I have experience in the Free Zones here. My advice for looking at the DR's Free Trade Zones - forget it for now. What started out as a good thing, is now being abused and corrupted by Leonel Fernandez' government.
Miguel Cocco, head of Dominican Customs, apparently doesn't recognize that a 15 year permission to operate in their Free Zones "free of all taxes in any form" should include his tax on imports. The Permission to Operate granted by their own Free Zone council is a LEGAL, BINDING contract, yet no one has had the balls to sue the government for these infractions. The government also taxes Free Zone companies' banking accounts, in the form of a tax.
The Dominican tax authorities now also require all Free Zone companies to file the equivalent of an annual tax return, (without paying taxes though, YET) because they feel they have the right to look under the sheets at private companies' private business. Says who? It's not in the requirements to operate, they just decided to "tack it on".
Check out Costa Rica, or Nicaragua. Both are friendlier, and they both also have joined the DR-CAFTA agreement, on which Leonel's government has dropped the ball. I am betting they will NEVER fulfill the things they need to do in order to become a member of DR-CAFTA.
I personally have thought of opening 1 or 2 new companies that would benefit from a Free Zone existence, but due to this government's actions since taking office, I will decline. I am going elsewhere with my ideas and my investment, to conduct business. More than likely I will continue to live here, but travel to do things the way that will benefit ME. After all, it's still MY MONEY, right?
