Requirements for Travel with Minors

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Here is my translation of the Immigration Memo regarding travel with minor children.

This applies to anyone under 18.

Parents:
1. If both parents are outside the country, they should go to the nearest Dominican Consulate and have a Consulate Authorization (Poder Consular) for the child's (children's ) exit from the DR. This has to be sent here along with photocopies of two ID documents for each parent.
2. If one of the parents is in the DR, this person should have a notarized document drawn up that authorizes the exit from DR territory of the minor (s). The Notarized act must then be "legalized" by the Attorney General's office (either in Santo Domingo or in Santiago). In Santiago, the District Attorney (Procuradur?a), and this is located on the 4th floor of the Palace of Justice. Two photocopies of the parent's c?dual and /or passport are also required.
3. If the mother is a single parent, she should have a sworn statement of her single status, legalized at the District Attorney's Office (la Procuradur?a) along with two copies of the C?dula and or passport. If the child will be travelling with a third party, an authorization to travel with that person must be "legalized, and notarized" by the same office.
4. If the single person is a widow(er) the corresponding Death Certificate should be produced and legalized.
5. If the minor (s) is/are going to travel with just one of the parents, the other parent must issue a notarized and legalized authorization. The Immigration office must also authorize the minor's exit. All this must be accompanied by two photo copies of the authorizing parent's c?dula or passport)

Requisites for a minor

1. Two copies of the first pages of the passport (Plus the passport itself)
2. 2 copies of the birth certificate (Plus the Original)
3. 2 copies of the Visa or Resident card ((Photo copies of both sides of the Resident card.
4. 2 copies of both sides of the tourist card. (Plus the original)
5. 2 copies of the last entry into the DR
6. 2 photos 2 x 2, and two stamps of RD$30.00 for each minor
7. If the minor is travelling on a Birth Certificate, 2 photocopies of each side of the BC.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ACCOMPANING PERSON

1. 2 COPIES of the first pages of the passport (Plus the original)
2. 2 Copies of the visa or resident card (plus photocopies of both sides of the Resident Card if applicable)

Authorizations must be in Spanish, or translated by a Legal Translator
If travel is with an airline stewardess, there is no need for Accompaning Person documentation
Foreigners can leave the country with the person with whom they entered, without any Immigration Permits required.
If travelling with one of the two parents, an authorizing, notarized and legalized letter is required from the other parent.

The Immigration Permit, good for 24 hours, costs RD$850. Same day service costs RD$1450. This is per minor child. For additional information please call 809 971 1333 or FAX 809 971 1335 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM Mon - Fri.
 

ally

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Dec 8, 2005
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minors

We came to DR this time last year and on booking we were told the same thing about my brother. My mum is divorced. we did go through the whole process of getting together all the relevant documents etc and lo and behold, we were never asked once to produce any of them!

is this common practice or can we expect to asked this time round in feb?

many thanks
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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You have the papers, just be ready to produce them, if needed. Why look for trouble?


HB :D:D
 

MrMike

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My 12 year old son, who is of no "legal" relation to me visits once or twice a year or so (flying alone in custody of the airline) and about 1 out of 3 times we get him back to mamma without being asked for paperwork at the airport.

Of course we always go prepared with all the required documents, which are no small hassle to get since his mother cannot be bothered to help much, but more and more I expect it will be the rule to be asked to present this documentation.
 

Snowbird

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Jan 17, 2002
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HB,
Please excuse my ignorance but...does this thread apply to my grandchildren, ages 3 and 18 months, who will be coming with their parents to join my wife and I on our vacation in Playa Dorada?

Also, when traveling from and to the USA, will a birth certificate suffice? I had heard that a passport was necessary, but then I had heard that the US had softened its position re: travel to/from the DR.

Thanks for your reply.

SB
 

Stodgord

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Nov 19, 2004
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Snowbird said:
HB,
Please excuse my ignorance but...does this thread apply to my grandchildren, ages 3 and 18 months, who will be coming with their parents to join my wife and I on our vacation in Playa Dorada?

Also, when traveling from and to the USA, will a birth certificate suffice? I had heard that a passport was necessary, but then I had heard that the US had softened its position re: travel to/from the DR.

Thanks for your reply.

SB


If they are travelling with both parents then there is no problem. A birth certificate is still good, but tell the parents to make, make, make sure that the immigration agent enters the kids in the computer database and that a picture is taken of them in the immigration office. I had a problem where my 1yr son entry was not registered in the computer and no picture was taken in the immigration office.
 

Dolores1

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May 3, 2000
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If the children are traveling with both parents, the paperwork is not necessary. A birth certificate will suffice to reenter the US until 31 December 2006.
 

finlay

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Jan 8, 2006
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bringin children to the dr

hi is this just if you are traviling fom america? as im a single parent and have flown from england with my two children twice and have not been asked for anything or have i just been lucky? iam planning to come back this year to your wonderful island.
 

rellosk

Silver
Mar 18, 2002
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finlay said:
hi is this just if you are traviling fom america? as im a single parent and have flown from england with my two children twice and have not been asked for anything or have i just been lucky? iam planning to come back this year to your wonderful island.
I believe it's a Dominican Republic requirement. Check you airlines website. This is what it says on Continentals

Minors (applicable only when LEAVING Dominican Rep.):
irrespective of nationality (until 18 years of age),
traveling unaccompanied, or with an adult other than a parent or legal guardian, or with only one parent, or with a
different person than they entered the country with, must hold a permit issued in the Dominican Rep. or a letter of consent issued by representation of the Dominican Rep. abroad.
For information on how to apply for a permit and documentation required, contact Dominican Rep. representation abroad or the
Director General's Office of Immigration, Santo Domingo.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
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You have just been lucky. The requirement is there to be enforced. Probably in your case, the agent did not feel it was necessary as the two children looked like your children.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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Safe is better than sorry.

