Immigration law enforcement - Take care !
However, you have to admit, that if they choose to send you back or stop you from coming in they will. Bribery does not always work. Things are changing.
and again, it always depends. If you know anything about this country, then you should know who to call when you get into a jam and the right phone call gets you a free pass...
Used it many times...

We have information that has been provided. Either discuss is reasonably without escalating or we don't want your input PERIOD.
There have been warnings that this may start happening.
Clearly its happened.
Now the poster will need more then a tourist card to get back into the country. Get a residency visa to come back. That is your best option at this time. We have recommended Lishali (Lily) a few times. She really does know what she is doing. Contact her and get her advice on this.
Jefe by the way can be a term referring to anyone who appears to be the boss!
1 post
Hi all,
I know I'm late to the party, but I was denied entry at SDQ on Wednesday and detained for 4 hours before being escorted onto a plane to Miami. All because jefe was pissed I overstayed 4 months before leaving in May. How do I remedy this so I can return to my apartment in las Terrenas?
Some posters aren't reading completely the above post which is a personal account and request for information!
What documentation would he have?? The only thing I can think of is a banned stamp in his passport and my guess he didn't get that, so hopefully there is a way back.
This gentleman is a retiree and maybe has been following the misinformation posted on various social media by a few stawart deniers who ignore and forget the written formal warnings given by the Interior Ministry and Police last year to all the foreign missions, who updated their travel advisories accordingly, and was overstaying the now permitted maximum 60 days thinking paying the overstay fee is still a safe bet.
Give him the respect he is due for posting and so sharing his harrowing account of being back roomed for 4 hours before being shipped back home, and try and offer some support to get his life back in Las Terrenas rather than bickering trying to justify ones misdemeanors. I've sent him a PM with information how to contact Lishali.
Be civil.
Anyone posting on here has no requirement to poat "proof" unless you are naming names. There is no reason not to believe it is happening. All of us would love to know exactly what is going on, when, why and where. We also know that isnt going to happen.
Take the warnings for what they are!
It will be interesting to see the reaction when one of the 'deniers' is affected.
Not a routine thing - being refused - but in the realm of possibility.
As we see here.
IMO - the idea of refusing entry for overstay is to send you back to begin the residency process.
Sort of-
Don't try this again - get the proper paperwork
Nothing to fear but fear itself
I have had residency since Day One... and now citizenship.
THe only true way to protect your rights and your assets in this country.
JRP55 wrote:... immigration is not obligated to get you to your home city only your home country,and if you can't afford the cost of a last minute ticket you stay in jail until the date of your original departure ticket
That could be very painful.
at YOUR expense --
next US bound flight
regardless of destination
or
sit in the slammer until your return ticket comes around
The thought of being refused is scary enough
The How They Do It is absolutely terrifying
something one might choose to avoid
Remember the migration system is a new one and it looks like is working.
Its only illegal if you get caught and season is something you cook with.
Thanks for triggering a old memory.
facebook.com/groups/ExpatsOfDominicanRepublic/?multi_permalinks=414046942565779%2C414007359236404%2C413992125904594%2C413852989251841%2C413820845921722¬if_id=1571072364521524¬if_t=group_activity
Jason Blais shared his first post.
New Member · 26 mins
Hello everyone , I have a question , we have been denied entry in Dominican Republic last November , for no reason given , in December we went back and got in , we stayed for over 3 months , my wife tried to go back in June and got denied again , with no reason , has this happened to anyone ? we are planning another trip but afraid they won't let us in again , could it be because we over stayed our stay in the country ? If anyone can answer our questions it would be much appreciated...thank you
They in general ignore previous overstayers from Europe and North America and the supervising officer stated that a supposed friend from the UK who comes for 2 to 3 months every year on a tourist visa would be OK this winter for entry based upon previous overstays.
But the problem clearly is that immigration officers know overstayers can be denied entry, so if a European or North American upsets them or they are having a bad day, you can be on your way back home with little explanation.
It is perhaps a slanted lottery right now and the winners are still on a relatively good safe bet. The losers are still few and far between.
Upto 120 days legally is still possible according to the DGM moderator on the DGM forum. Residency is still relatively easy for those that qualify.
What exactly does this mean? I know of NO legal way to stay as a tourist for 120 days? So, I am asking what this is?
I have no reason to ask for more information from DGM but on their forum but you can read that 120 days is possible according to them.
I would also add that in the francophile expat.com forum it has been discussed that the 120 day is possible.
As a Canadian Citizen do we need a visa for 3 week visit?
