Moving to Punta Cana for 4 months, I have questions!

Stephen welcome to the forum.  Please do a search on information here as there are lots of threads to read.

As to money you will have no problem coming here with $3000 in USD.  In fact you can bring in up to $10,000 with out claiming it.  However I would not bring a ton of cash with me.  Use the ATMs (they only give pesos) when you need money. If you are living here in an apartment you will fine most of the places you shop, eat, drink and such will be using and pricing things in Pesos not USD.  USD are great on a resort but if "living here" then pesos is king.

Do remember to notify your home bank of  your travel plans or they will put a hold on any Credit card or ATM card you use with the first use fearing fraud.  DO NOT bring traveler's checks as they are USELESS here and if you can find someone to take them they will charge you a stupid commission to do so (like 25% or more of the value of the check.).
Also personal checks without a local account at a bank will also be useless to  you.

As to how much to plan on spending that will depend entirely on what you plan on doing and such.

Again welcome.

Bob K

I second the welcome and all the info Bob gave you......

Hi Stephen
My husband and I have been here for 2 months. We brought 35,000  pesos spending money. We haven't run  out yet.
We pay all our groceries with a visa credit card. I checked out the ATM  machines. They charge 112 pesos for a withdrawal plus what your bank would charge from their end.
I would convert my money to pesos before you come
You also need 2500 pesos per person at the airport when you leave
Bob has great advice
He and planner always know best

Thanks for the information  It seems to me like my plan to only bring $2000 cash should be right. Here's a little info about my trip. I'm actually marrying my friends cousin while I'm there. I've been friends with her and her family since I met her in college 7 years ago. Once her and I return to the USA in late July I plan on starting graduate school in August. So there's my concerns for how to pay for the cost of the wedding which she says has to be paid in cash. It's going to be in San Francisco de Macoris. Then there's also the travel to Santo Domingo and the US consulate to get her permission to move back to the USA permanently with me.

She works in Punta Cana at a resort but her family lives in San Francisco de Macoris. I sent her my CV/Resume because she wanted to show it to her boss and see about getting me a job at the resort she works at. I think that idea is great but from my research it almost seems not worth it, because of the low pay. I've never been to the caribbean before and I do want to enjoy myself.

I want to mention again that I'm good friends with her Aunt Uncle and cousins up here in the USA since 2008.

The resort usually gives her a place to stay but she can't have guests over. So she got an apartment for $500. Obviously I'm going to have to help her pay for that for March to July. I'm budgeting in $50 to $100 USD or equivalent Pesos for spending money each week and plan to use my credit card for groceries. That should get me through to July.

I have a US passport but, as to these tourist cards? My stay will be for 20 weeks or 140 days. That's more than what I read is allowed on a tourist card, however I also read that the fine for overstaying is pretty low and such a moot point. I just don't want any trouble at the airport coming or going. Any advice?

While in Punta Cana I was planning on learning Spanish, I am bringing a lap top with spanish rossetta stone on it, which I have been working on currently. If I can come back to USA and know Spanish then I can write my own ticket for medical internships and jobs here. I'm also planning on getting a skateboard to help with getting around and for fun. It'll be a blast from my past high school days. Maybe even take a few golf lessons as I see there are lots of golf courses there.

Other than that I just want to have fun with my new family and get to know the culture really well.

any advice on things to bring/do/watch out for? I have never been here before. Any and all advice is greatly appreciate 

Congrats Stephen....sounds like you have it all worked out and it sounds like you have a good attitude. Keep an open mind and a smile and you should be fine. The work thing normally requires citizenship, but then again all is possible in DR. The skateboard thing, could be a bit risky here, there is not much respect for other drivers or pedestrians, but then again Punta Cana is a more welcoming part of the Island to tourists. A world within a world 

The work thing requires a cedula and residency guys....    Your plan sounds good,  you will have fun. BUT be very careful with that skateboard - they drive like maniacs here and you will have no rights on the road!   

Tourist card - don't worry, you just pay the overstay fine, its not a big deal at all!

You can't just expect to pull out a lot of cash at these ATM's. I've never seen one where I can take out more than 10,000 pesos per day which is only $221. They also take out 195 pesos as a fee which is $4.31. So if you take out less money like $50 you will be paying almost a 10% fee right there on the Dom. side and maybe another bank charge from the foreign bank where the money is coming from. I'm sure there has got to be ATM's somewhere in this country that allows bigger withdrawals and maybe without the withdrawal fee too. It might depend on the city.

For bigger withdrawals the only way to go is to open a bank account and wire money into it.

Or if you want to get creative you can sell bitcoins to someone who will pay you in dom. pesos. But doing that you take price change risk on the Bitcoin exchange rate. Lately it's been not so volatile but that will change.

What about travel health insurance in case the worst happens and I get hit by a car while riding the skateboard ect....

My current health care coverage is only through the US Department of Veterans affairs and they are updating all my vaccinations for free or a small co pay and giving me anti malaria medicine too just as a precaution, but they have told me they won't be able to help me with anything that happens medically to me while I am there, so, what should I do? Should I get travelers health care insurance for the 4 months I will be there? Where do I go to get that is so?

What Malaria can there be in Punta Cana? Has that ever happened?

