Advice needed. Can we get our mum home

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Worried1

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Jul 30, 2011
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We are desperate for some advice.
Our mum went to the Dominican on holiday met a man and didn't come home, this was 4 years ago!
She "forgot" to inform the benefits and pensions office that she was no longer in the uk and now owes a lot of money. There was talk of her being arrested if she comes back.

She now wants to come home despite the consequences as she finally misses her family and she is no longer with the man of her dreams!
The problem now is her passport expired 2 years ago
She's in her 60s and not in the best of health
Besides the trouble she is in when we get her back to the uk what consequences is she likely to face for overstaying without a valid passport

What would happen if she went to the British embassy

Any advice on what to do to get her back to the uk would be greatly appreciated

All our thanks in advance x
 
AlterEgo

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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Don't panic. I'm sure she can renew her passport through the British Embassy. The only consequence for overstaying in the DR will be a fine, and it won't be a fortune, the scale of fines has been posted here several times.

All she has to do is renew the passport, buy a ticket, and pay the fine [in pesos or dollars] at the airport when they ask for it in immigration.

AE
 
S

SKing

Silver
Nov 22, 2007
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Your mother is blessed to have a wonderful, loving family. I hope you get her home safely and everything goes well from this point on.
Good luck to you!!

SHALENA
 
D

donP

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Dec 14, 2008
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Granny's Fling

Worried1 said:
... as she finally misses her family ...
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The family could also come and visit her, could they not? :classic:

Worried1 said:
...and she is no longer with the man of her dreams!
Click to expand...
Happens, yes.
But if she still has money, there could be another to be found. :rolleyes:

Worried1 said:
.The problem now is her passport expired 2 years ago
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As mentioned, the British emabassy will help, in fact they have to.

I would also check this out, before she hops on a plane back.
Maybe they owe her.... ;)
Tax when retiring abroad or back in the UK : Directgov - Pensions and retirement planning

donP
 
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rubio_higuey

Gold
Feb 7, 2007
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It would be helpful if you could explain why she would be arrested for not informing benefits and pension office she was not in the UK. We have many retirees in the DR and many of them on this board who get their pensions (from UK, US, Canada, etc.) while living in the DR and nobody wants to arrest them. Unless she was drawing benefits while not being entitled to them, it does not make sense why she would be arrested upon her return to the UK. And if she is entitled to benefits it does not matter where she lives.

To the issue of passport, she can go to the UK embassy with her expired passport and they would arrange for the new passport for her. It could take several weeks before she gets the passport though, as nowadays most passport issuance is being sent to European HQ (biometric passports, etc.) so she would need to wait some time till the embassy sends her paperwork to the UK, they process it there, and send back to the embassy. However, if she needs to travel urgently, the embassy can issue her a short term booklet-like "Travel Document" which entitles her to leave the country and enter the UK, and even transit via some other country if necessary e.g. via Schengen zone (not the USA though).

As for leaving the country (DR), she would pay a hefty fine (4 year overstaying) of 14.000 pesos. http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/103251-fines-overstaying-your-visa.html#post859025
If she travels back via Punta Cana she could get away by handing over 200 dollars with no receipt. In SD there is a booth for paying fines by the book, so PUJ is better option to "help each other out".
 
W

Worried1

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Jul 30, 2011
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She was on disability due to her health as well as her pension. On top of that she didn't giver her council rented property back and claimed rent etc. We were told she'll be arrested as soon as she lands back in the uk. We do not condone what she has done, we are all hardworkers and believe benefit cheats deserve all they get.

They have reduced her money and now she gets ?100 per month, which is probably why the gentleman concerned did one.

She has no money for a passport or a flight so that is going to be be down to us to pay

As angry and upset as we are over this she's still our mum and we have to do what we can however we refuse to fund her remaining out there and as she is ready to face the music back here we have to help bring her home


Thanks every body for the replies we were worried she would be put in prison out there before we could get her home
 
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belmont

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Oct 9, 2009
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Worried1 said:
She was on disability due to her health as well as her pension. On top of that she didn't giver her council rented property back and claimed rent etc. We were told she'll be arrested as soon as she lands back in the uk. We do not condone what she has done, we are all hardworkers and believe benefit cheats deserve all they get.

They have reduced her money and now she gets ?100 per month, which is probably why the gentleman concerned did one.

