Leaving the DR w a Child?

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POPNYChic

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For whatever reason I have been told by my parents and siblings to get a notarized letter from my husband in the U.S. so I can take my daughter out of the DR. They said they always had to do that when they didnt travel together w us because theres some anti-kidnapping law here that doesnt let kids out of the country without both mom and dads consent?

My sister tells me she was stopped a couple years ago when she came on vacation and tried to go back to the u.s. with her american-born son and had to argue w 2 diff supervisors before they let her leave w/o a letter of consent from her husband.

Is this true? My husband, 1 y.o. daughter and I are American-born U.S. citizens so I simply cannot see how this applies to us as I am clearly not kidnapping her (shes only going back home)? But I dont want to get to the airport and have them tell me I need a notarized letter from the U.S. 2 friggin hours before my flight leaves.

We had 30 day tourist cards and we will have overstayed by aprox. 3.5 months by then.

Anyone have any experience with this?
 
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POPNYChic

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Also meant to add, that the law says (from the DR embassy site) that this only applies to Dominican minors. I dont understand why it applied to me as a minor, as I am American but I do remember the process. Is it just because I'm clearly of Dominican parents that they enforced it with us? They go by looks? wth
 
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AnnaC

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Posted by Dolores

Dolores said:
The law in the Dominican Republic is that all minors traveling without both their parents need to secure a non-accompanied minor authorization from the Department of Migration. The migration officer was correct in asking for the document. This is required both of foreigners as well as Dominicans. In the case of foreigners, less paperwork is required, and the cost is less, but it is definitely more than RD$500 to do it the legal way. A notarized letter with the authorization of the parents is required, in addition from paying the migration fee.
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AnnaC

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A LAS LINEAS AEREAS
A LAS AGENCIAS DE VIAJES
A TODO EL PUBLICO EN GENERAL​
La Direccion General de Migracion les hace de publico conocimiento, que para los ni?os, ni?as y adolescentes Menores de 18 a?os puedan salir del pais tendran que llenar los siguientes requisitos:
1. Si el menor viaja con uno de los padres, debera tener una autorizacion del otro, amparado en un acta notarial debidamente legalizada por la Procuraduria General de la Republica, documento que presentara a la Direccion General de Migracion para emitir el debido permiso, con los requisitos que se detallan mas adelante, (a,b,c,d,e,f).
2. En caso de que el menor viaje con una tercera persona, o linea aerea, ambos padres deberan autorizar a dicho menor, mediante un acta notarial legalizada por la Procuraduria General de la Republica, documento que presentara a la Direccion General de Migracion con los siguientes anexos;
a) Copia del pasaporte del menor y su acompa?ante.
b) Copia de Visa o Residencia del Menor y su Acompa?ante.
c) Original del Acta de Nacimiento Legalizada, si es Dominicano (Reciente) y copia.
d) 2 Fotografias 2x2 de Frente, solamente del menor.
e) Copia de las cedulas de los padres que autorizan.
f) El permiso tiene un costo de RD$1,000.00 de impuestos, por cada menor y se entrega en 48 horas. Si es VIP se paga RD$ 1,000.00 adicional.

3. Si uno de los padres ha fallecido traer el acta de defuncion original y copia.
4. Aunque uno de los padres tenga la guarda o custodia del menor, deberan traer la autorizacion de viaje del otro padre o la autorizacion del tribunal de menores.


Taken from DGM - Servicios - Certificaciones - Permiso para Menores
 
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pedrochemical

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AnnaC said:
Posted by Dolores
Click to expand...


Am I missing something here?


A UK parent takes their UK child on holiday from ,say, the UK to the D.R. They have a nice little holiday and fly back 2 weeks later.
The child may have problems leaving because the father did not come on the holiday and is thus not present when they try to leave the D.R?



Are we talking about children who hold Dominican passports or are we really talking about all children, whether Dominican or foreign?

So when I (UK passport holder) want to take my child (UK passport holder) back to the UK I would need written permission form the mother?
 
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AnnaC

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pedrochemical said:
Are we talking about children who hold Dominican passports or are we really talking about all children, whether Dominican or foreign?

So when I (UK passport holder) want to take my child (UK passport holder) back to the UK I would need written permission form the mother?
Click to expand...


It's for all children. The airline back home should never let you on without that permission if the child is traveling with only 1 parent in the first place.
 
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pedrochemical

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Wow, my sister is coming next month with her boys - her husband arrives a few days after them and leaves a few days earlier. I shall be sure to let her know.

I am pleasantly surprised by this, though.
 
Africaida

Africaida

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I wouldn't worry if I were you.
I flew twice to DR with my children who are American born (I hold a French Passport). Plus, the first time, I was also traveling with my nephew who also holds a French passport and resides in France.
They seemed more worried about my immigration status in the US than kidnapping.
 
