haitians pay the guard a few dollars at the border and allow them to pass back and forth freely...

planner

Pretty sure this is not yet an issue in other countries. We barely track this stuff here.

thecolonel

Yes, just the more you stay, the more they charge you.

the tinker40

YUP! The more you "use", the more you pay.  Makes sense to me. I don't care for it, but accept the premise.

planner

They really do need longer stay visitor visas here!

canuckonthemove

It would also help the economy as there are lots of people retired I am sure would like to go for 6 months a year instead of Florida

2VPsoldier

Although the very first time I overstayed, when I flew out of Puerto Plata going to Ottawa to get my RESIDENCY VISA, I was charged 2500 pesos for 13 days over the 30 day limit.......happy not to worry about this now......

thecolonel

They can, and do come for 6 months, and just have to pay the 4000 pesos shakedown.   Although I was able to get away with only 2k last time, right in their hand.

thecolonel

Re 6 months in Florida.  That's not the only place. Mexico also has a 6  month tourist visa, automatic, no hassles, perfect for snowbirds.  I know, I know, some will say it not a really 'safe' place like Florida or the dr.

BellaLinda

Hi guys, new to the forum. In 2017 I stayed in the DR twice for a couple of months each. And paid my fees accordingly (the last time it actually went straight into the officers pocket! So far for paying an official fee!). Now wondering if these stays are registered as overstays on my passport. Regarding future visa applications for the stricter western countries...bit late to think about this now, but never realised at the time.

Also been reading lots of the threads about the overstay fees, and find it actually a bit confusing as to whether its presumed legal or illegal to stay longer than 30 days, it being called an overstay fee, as I found the following statement on the official site of the DR Government:

http://www.dgii.gov.do/tarjetaTuristica … fault.aspx

which states:

The Tourist Card allows a stay of 30 days in the country, after which, if wishing to stay longer, the Tourist can extend his or her stay paying a fee which will be proportional to the amount of time he or she wishes to remain in the country. If information on the matter is needed, contact the Ministry of Migration.

Sounds legal to me...

Would love your feedback/ experiences.

planner

Its legal as far as that goes. What is illegal is agents pocketing the money.

thecolonel

Illegal for gov agents to pocket money?  That's funny.  You must be forgetting what country you're in...it's the norm.  Where DOES the dr rank in the list of countries re corrupion?    It's 120.   The US is 18;   Canada 9;

BellaLinda

Thank you Planner! Great to know.

Haha, yes, some extra pocket money! Well, they probably need it more than me... ;)

tp3813

Reading that about officials pocketing money I am pretty sure that's what happened last time I left.
Had a bit of trouble filling out the departure  form  due to bad eyesight, so went  to the immigration officer and   explained. Oh don't worry about that he said and just threw it in the bin
So he said how long you stayed then, I said  about 4 years , so it was quite a large amount of fine.
To my amazement he didn't even look at the passport, I just handed over the cash he stamped my passport and that was it.
Wish I had said 3 months now.
So I think it's a pretty good guess he pocketed that money , nice little earner for him, about 3 months wages  for 5 minutes work.
Still he was very helpful and saved me all the hassle with that form so  good luck to him  although it's illegal.

planner

Good info, thanks.

thecolonel

With me it was half, 2k instead of the 4k.

Steverino7777

www.puntacanainternationalairport.com continues to publish the fees applicable for overstaying your 30 day limit. Click on "Airport Services" and go to the bottom of that paragraph where you click on "Click Link to View Rates". They have overstay fees all the way up to 10 years. My point is this. Why would the number one airport in the country be publishing this information if the government wanted crack down on people overstaying the 30 day period?

bigbob20163

You paid a fee for how long you overstayed.  It is in print. 

Conversely, you don't want to go to China and stay over the time allowed on your visa.  The Dominican Republic is cheap.  CHEAP.  Read my previous experience regarding overstaying the 60 days on your Visa.  Even with a printed ticket that said 90 days when I arrived.  You won't stay 1 day longer.  Trust me.

Stay past the time.  You pay the fine.  Don't assume it went into their pocket. Dominican government officials keep employees honest when dealing with monies from visitors extending their stay. 

Only you are responsible for your own actions.  Maybe you should have researched all this in advance.  Just saying.

Respectfully submitted.

Steverino7777

Hey Big Bob, I understand that you can stay beyond your 30 day time period and simply be subject to departure tax (fines). It's pretty easy to avoid all the paperwork and simply pay 4000 pesos. Do you agree?

bigbob20163

ABSOLUTELY.  I always stay past 30 days.  They simply tell me the amount.  I pay them, and wait for my flight.  NO HASSLES.

CAUTION.  Only pay the fee at the airport at your departure.  Very important.

planner

And understand this: things are changing here. One day in the future it will not be this easy.

My sources tell me that they are "considering" visas of longer duration.  Like 90 days and 6 months. You will need to apply, pay and qualify for them (whatever that means)   

If and when that happens you will not be able to simply stay and pay. 

Imagine doing that in Canada or USA?  You would be subject to arrest, deportation and no further entry.

While it works now, things will change, it's just a matter of how and when.

ducketts

I wish people would stop complaining about overstay fees.

It's cheap and convenient-may it long continue.

As soon as Visas start coming in it will be the end of a good thing

Ducketts

Riva31

If you noticed now the turist card is charged in your ticket, so your turist card now is attatched to your name and passport number,  all that info is going to the goverment, with the computer they easily know when you overstayed and search for your overstay payment.  They already know some bad oficials are pocketing the money and is a matter of time they will start to put more controls to prevent that.

WillieWeb

It’s a better way to monitor chronic overstayers....
And stop them if they choose

Only time will tell....

This new system, the new traffic fine (multa) system, fingerprinting..
The data collection is improving

Riva31

WillieWeb wrote:

It’s a better way to monitor chronic overstayers....
And stop them if they choose

Only time will tell....

This new system, the new traffic fine (multa) system, fingerprinting..
The data collection is improving


If you add the 10.00 dollars turist card now charged in your airline ticket, is send to the goverment tax office attached with your ticket number, date arrival and other information that could be easily later monitor when you leave and if you overstay and if you paid or not.   Next thing you will see is changes in the way  you paid so will be impossible  for the officers to pocket the money.

planner

And that is as it should be in terms of stopping the corruption.

ducketts

Can someone tell me the following.

When going through Puerta Plata you pay the overstay fine at passport control.

How does it work at Santo Domingo?  Thanks

Ducketts

planner

Pretty much the same honey!

ducketts

Thanks Planner

I have always paid cash.  Once I asked for a receipt but was told this was not necessary!!!!  Since then I don't ask, just pay.

Ducketts

planner

They are cracking down on  payments being pocketed.  Expect the process to become a bit more formal soon honey.

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