What is the sense of the Russian visa requirements?

noel

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Dec 29, 2004
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We recently heard about the new visa requirements for Russian citizens who want to visit the Dominican Republic. For those of you who don't know, the new rules require Russians (and Ukrainians, apparently) to apply at least 21 days in advance, and to pay 250 Euros. Previously, Russians were able to visit here under the same terms as people from most countries: pay the $10 for a tourist card (or whatever that is) when you get to the airport, no visa required.

My wife and daughter are Russian. We've been living in the DR for the last 6 months. We found out about this situation when a friend of ours was planning a trip with her family to the DR. Fortunately she'd bought the tickets in time to just slip under the door, but if she hadn't, she'd be in a real pickle: suddenly looking at an additional 1000 Euros on top of the already expensive plane tickets from Russia to here.

My question is: What's the sense of this? What can the DR possibly be gaining with this ridiculous move? It's not as though Russians were the biggest tourist group already, given the distance and expense, but in my understanding this was a growing market. Looks like the government has successfully nipped that growing market in the bud. Do they somehow imagine they'll make more money on the visa fees than the country would take in with the tourist dollars from these visitors?

I wrote to the Dominican embassy asking what the reasons are, but haven't gotten a response. A Russian guy we know here said that there was some purported concern about Russians illegally immigrating to the US via the DR. But I find this highly unlikely. Everybody goes through the same immigration checkpoint at the airport, regardless of where you're flying in from. And I can't imagine that we're now talking about Russian "boat people" launching out into choppy waters in the middle of the night from some rocky cape in Samana....

My best guess is that this is some condition attached to CAFTA. My understanding is that visa requirements are largely political instruments. Russia, for instance, has totally insane requirements that make it very difficult for a "Westerner" to visit there. The EU has at times tried to persuade Putin to straighten the situation out, but he has always held out, pushing the EU to make concessions that he wants. I would guess that the US-Russia visa situation could certainly be regularized, too, if the countries were willing to make certain other concessions to each other. But currently those requirements are mutually nuts as well. So, I'm guessing that the US is pushing its regional "allies" to replicate US visa requirements as part of its CAFTA package.

But that's just a guess. Anybody know for sure? The decisions that this government makes with respect to visitors and tourism are really baffling. (Just as an aside, I've always found it hilarious that they require payment in dollars at the airport for those tourist cards -- pesos not accepted. Almost makes you think the US is still occupying.... ;) )
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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It Is Due To The Huge Numbers Of Russian Prostitutes!

The DR is being flooded by Russian Prostitutes (Over Priced and way Over Rated!) their "Pimps" and other Russian "Drek"!The DR is trying to "Weed Out" these undesireables before they get here.Makes you think the "Commies" are still in charge there! :cry:
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May 12, 2005
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The commies might not be in charge, but russian organized crime certainly is. also visa requirements make it easy for a government to know exactly who is coming into their country. Nothing wrong with that.
 

andrea9k

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Apr 17, 2004
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Of course nothing is wrong with that. I just hope they charge the same to americans, brits, canucks, europeans, latin people and everybody who wants to enjoy "our" paradise. :cross-eye

What is 200+ dollars to get admitted to a third world country... peanuts! Will this visa have a valid thru date? like 5 or 10 years?
 

jojo2130

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May 30, 2005
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I Agree, I have travelled to Russia Many times and have friends there and did some business there. We really do not want a Flood of Russian Mafia in DR . Not Good . I Have been privey to it . They are Brutal. The Director of our Sister Company in St. Petersburg was shot dead in his bed. That was in 1992 . And the Mafia runs the show there. Protection money is a normal way of life. I Have Speant many many weeks in towns like Smolensk and in Moscow. The Common Russian people are wonderful but very very very few common people have the money to vacation in DR with an income of $50 to $75 a week. The Mafia will come. I have a friend at Seahorse Ranch who said that there are Plenty of Russians renting there. At $13,000 / week I can assure you that it is not the common Russian people . I agree with the Visa. I only wonder how Strict the DR government will be on it . Probably a great way to get tipped as well !
 

Conchman

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Jul 3, 2002
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This is complete idiotic nonsense of epidemic proportions!!!!!

If the high price of the visa does not drive away the tourists, then the fact THAT THERE IS NO EMBASSY IN RUSSIA to process the visa, will. Russians would literally have to drive or fly hundreds or thousands of miles go to Warsaw or Berlin to get their visas!

