A Different Driving Question

La Profe_1

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
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This is hypothetical since I am a bit of a wimp too afraid to drive here.

I know that the rules are that a cedula is required for a Dominican driver's license and that the person's license from his home country is valid while the tourist card is valid or if the home country will certify (not sure of exact term, but not possible for the US).

What about someone who enters the country with a work, business or diplomatic visa? Can they apply for a DR license or drive long term on their home country license since the visa is good for longer than 30 days?
 
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Chip

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Jul 25, 2007
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Santiago
I'm not certain of the rules but no one has ever asked for my license here in 8 years even though I have been stopped numerous times and had to present my documents from driving all over this beautiful island. However, I plan to get one sooner rather than later just in case.
 
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LindseyKaufman

Silver
Aug 21, 2007
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If one has a one year temporary residency, does it make sense to give up the drivers license from the US and get the Dominican license? Or even if one gets the Dominican license, to give up the US one? What if after one year, the temporary residency isn't renewed? Then a person would have to start all over with the US license. I would not want to do what is illegal, yet I would want to do what makes sense.

Lindsey
 
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dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
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lindsay, i would wait to get permanent residency and then just take the driving test and get a dominican license. this way you will do everything legal and you will have both licenses.

diplomats have lots of things easy, as long as they are properly accredited and carry their diplomatic ID.
 
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KateP

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May 28, 2004
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LindseyKaufman said:
If one has a one year temporary residency, does it make sense to give up the drivers license from the US and get the Dominican license? Or even if one gets the Dominican license, to give up the US one? What if after one year, the temporary residency isn't renewed? Then a person would have to start all over with the US license. I would not want to do what is illegal, yet I would want to do what makes sense.

Lindsey
Click to expand...

If I'm not mistaken you don't "give up" your US license. You simply have one from the US and one for the DR.
 
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Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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You don't have to "Give Up" any license from a foreign country to get a DR license.
Where did THAT come from????
In the USA a state driver's license is a good form of "ID".
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Black Dog

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May 29, 2009
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Actually, I'm talking for UK expats here, you can exchange your UK license for a DR license through the embassy but, as stated, better to have residency and both licenses!
 
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mido

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May 18, 2002
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Black Dog said:
Actually, I'm talking for UK expats here, you can exchange your UK license for a DR license through the embassy but, as stated, better to have residency and both licenses!
Click to expand...
You cannot get any Dominican Driver License without being a legal resident of the DR. That applies to all foreign residents.
 
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william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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they may make an exception for foreign aid workers, or volunteers of an accredited charity here doing their good work..

Interesting question - to which I am sure there is an answer....

Those aid workers actually get bona fide papers to carry to authenticate their work.... they tell me

like the Peace Corps, maybe
 
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Mauricio

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Nov 18, 2002
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People think that they have to give up their original driver's license since that's how its called by the dominican ministry of transport: cambio de licencia de conducir extranjera a dominicana. It's not cambio, it's getting a dominican license based on your original driver's license. Ofcourse you get to keep the original one.
 
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william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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Mauricio -- w/respect, not every country allows you keep both .... RD does.

that's what counts here.....YES, you keep whatever other licence you have - if you want to
 
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donP

Newbie
Dec 14, 2008
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Chip's Sin

Chip said:
.... here in 8 years ... driving all over this beautiful island. However, I plan to get one sooner rather than later just in case.
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Driving unlawfully without the proper license? :tired:
Read Mark 12:17!!!!!


donP
 
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expatsooner

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Aug 7, 2004
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Many countries will shorten the requirements for a driver's license based on the individual having a current license in another country. However not all current licenses are the same for this exchange, almost every country will do this for US or Canadian licenses and you do not usually have to give up any of them.

In example for about a year I had valid licenses from the US, Pakistan and Kuwait all at the same time. I could use the US one to get a Kuwaiti one very simply (although requirements are much harder now) but I couldn't use the Pakistani one. As a side note I lived in the DR for nine years and never got a driver's license from there.
 
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windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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Chip said:
I'm not certain of the rules but no one has ever asked for my license here in 8 years even though I have been stopped numerous times and had to present my documents from driving all over this beautiful island. However, I plan to get one sooner rather than later just in case.
Click to expand...

Is this including while driving a car? I have been asked numerous times for license and insurance information while driving a car, but never while on a two wheeled vehicle.
 
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windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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Mauricio said:
People think that they have to give up their original driver's license since that's how its called by the dominican ministry of transport: cambio de licencia de conducir extranjera a dominicana. It's not cambio, it's getting a dominican license based on your original driver's license. Ofcourse you get to keep the original one.
Click to expand...

And as was mentioned above, it is not possible to do even that "cambio" with a US license. You have to go through the procedures for residency, have a valid cedula, permit, written and road test if you are from the USA. Of course you do get to keep your US license because it has nothing to do with getting a DR license for Americans.
 
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Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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I wonder which countries don't allow their citizens to have a drivers license from another country, if they have a current license, "At Home"?????
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