If you overstay your tourist visa you are in the country illegally. If you have an accident while driving...illegally...you are in a world of hurt, and you have no insurance coverage whether you paid for a policy or not.
that's exactly the important point on the different 'interpretations', Robert.
nothing,
no drivers license, no car insurance etc etc etc is valid for an illegal alien in the country.
to extend the stay as a visitor/turist legally the Tourist Visa needs to get extended before it expired, not when exiting the country after a long time period/several years etc.
yes, i know that it is still done, people leave and pay a fine on exit.
and yes, i also know that long years overstayers do not just pay the fine printed on the ''extention'' list at immigrations, ahead of that rate they pay the ''interests'' for the sum they owe the gubmin since they overstayed their Visa, b/c by law they have to pay the extention time before the Visa expired.
a 10 years overstayer may get asked for a few K's US$ as the final Bill's total, it still varies depending at which counter of immigrations such excessive overstaying get's caught.
some may also want to check their medical insurance in the fine print details to find out if it would still be valid/cover in case the person had an accident/illness etc while living illegally in the country.
and an other situation would be if someone without a valid tourist card nor residency get's in some kinda trouble ottha on the streets, maybe a lil fist fight or similar, Cops step by and take all involved in custody for interrogations, they find one of the involved subject has no legal papers at hand, and 'hopp', away he goes on the Truck to the deportations prison and somewhen later back to home sweet home. and those backflight tickets are not available as great last minute deals by Apple Vacations etc.
i know here in the Bavaro area several long year expats who live and work down here without a residency, and none did pay any extention fees for their long years old tourist visa. a lawyer will deny to run their process of getting a residency, to do so they need to provide their passport with the ''stamp'' and Visa card included.
and to get such stamp is today's not as easy than it has been years ago where such could be done for a few thousand pesos.
time is running out and the handling of the not so new laws get's tieder
Mike