She has no money for a passport or a flight so that is going to be be down to us to pay

As angry and upset as we are over this she's still our mum and we have to do what we can however we refuse to fund her remaining out there and as she is ready to face the music back here we have to help bring her home


Thanks every body for the replies we were worried she would be put in prison out there before we could get her home
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If she were a US citizen and had an outstanding arrest warrant, she could present herself to the US Marshall at the consulate in SD and say "I'm answering an outstanding warrant and I want to be transported back to face the charges". She would be taken into custody and transported. I don't know if the Brits do the same thing. If so, take the free ride and then bail her out until her case is resolved
 
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donP

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Dec 14, 2008
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Free and Broke

Worried1 said:
...we were worried she would be put in prison out there before we could get her home
Click to expand...

Do not worry.
She has not committed any crime.
And BTW, as she is broke the Dominican police have no interest in her... ;)

donP
 
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Chuck T

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Nov 30, 2010
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donP said:
Do not worry.
She has not committed any crime.
And BTW, as she is broke the Dominican police have no interest in her... ;)

donP
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worried1 , just a friendly word of advice this guy donP is a baker no lawyer.........he wanted to help me find a beach on RD.......it's an island for gosh sakes, i can find a beach myself. lol jajaja
 
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donP

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Dec 14, 2008
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He wanted help.

Chuck T said:
... this guy donP is a baker no lawyer....
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I am not a baker.
However, I bake (dark) bread from time to time.

Chuck T said:
.....he wanted to help me find a beach on RD.......it's an island for gosh sakes, i can find a beach myself. lol jajaja
Click to expand...

Well, it was not the RD, but Saman? peninsula.
You asked for help and I was trying to help.
A mistake, I suppose... But I learn from mistakes.

donP
 
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Chuck T

Banned
Nov 30, 2010
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donP said:
I am not a baker.
However, I bake (dark) bread from time to time.



Well, it was not the RD, but Saman? peninsula.
You asked for help and I was trying to help.
A mistake, I suppose... But I learn from mistakes.

donP
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lol , lil bit touchy there don, just teasing you........help me find the beach ok ? and I think you may be agent for german secret police only disguised as a baker/ lawyer. lol
 
Tamborista

Tamborista

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Apr 4, 2005
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Chuck T said:
lol , lil bit touchy there don, just teasing you........help me find the beach ok ? and I think you may be agent for german secret police only disguised as a baker/ lawyer. lol
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Amphibians are usually good at find finding water!
 
M

mountainannie

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Dec 11, 2003
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elizabetheames.blogspot.com
AW..Worried1... you know I abhor a cheater as much as the next one,... but

good for granny!!!

at least she did not bail on thousands of employees with a golden parachute

and she can probably sell her story to the Evening Star or somewhere and make a pile of money

and what a great pile of memories for those 4 years instead of being in a council flat waiting for a sunny day!

good on her!
women all over the world are cheering for her!
 
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Worried1

New member
Jul 30, 2011
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Things are getting from bad to worse. Can anyone give me a list of flights that left the Dominican yesterday. We told our mum to go to the embassy then Wednesday she told us not to worry it was sorted. We got a text this morning off her saying she is back. No one has been able to contact her. She promised to call my aunty upon arrival and she hasn't.

We have no idea how she got a passport in 2 days or how she's paid for the flight home.

We've contacted the police but they have no record of any arrest of her

We are more worried than ever wondering what she's done and where she is
 
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CaptnGlenn

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Mar 29, 2010
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IF this story is true, I wish the best for the family and hope "granny" is OK. BUT... I feel my leg being pulled. If it's just a hoax, I have to admit, it's entertaining... especially a few of the comments from the DR 1 members. ;-)
 
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belmont

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Oct 9, 2009
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If in fact Granny had an outstanding arrest warrant and she offered to surrender at the Consulate, she would be turned over to Dominican authorities and held until extradition was arranged. Local foreign diplomatic offices don't have authority to arrest and transport a detainee in the DR. If they have her, she would eventually transported to the airport and turned over to British authorities as she was about to board.
 
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Worried1

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Jul 30, 2011
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I can assure you this is genuine and now very very worrying.

We have still heard nothing. The text was sent in the uk as her mobile doesn't work abroad

We have tried to file a missing persons report but have been told we need to call the embassy to see if she renewed her passport

We've been told we have to find out what flight she was on. So if anyone can help by telling us what flights left the dominican on Saturday we'd really appreciate it
 
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