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AnnaC

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pedrochemical said:
Wow, my sister is coming next month with her boys - her husband arrives a few days after them and leaves a few days earlier. I shall be sure to let her know.

I am pleasantly surprised by this, though.
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That's what the law states whether and when it's enforced depends on where the moon and stars happen to be that day. ;)
 
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MrMike

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www.azconatechnologies.com
It's enforced about half the time. I have a son who's mother lives in Florida and my name isn't even on his birth certificate, legally I am his creepy adult friend I guess.

Getting him home to mom is always a huge hassle for me, she has to get a notarized letter from the Dominican Consulate (a six hour drive for her) which costs about 100 dollars. (has to be notarized by a Dominican Notary)

After that she has to UPS me the original and I have to take that letter to the customs office here in Santiago, pay a bunch more fees, jump through several hoops, buy some stamps and recite obscure Renaissance poetry while hopping on one foot. (I think that last one might not actually be necessary)

We determined it was cheaper and less time consuming to fly her here to take him home personally, since her name is the only one on the birth certificate, no paperwork necessary.

Another time we did all the steps mentioned above and no one asked for any paperwork at the airport at all. (I think the Renaissance poetry helps with that)
 
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Matilda

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On flights from the UK, charter or scheduled, passengers are made aware that the appropriate paperwork needs to be provided if a minor is travelling without both parents.

matilda
 
bob saunders

bob saunders

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I have always had the letter's prepared even though I have never been asked. The first time I went to the DR I had my boys, an 8 year old and an 11 year and never got asked. I travelled back escorting my wife's cousins daughter, with all proper letters in 2007 and never got asked either, and they were 15 and 17.
 
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POPNYChic

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AnnaC, thanks for the link but it only confused me more...DGM - Servicios - Certificaciones - Permiso para Menores

it says

MENORES EXTRANJEROS:

Los menores extranjeros para salir del pa?s, solo tendr?n que realizar el pago por concepto de estad?a en nuestro territorio.

But then it goes into the excerpt you posted. Which one is it? No one told me anything when I left the u.s. alone with her. This is kinda frustrating. *sighs*

Africaida, I could only HOPE to be as lucky! But I'm not usually lol
 
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POPNYChic

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Jul 27, 2009
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Ok, so being that I was totally confused as to whether this applied to me or not, given the sort of misleading info on the dominican migration site, I just called the Dominican Consulate in New Orleans (because I honestly didnt trust the office in POP to give me accurate info) and they told me that since we are NOT Dominican, the only reason I would need a letter is if I am sending her out of the country with someone other than her parents...That since we are American and she came w just me and is leaving w me, her mother, I dont need to do anything except pay the fee for the time we spent here.

So I guess it seems my parents were just gullible and didnt know the full extent of the law? That explains why they let my sister leave w her son after clarifying the point that her son is AMERICAN.
 
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RGVgal

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I've been traveling with my son (he is 6) since he was a baby to the DR every yr with out his father and I've never been asked for anything leaving or entering the DR or the U.S.

BTW, we are both U.S. citizens and have the same last name.
 
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sylindr

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POPNYChic said:
Ok, so being that I was totally confused as to whether this applied to me or not, given the sort of misleading info on the dominican migration site, I just called the Dominican Consulate in New Orleans (because I honestly didnt trust the office in POP to give me accurate info) and they told me that since we are NOT Dominican, the only reason I would need a letter is if I am sending her out of the country with someone other than her parents...That since we are American and she came w just me and is leaving w me, her mother, I dont need to do anything except pay the fee for the time we spent here.

So I guess it seems my parents were just gullible and didnt know the full extent of the law? That explains why they let my sister leave w her son after clarifying the point that her son is AMERICAN.
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They are not gullible. You can run into trouble, not in the DR but returning to the U.S.... it seems bizarre but it happens. And is so easy to remedy with a quick letter notarized by their father. Odds are you will have no problems but if you do it will be a real pain
 
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POPNYChic

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sylindr, the Dominican consulate said its not necessary, required nor lawful. It IS necessary for Dominican children but not for foreign-born children so I will go by what they said as they are the authorities.

I have never, ever heard of anyone having issues upon arrival to the u.s. when it comes to this. NEVER. Leaving the DR, perhaps, but I can handle that as I now know what the deal is.
 
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margaret

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I'm surprised the U.S. doesn't require a letter, Canada and Mexico do. Shortly after the requirement came into effect a few years ago, one of my Canadian co-workers was hassled returning alone to Canada with her Canadian-born child after a week in the US. The husband was home in Toronto.
 
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