Immigration and Overstay Issues

Something new this week:   If your Quebecois is not good, Google translates it very well.
This says in essence that if you want to stay more than 30 days, you have to go to Santo Domingo to get an extension to stay for up to 4 months,  after 4 months you need legal residency:


La République dominicaine limite la durée du séjour des snowbirds | Jean Siag | République-Dominicaine

http://www.lapresse.ca/voyage/destinati … wbirds.php

Hi there

I'm confused by your comments.

Are you saying that the overstay fines no longer exist for all persons and you now have to get a Visa?

Has this just been introduced?  I just left DR having stayed just under 3 months.  I paid my fine and that was that.

Ducketts

The law has always been clear and he was quoting the law.

Nothing material has changed in terms of.overstay fines that we are aware of.

Thanks Planner, as always, so helpful.

Regards

Ducketts

So, If I know I want to stay for 4 months, and I arrive at the Santo Domingo airport could/should I go directly to the agency and apply for the extension?  Previously I thought someone said you needed to leave the country and come back every 30 days - I was looking into the ferry to PR info that Tinker had provided to satisfy that requirement. This was the first time I had seen a total of 4 months mentioned.
(I'm asking this question because I'm trying to learn, and I don't understand enough Spanish (yet) to read the actual law.)

Updated - just found the old thread where it mentions the change from 30-60 days. so 2x60=4 months, but the question remains if I can just get the 4 months from the start and not having to leave the country and come back.

This link I posted above is indeed something new this week:

http://www.lapresse.ca/voyage/destinati … wbirds.php

Hi there

As I understand you are quoting the Law.  My self and many many others come and overstay.  When we leave we just pay the fine and leave.

Regards

Ducketts

I have no idea about the French site or post. There are no special provisions for those from. quebec.

Currently you can come on a tourist visa of 30 days. You can then go to SD and request an extension.  Currently if you overstay when you leave you pay the fee as per the schedule.  Nothing has officially changed.

The confusion is a 60 day residencia visa - which allows you to stay 60 days in which you need to file for residencia and then you are good. However apply beforehand day 30 or pay a fine of 5,000 to. Now that is friggen stupid.

Once you apply for residencia overstay fees don't apply unless you are rejected.

The message from the French site in Canada is the new policy for Snowbirds.  It would apply to anyone coming to the DR on a 30 day tourist card such as those from the USA as well.  Google translate works fine to translate the French to English.  As it reads if you want to stay more then 30 days, they want you to go and request an extension in Santo Domingo if you want to stay up to 4 months. For longer than 4 months,  you would need to get residency.

I have not seen this anywhere else. That is my point. No Lawyer saying it, no press release and nothing in the news.

Often what appears on a website might be wrong or jumping the gun.

I will reach out to my contacts and ask.

If it's true that visitors can get a 4 month visa that would be good progress!!!

OK a quick check that this is some news site. I will not believe this until confirmation with sources I trust. I don't know this site at all.

By all means confirm the source.  So much "fake news" these days. Not sure why the DR is communicating these "alleged" changes to only those that speak French .  The DR embassy in France has also "reportedly" been on the same page.

Yes my question too. I am working on confirming.  I am also on a quick vacation. Lol

I'll bet it's just more fake news, and irrational fear on the part of gringos.

Lets see if we can confirm or not.

WHAT is the overstay fee?  Did you say $5,000?  We would love to come there from the US, and rent for a year before buying - Once we get there, we'll have to go to SD to file for a residencia or an extension or ..... which allows us to stay how long?  Where does the $5,000 come in? Once  you file for residencia you can stay with no problem?

Once you file for residencia you can stay. Start at home and file within 30 days of arriving.

thanx. about what does it cost for a Residencia for a couple?

Depends on how much work you do vs. having a lawyer do. Plan at least $2,000 for a couple. Good lick! JOHN

Yes there is your part that is done in your home country.  Then when you arrive you can count on another 2,000 per couple at least.

There is a pinned threads on residencia, you should read it!

As somone above said, the only thing that is 'confirmed' is that 'it depends'.

Is that 2000 and 5000 usd?

The US 2,000 was quoted for a couple. For a single person you are looking at  US 1,200 for this stage of the process.

I thought I read somewhere that a document has been introduced for tourists to request an extention of their stay up to 120 days (4 months) in the General Directorate of Migration. Don't know if it approved or gone through. Does anyone know?

I suspect you read it in the first post of this very thread that I made a while back now:


Something new this week:   If your Quebecois is not good, Google translates it very well.
This says in essence that if you want to stay more than 30 days, you have to go to Santo Domingo to get an extension to stay for up to 4 months,  after 4 months you need legal residency:


La République dominicaine limite la durée du séjour des snowbirds | Jean Siag | République-Dominicaine

http://www.lapresse.ca/voyage/destinati … wbirds.php

Again this is not confirmed as correct. No one I have contacted in govt or lawyers can confirm this is correct!

Is that $5,000 US?? for overstay?
So what it all boils down to, is that if you want to stay and retire there, you have to a come down with a round trip ticket, but get a visa for a 30 day stay and during that time, take the paperwork that you've had completed before you left to SD and file for residency, and then you're fine to stay until you're approved - (my question mark doesn't work on this keyboard) - then you can get a license in the DR - can we buy a car without a DR license

I really suck at this blog thing. Pinned thread . . .  I'll see if I can figure this out. Thanx.

Okay you are close but not quite. You file your first stage paperwork  in the closest Dominican Consulate there.

They will issue a  60 day visa.  You take that visa and bring all your paperwork here. You file here for residencia and you have  60 days to do so. HOWEVER if you take more than  30 days there is an additional  5,000 RD fee attached.  Not dollars pesos people.  LOL  Its about  US 100.

I did find the source and it  came from an immigration lawyer.

Can you forward please!  Thanks.

And now i have seen it. I will figure out how to post it tomirrow.

It is dated June 21, 2018. You can now extend your tourist visa 4 months. Not sure that is a  additional 4 months or a total.

It also states overstaying is illegal. Dont panic until we translate it all.

It looks like tbis is a big change!

They will let you buy a car without a DR license. And most any insurance company will also sell you insurance without a DR license.  Gotta love it, the money talks...

Planner, where did you see information on the potential "new rules"?

I actually saw the directive that was issued. I have it saved and will try to post it later today.

The above document was posted yesterday on DR1.  It shows what was sent to the various DR consulates through out the world regarding how to stay legally in the DR for longer than one month and up to 4 months in total.  If you want to legally stay longer, then you have to become a legal resident. This is exactly what was said in the first post I made and now that original letter is available for all to see.


There will still be people who do not believe it is true.


It took two posts (156 and 157) to get the entire letter from DGM to the Consulates that I just posted above. 

Planner is this the same latter you saw?

Yes that is what I had sent to me too.   It confirms exactly what you had said!