The tourist card visa included in your ticket is a 30 day visa
Every incoming ticket has one
No application necessary
Good afternoon,
– You can extend the stay for more than 30 days, with a letter requesting extension of stay which you deposit in correspondence. I will attach the requirements below.
*Requirements:
1- Letter of request for extension of permanence addressed to the D.G.M.
2- Passport valid for a minimum of six (6) months after the extension.
3-Air ticket / Maritime of return
4- An address in the Dominican Republic along with the letter.
5- medical certificate issued by an authorized physician with its due exequatur
6- Economic solvency tests
7- The payment of the planned fees
AS I understand it this is a tourism VISA and not for a tourism CARD.
So later they say this:
Yes, only for 60 more days that they start counting from the 60 days they have to be here legally, then they will have a total stay of 120 days.
WHICH I understand to mean:
Tourism Card - 30 days
Tourism card extension - 30 days.
THEN apply for extension of 60 days as above!
I know absolutely no one who is going to do this. But apparently it is possible to get 120 days . Then you gotta get out.
that's about 4 too many hoops for the average Joe !!!
Lennox's investigation seems to allay the fears of NoAmericans
We have reached a point where overstayers continue to overstay and hope they don't lose the next lottery. And if they do...again no ideas...other than find somewhere better with no application of immigration law too.
I think the balance is right on this forum where specualtion, even mine above, jas to be kept to a minimum and the rules, current situation and events with a modicum of opinions and advice get posted for expats to make their own decisions individually.
We perhaps should focus on residency a bit more
I expect some feel that they cannot have residency while residing elsewhere
Perfectly viable here ot get residency w/o giving up your 'main' residency.
Residency make life easier--- length of stays, health insurance, driving
A variety of things
Not the least - Peace of Mind
At least it proves one thing. You are illegally in the country after 30 days unless you take action to extend a tourist card. It is proof of that. Otherwise such a procedure would not exist.
windeguy wrote:planner, thank you for posting the stupid, ridiculous, and ludicrous steps you have to do through to extend a 30 day tourist card.
At least it proves one thing. You are illegally in the country after 30 days unless you take action to extend a tourist card. It is proof of that. Otherwise such a procedure would not exist.
Now that you mention about those stupids and rediculous, etc step, make me wonder what a Dominican must do to extend their stay in countries like USA, or Canada for example, I know that also the visitor has to go an inmigration office to do it before expire the permit days of staying, maybe they have same stupid and ridiculous steps.
What I intended from my message was that it would just make sense to create tourist visas or visitor visas and you qualify up front, like most other countries!
Ducketts
The requirements stated in the law are there to cover ALL nationalities. As is the case for him in the USA and other countries, some nationalities have to go through many more hoops to get and extend a particular visa stay.
The only case that I know of and as posted on social media of a foreigner from a favoured country writing to seek and extension of his tourist stay here, was granted without medical examination nor proof of economic support.
It could only begin to be described as it was, IF PEOPLE TRY and start by sending in the written request and report needing to go through the hoops.
But they won't, until such time more than just a very few people report having been denied entry following overstay and that isn't now.
ducketts, we are all confused. I did, as posted elsewhere, ask a hypothetical question to a senior immigration officer about a Brit who had previously overstayed and was coming this year and what would be the risk of denial. You were on my mind in raising that question. It would appear you are safe to go as previously.
Also my thinking is this Maybe incorrect thinking. As immigration actually publish a table of overstay fines as each time I and others have paid these fines ones assumes these published overstay fines are in use, otherwise why publish them. It's sounds very simple I know!
Ducketts
b. Este pago no supone una prorroga que autorice al nacional extranjero a permanecer en el país.
- the payment does not authorize your extended stay.
lennoxnev wrote:Unfortunately underneath the DGM tariff table is a note which reads:
b. Este pago no supone una prorroga que autorice al nacional extranjero a permanecer en el país.
- the payment does not authorize your extended stay.
Thank you for pointing that out. Paying an overstay fee does not make the overstay legal.
Did you break the law or not?
Publishing is a simple way to let you know there are consequences.
@MattNatale how did you fair returning after over staying?
Welcome to the forums Tristan. This thread is 3 years old. Just an FYI
@ducketts your fine!! TRUST ME! enjoy yourself do whatever we you want pay the fee at the end and your all good!!
The former owner of what was the Britannia in Sosua personally told me that two of his good friends trying to come back to the DR from Canada were recently denied re-entry into the DR and they were told it was because they previously overstayed.
One was flying into Puerto Plata and the other flew into either Punta Cana or Santo Domingo, They were not permanently denied re-entry, they were just told they had to wait at least 6 months before entering the DR again.
That's interesting! I've not heard the wait 6 months comment!
It's the DR...it depends!
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