Last time I came to Cabarete, I researched visa requirements and my local consulate told me that I could purchase a tourist card when I arrived at the airport that was good for 90 days. I did that and stayed for 18 days. On deoarting through immigration, the agent pointed to the back of the card that said 15 days. He then imposed a "fine" on me to pass through. What is the deal with this? I am arriving again later this year for a month and would like to know whether there is a way to get more than 15 days.
- Thread starter hector37
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DR Tourist Cards
No. It says 15 days on it, hence it is 15 days. You pay the fine over 15 days on departure. It is just a tax. And for 16-90 (the old term was 90 days well over a year ago) days you pay something like 60 pesos. $2-3.
Had they been smart ( no danger of that) they'd have left it at 90 and charged $15 for every tourist card for every tourist , but instead they now get $2-3 from maybe 1% of tourists (as AI packages are usually 7-14 days at the most) vs. getting an extra $5 from 100% of the tourists and no bottleneck at passport control upon leaving.
Morons.
Had they been smart ( no danger of that) they'd have left it at 90 and charged $15 for every tourist card for every tourist , but instead they now get $2-3 from maybe 1% of tourists (as AI packages are usually 7-14 days at the most) vs. getting an extra $5 from 100% of the tourists and no bottleneck at passport control upon leaving.
Morons.
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The official "new" costs..
when departing, if the touristcard has expired is as below.
These are the last I got, and they are on a paper I got from the aiport in POP.
It says nothing below 3 months though.. although I am sure it is.
.. by 3 - 9 months 500 pesos, 9-12 months 2000 pesos, 12-18 months 3,500 pesos, 18-24 months 4,500 pesos, 24-30 months 6,000 pesos, 30-36 months 8000 pesos, 3-5 years 12,000 pesos, 5 years plus 15,000 pesos.
when departing, if the touristcard has expired is as below.
These are the last I got, and they are on a paper I got from the aiport in POP.
It says nothing below 3 months though.. although I am sure it is.
.. by 3 - 9 months 500 pesos, 9-12 months 2000 pesos, 12-18 months 3,500 pesos, 18-24 months 4,500 pesos, 24-30 months 6,000 pesos, 30-36 months 8000 pesos, 3-5 years 12,000 pesos, 5 years plus 15,000 pesos.
The 15 day - 3 month fine is $300RD as per www.migracion.gov.do/tarifas.htmricktoronto said:There is 16-90 days which was their whole motive.
Gregg
Technically it's a fine for overstaying the 15 day "limit" on a Tourist Card but in practice it is a simple money grab. Speaking of money grabs, have the correct change and pay it like you know the drill and have done it before. If they smell fear they will try to extort more from you - LOL.
The tax is the $20US per person Departure Tax which may be included in your airline ticket price (taxes section) depending on from where you are travelling.
Gregg
The tax is the $20US per person Departure Tax which may be included in your airline ticket price (taxes section) depending on from where you are travelling.
Gregg
That's right; but if you tell us your air carrier we may be able to dispense with the Departure Tax right now.
Gregg
Gregg
hector37 said:So depending on my ticket, I may have to pay a $20 departure tax and a "fine" based on the rates specified above?
You will always pay the $20 either in advance to the airline or at the counter. That your lucky stars they don't do the sticky or ink stamp lineups any more.
I happen to be flying jetBlue later this month JFK - STI so I know that one - the $20US Departure Tax IS included in your airline ticket; also included if flying AA.hector37 said:Still working that out...probably Jet Blue. Thanks for your help.
Gregg
Hector,
I just spent 3 weeks in the DR and my tourist visa did not have the 15 day limitation of which you refer. However, on my previous trip in February, it did, and since I did not know about it (who ever reads the small print on the back?) I told the official that I only had a credit card, and he let me pass without paying. I traveled through Santo Domingo this trip and through Puerto Plata the previous one. I have no idea if they have changed the regulations or if the point of entry makes a difference. It would be good to know for future reference. Good luck. And FYI, upon entry, I had to pay $20 for my tourist visa, so maybe they are getting smarter after all.
Ron
I just spent 3 weeks in the DR and my tourist visa did not have the 15 day limitation of which you refer. However, on my previous trip in February, it did, and since I did not know about it (who ever reads the small print on the back?) I told the official that I only had a credit card, and he let me pass without paying. I traveled through Santo Domingo this trip and through Puerto Plata the previous one. I have no idea if they have changed the regulations or if the point of entry makes a difference. It would be good to know for future reference. Good luck. And FYI, upon entry, I had to pay $20 for my tourist visa, so maybe they are getting smarter after all.
Ron
Ron,ronks said:Hector,
I just spent 3 weeks in the DR and my tourist visa did not have the 15 day limitation of which you refer. However, on my previous trip in February, it did, and since I did not know about it (who ever reads the small print on the back?) I told the official that I only had a credit card, and he let me pass without paying. I traveled through Santo Domingo this trip and through Puerto Plata the previous one. I have no idea if they have changed the regulations or if the point of entry makes a difference. It would be good to know for future reference. Good luck. And FYI, upon entry, I had to pay $20 for my tourist visa, so maybe they are getting smarter after all.
Ron
The "Tourist Visa" (Tourist Card) is only $10US (per person) - are you sure you paid $20US?
Gregg
I had to pay about RD$2000 for my son's 9 month overstay when we left the country last July. I am a resident, he is a tourist. Not for much longer, though. In fact, the immigration officer was inclined to let me off, after hearing that my son's father was Dominican and that he was in the process of getting his DR nationality formalised. However, the men at the desk weren't having any of it, so I paid up.
While I was paying, a Dominican-American woman, travelling on her US passport, was making a huge scene, swearing blind that she had had no idea about this, had absolutely no money, etc. The officials were not being at all flexible, and it came to the point where they said they would have to get her luggage removed from the plane, and then she gave in and came up with the cash.
While I was paying, a Dominican-American woman, travelling on her US passport, was making a huge scene, swearing blind that she had had no idea about this, had absolutely no money, etc. The officials were not being at all flexible, and it came to the point where they said they would have to get her luggage removed from the plane, and then she gave in and came up with the cash.
Chiri,Chirimoya said:I had to pay about RD$2000 for my son's 9 month overstay when we left the country last July. I am a resident, he is a tourist. Not for much longer, though. In fact, the immigration officer was inclined to let me off, after hearing that my son's father was Dominican and that he was in the process of getting his DR nationality formalised. However, the men at the desk weren't having any of it, so I paid up.
Probably worth paying up and keeping your son - LOL.
Gregg