Riding a skateboard near ANY street? Your joking, right?

I read somewhere online that there are cases of malaria there and since I'm likely to be traveling with her to various other parts of the country I thought it would be a good idea.

Ok a few thoughts
Skateboarding.....what are you crazy
Working.... yes need a cedula
Does she already have here visa to travel to the US????? if not this can be a very long and crazy process with no guarantee that she will get it.
Just pay the overstay fees this time. Which in your case for 140 days will be $4000 RD.
For health insurance if yours does not cover you  or will reimburse you then you need to check out travelers insurance for coverage.

Have a great time and congrats on the marriage.

Bob K

Yes I am crazy. And no she doesn't have a VISA to travel to the US. I know and expect it to be a lengthy process to get her one. I have researched it and I am pretty sure she will get it. Why wouldn't she if she is married to me, a US citizen? It should be pretty cut and dry right? And over the next 2 years I plan to finish up my Masters degree in Dietetics and Nutrition and complete my internship at a hospital then become a Registered Dietitian. While I work on that I can work on her VISA. I'm still hoping that I can somehow get it for her by the time I come back in July or August.

Can you recommend a good travelers health insurance company for me to use to get health care coverage?

Sorry you are going to have to do a search on the insurance but it should not be hard. You might consider picking up Insurance here.  There is a waiting period so my not help you on this trip but will be in place for subsequent ones. There is also a year or more wait on pre existing conditions.

Getting a visa because she is married to a US citizen is really not a big deal and she will still have to go through the process to prove that she will return to the DR.  She has to own property, a business, kids, own property, a car, bank accounts of long standing and the list goes on and on.  If you get this done in under 2 years you are doing well.  I have a friend that is going on 3 years.  She has been turned down twice even with all the above requirements in place.  She to is married to an American.  They are hoping to get this done sometime late this year which if successful will be over 3 years and they have been married for two of those years.

So bottom line good luck and be prepared for multiple setbacks.

Bob K

Your limit on withdrawals will be partly set by your bank in the USA.  I know several people who use ScotiaBank here and can withdraw the equivalent of  US 1,000 per day!    Fees -  it depends on  your bank, the affiliated ATM machine fees and any agreement between them.  Some banks have agreements. 

Travel insurance will be bought in the USA,  ask people there, your banker, travel agent, insurance agent......

Yes there are isolated cases of malaria, but,  they are  usually not anywhere near the tourist areas. Unless you plan to go close to the Haitian border I would not worry on this one.

Scotiabank is an isolated case. Because they are a Canadian bank and have locations in the DR. No other bank will allow that. The banks here have in country set limits regardless of the foreign bank withdrawal limit. That's what I was saying. They make it impossible to pull out more than 10k pesos at a time and hit you with 195 peso fees on each withdrawal. That's how they skim your money. This is what we get with a banking monopoly. Comes to about a 2% fee to take out money from the ATM without any other bank fees. Assuming you have other bank fees, there are some exceptions like Charles Schab, that percentage goes up to 3%, 4%, 5% or more if it's a European bank that charges even higher fees.  A wire is the cheapest way to go if you use banks.

You are incorrect!  I can take 20,000 per day from my own account.  Things are changing - maybe those limits were in place but I am telling you that you CAN take more then 10K out of accounts.

Fees -  they depend on what I stated earlier  -  which ATM bank, - which home bank  etc.   EVERYONE needs to do their homework BEFORE coming here to find out the fees at that end, then find out the fees here based on their circumstances. 

Scotiabank here is not a Canadian bank with  locations here. They are a separate and distinct entity!

Used to be Scotia bank had no fees if using our Bank of America ATM cards. Then about a year ago they started with the fees and yes the limit is 10,000RD.

Hence I just change my USD (cash) when need pesos.

BObK

Bob,  you can ask to have this raised.  I take 20,000 a day and at once.

What bank are you takling about? I'm NOT talking about a local bank where you can take out money from THEIR ATM machines 10k at a time with NO FEES.

SCOTIABANK will not allow more than 10k at a time. You have to keep doing 10k for each transaction. They probably won't charge you a service fee IF your account is at scotiabank from Canada. But I'm not talking about this situation. I'm only talking about someone showing up in the DR and expecting to take out larger sums easily without fees. There are a few exceptions but you have to find these BEFORE you show up here.

Not worth the hassles.  Just using cash when I need it.  Lots goes on my US credit card which charges NO international transaction fees and gives a very good rate on the exchange.

Bob K

I did not disagree on FEES. I was clearly stating you CAN take out more then  10,000RD a DAY.  SImple.  AND not just  scotiabank.

Not every place accepts credit cards.

But you have to also say along with 195 peso fees on every 10k withdrawal! That's a big issue. It might be an acceptable hassle to do 10k over and over but it's really not acceptable to also pay 195 on each transaction in addition to currency conversion and withdrawal fees which most banks charge with a few exceptions.

It's all in the details!

NO disagreement on fees. Each one is different, depends on your bank and the ATM - she says one more time....

Oh Planner say it again.  Are there different fees

Bob K

Maye Bob,  just maybe.

Any of you know if I am going to have trouble overstaying my tourist card after the presidents speech?