The icing on the cake is that the prostitutes will have their pimps pay and do all the work. So whats the result:

1) ALL RUSSIAN TOURISTS STOP COMING TO THE DR (killing a new upsurging market)

2) THE PROSTITUTES WILL CONTINUE TO COME (no pun intended)

Whoever thought this out, is a complete idiot. Why doesn't immigration just deport any illegally working Russians????? They are burning down the house to kill ants. Use spray!

If the Russian mafia wants to come here, they will have no problem getting this visa so this new regulation is just nonsense.
 

Berzin

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Nov 17, 2004
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From one corrupt country to another...

where do you think that extra money is going to go? This is just an extortion racket by the dominican government and will not keep any pimps or hookers out of the DR. They can charge 1,000 euros for the visa and they will STILL come.
What they should do is catch and deport these people-how hard is it to spot a russian on dominican soil?
And as for the hookers, the DR definitely does NOT need an influx of those from another country-they have plenty home-grown chicas to deal with.
 

Conchman

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Berzin said:
where do you think that extra money is going to go? This is just an extortion racket by the dominican government and will not keep any pimps or hookers out of the DR. They can charge 1,000 euros for the visa and they will STILL come.
What they should do is catch and deport these people-how hard is it to spot a russian on dominican soil?
And as for the hookers, the DR definitely does NOT need an influx of those from another country-they have plenty home-grown chicas to deal with.


exactly what I'm thinking, typical government SHENINAGANS (defined as nonsense/trickery)
 

Conchman

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Several Russian tour operators have contracts with a Russian charter plane operator to start in October 2005 to fly two large jets per week into Punta Cana and one into Puerto Plata. Contracts with hotels are already signed.

These plans are now all cancelled.

This amounts to about 1,500 pax p. week x 25 weeks (winter season) = 37,500 guests. These are high spenders staying at the best hotels so figure about $2,000 per person in lost hotel/excursions/ etc spending revenue so thats $75,000,000 lost for the DR.

Direct government losses will be ITBIS, Entry Visas, Departure Taxes, etc also amounting in the millions.

YOUR GOVERNMENT AT WORK FOR YOU.

I have word that this regulation was done due to CAFTA, trying to RAISE money from other sources as import duties will have to be lowered or eliminated.
 

ricktoronto

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Jan 9, 2002
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3 , 500 passenger jets 100% full for 1/2 the year (a long season for sure) all from Russia. Sure.

I think Russians must have hit rock bottom as a reliable visitor class if even the DR wants a visa for 250 euros and will likely turn you down anyway.
 

dropitlikeithot

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Jun 22, 2005
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andrea9k said:
Of course nothing is wrong with that. I just hope they charge the same to americans, brits, canucks, europeans, latin people and everybody who wants to enjoy "our" paradise. :cross-eye

What is 200+ dollars to get admitted to a third world country... peanuts! Will this visa have a valid thru date? like 5 or 10 years?


charge the same to europeans and americans and see how everyone goes to other islands for same pleasure.... cuba, puerto rico, jamaica, bahamas, virgin islands, etc etc.
 

ricktoronto

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Jan 9, 2002
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charge the same to europeans and americans and see how everyone goes to other islands for same pleasure.... cuba, puerto rico, jamaica, bahamas, virgin islands, etc etc

You don't think there is a teesy-weensy thought there behind the scenes that they don't put Russians in the same pot o'trustworthiness as other Europeans or Americans ? Maybe just maybe they are a bit more suspicious. Especially with allegedly 38,000 of them arriving all at once.

Note Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands admit Americans without visas for some other reason....can't quite place it. Oh yeah, they are Americans too.
 

Conchman

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ricktoronto said:
3 , 500 passenger jets 100% full for 1/2 the year (a long season for sure) all from Russia. Sure.

I think Russians must have hit rock bottom as a reliable visitor class if even the DR wants a visa for 250 euros and will likely turn you down anyway.


HUH????

its 250 people per plane, 3 planes (2 PC, 1 POP), twice per week.

They did this last year already, its fact, not fiction. Of course the planes were not 100% full but they filled them up good enough to increase numbers for this upcoming season.

And yes, the Russian winter is long.

'turn you down anyway' ??? explain
 

ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
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If they really don't want to admit Russians they still will be happy to accept 250 euro fees to apply and then say no, then they have the money and their original no Russians goal too. Fees don't guarantee a thing. Hey - the US consulate has accepted fees for lost cause visa applications for ages.