Have the father(s) of the children give you an authorization to travel with the children. Have it stamped at the local Dominican consulate.

You didn't say whether each of the children has his/her own passport or are travelling under your passport. If the latter, that might explain why you have not been required to produce the papers required.

Cordially,

HB :D:D
 

sluna77

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Aug 25, 2005
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I have traveled about 8 times with my son. . .alone without the father. . . And not once have they asked me for any authorization from the father. . I am in the US. . .and go to DR every 3 months. . .

If they where to ask me for an authorization. . .I do have a come back for them. . which is . . .I have no idea where the father is. . .so how would you expect me to get a letter from the father??? Simple as that!!!
 

Dirk Pitt

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Jan 26, 2006
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I am traveling from NY to Santo Domingo in February with 6 of my daughter's friends - I wrote an e-mail to the DR Consulate in Washington and here is his response:

"Any minor under 18 years old who enter with an adult and leaving the country (Domincian Repulic) with a same adult dosen't need the permission letter from the parents. In your case, you don't need the permission letter from your daughter friend's parents beacuse all of you will be going and leaving the Dominican Republic together"

It was signed by Mr Johnny Ramirez - First Secretary - Embassy of The Domincian Republic - Washington DC
 

Caren M.

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Jan 27, 2006
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Am traveling to Punta Cana in Feb. with my family and my son's 16 yr. old friend. I made sure he got a passport and am bringing a notarized letter from his parents giving us permission to take him to DR for vacation and then bring him back to the US. Will this be sufficient? I get conflicting answers and have had no luck reaching anyone in the Dominican consulate. Have been to DR many times and don't want to have any problems. Thanks for any info!
 

rellosk

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Mar 18, 2002
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Dirk Pitt said:
I am traveling from NY to Santo Domingo in February with 6 of my daughter's friends - I wrote an e-mail to the DR Consulate in Washington and here is his response:

"Any minor under 18 years old who enter with an adult and leaving the country (Domincian Repulic) with a same adult dosen't need the permission letter from the parents. In your case, you don't need the permission letter from your daughter friend's parents beacuse all of you will be going and leaving the Dominican Republic together"

It was signed by Mr Johnny Ramirez - First Secretary - Embassy of The Domincian Republic - Washington DC
Wow, that's incredible! That contradicts with everything I've ever read and anything anyone has ever told me.

I'm not sure how much merit the email will have with Dominican immigration. Firstly becuase it is in English and secondly becuase it is a printout of an email and anyone can fake that. In any event, bring the email with you, it can't hurt. You also may want to make sure the child get photographed by immigration upon arrival in the DR.

Could you please PM with the email address for the consulate in Washington.

BTW, I'm assuming you typed, rather than cut and pasted, the text you quoted from the Consulate. There are a few typos in the text.
 

rellosk

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Mar 18, 2002
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Caren M. said:
Am traveling to Punta Cana in Feb. with my family and my son's 16 yr. old friend. I made sure he got a passport and am bringing a notarized letter from his parents giving us permission to take him to DR for vacation and then bring him back to the US. Will this be sufficient? I get conflicting answers and have had no luck reaching anyone in the Dominican consulate. Have been to DR many times and don't want to have any problems. Thanks for any info!
Up until I read post #15 above, I had always thought that any minor not traveling with both parents would need written authorization from the Dominican Consulate (at a cost of somewhere between $40 and $60).

That said, I have traveled to the DR as a single parent with my Daughter many times and have only been questioned twice. Both times I played dumb and was able to convince them to let us go through, albeit the second time took almost 45 minitues to convince them. Last summer my Daughter traveled by herself and they asked her for the authorization (which she did not have), but they let her go through.
 

Dirk Pitt

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Jan 26, 2006
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Rellosk- Your right there are typos but that how iy was written - I will cut and paste the entire e-amil below:

Good morning,



Any minor under 18 years old who enter with an adult and living the country (Dominican Republic)

with a same adult doesn’t need the permission letter from the parents.

In your case, you don’t need the permission letter from your daughter friend’s parents because

all of you will be going and leaving the Dominican Republic together.



Thanks,





Johnny Ramirez

First Secretary

Embassy of the Dominican Republic

1715 22nd Street N W

Washington, DC 20008

Phone: (202) 332-6280 ext. 2520

Fax: (202) 265-8057

E-mail: jramirez@us.serex.gov.do



-----Original Message-----
From: Carlos Diaz
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 2:46 PM
To: Johnny Ramirez
Subject: FW: Travling with Children







-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 2:42 PM
To: Carlos Diaz
Subject: Travling with Children



Hi – I am planning my 6th trip to your lovely country – this year we are taking some of my daughter’s friends for her sweet sixteen birthday. Do we need any kind of letter from the parents of her friends

for entry into the country? We all we be going and leaving the country together.



Thanks in advance