Tourist Card Extension (I Got It, but Have a Question)

[chs1986]

Here is a copy of the extension decision, so that everyone has an idea of what it looks like and how it reads. I have redacted personal information for reasons of privacy, but it's irrelevant to understanding the document. I'd be interested in hearing people's opinions on whether the extension is for 60 additional days or an extension such that my time in the country can only be 60 days total (and thus the extension is for 30 days), as there is - to me - a slight conflict between what is written in parts 3 and 4.

 

[cavok]

Here is a copy of the extension decision, so that everyone has an idea of what it looks like and how it reads. I have redacted personal information for reasons of privacy, but it's irrelevant to understanding the document. I'd be interested in hearing people's opinions on whether the extension is for 60 additional days or an extension such that my time in the country can only be 60 days total (and thus the extension is for 30 days), as there is - to me - a slight conflict between what is written in parts 3 and 4.

For what it's worth, I always read that to mean that they can give you an extension to stay up to a maximum of 60 days in the country from the date of entry. Overstays are calculated the same way - from the date of entry, not after the initial 30 days allowed.

Like you said, it's vague and confusing and seems to be contradictory. Best to try and get an answer from someone higher up at DGM than the clerks you spoke with before.

 

[AnnaC]

For what it's worth, I always read that to mean that they can give you an extension to stay up to a maximum of 60 days in the country from the date of entry. Overstays are calculated the same way - from the date of entry, not after the initial 30 days allowed.

Like you said, it's vague and confusing and seems to be contradictory. Best to try and get an answer from someone higher up at DGM than the clerks you spoke with before.

I might be wrong but I think we discussed this either last year or the year before and came to the conclusion that the extention is only for an additional 30 days.

 

[cavok]

I might be wrong but I think we discussed this either last year or the year before and came to the conclusion that the extention is only for an additional 30 days.

Yes, I remember that and that is what I think, too. The extension is only for a maximum of an additional 30 days for a maximum of 60 days in the country.

 

[chs1986]

Yes, I remember that and that is what I think, too. The extension is only for a maximum of an additional 30 days for a maximum of 60 days in the country.

And this is precisely why I’m posting the document. There is ambiguity here. Does anybody have contacts in immigration or immigration law that wouldn’t mind taking a look at the document?

 

[windeguy]

Yes, I remember that and that is what I think, too. The extension is only for a maximum of an additional 30 days for a maximum of 60 days in the country.

And this is precisely why I’m posting the document. There is ambiguity here. Does anybody have contacts in immigration or immigration law that wouldn’t mind taking a look at the document?

Two trips to Santo Domingo to stay an extra 30 days is how I see it. Wonderful.

 

[AnnaC]

Two trips to Santo Domingo to stay an extra 30 days is how I see it. Wonderful.

That's what I said and by the time you get it it's time to go home

 

[AnnaC]

And this is precisely why I’m posting the document. There is ambiguity here. Does anybody have contacts in immigration or immigration law that wouldn’t mind taking a look at the document?

I might have missed it but did you have to wait till the tourist card expired before applying for the extention?

Thanks

 

[ju10prd]

Here is a copy of the extension decision, so that everyone has an idea of what it looks like and how it reads. I have redacted personal information for reasons of privacy, but it's irrelevant to understanding the document. I'd be interested in hearing people's opinions on whether the extension is for 60 additional days or an extension such that my time in the country can only be 60 days total (and thus the extension is for 30 days), as there is - to me - a slight conflict between what is written in parts 3 and 4.

Being the legal forum it would be better to wait for the advice of Fabio Guzman. That said you did post the wording in the rules of application of the law and to me is refers to an extension of sixty days and to me there is no ambiguity.....an extra 60 days after your original permission. I do think your third pic.confirms this but we have a legal representative of high regard to offer an opinion.

That said I am personally shocked at the permitted behavior of certain posters in regards to our legal moderator and legal advisors professional integrity in another thread where he gave the community information on this sensative matter of immigration. When Mods.get the same ridicule by a few we know the forum is out of control.

If anything infractions should have been given as a minimum.

Bullies should not be tolerated in open forum.

Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L23 using Tapatalk

 

[chs1986]

I might have missed it but did you have to wait till the tourist card expired before applying for the extention?

Thanks

Not at all. I applied a week after arriving.

 

[chs1986]

Being the legal forum it would be better to wait for the advice of Fabio Guzman. That said you did post the wording in the rules of application of the law and to me is refers to an extension of sixty days and to me there is no ambiguity.....an extra 60 days after your original permission. I do think your third pic.confirms this but we have a legal representative of high regard to offer an opinion.

That said I am personally shocked at the permitted behavior of certain posters in regards to our legal moderator and legal advisors professional integrity in another thread where he gave the community information on this sensative matter of immigration. When Mods.get the same ridicule by a few we know the forum is out of control.

If anything infractions should have been given as a minimum.

Bullies should not be tolerated in open forum.

Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L23 using Tapatalk

I eagerly look forward to his opinion! In fact, I’ve been hoping he’d respond for quite some time now.

 

[william webster]

From ju10prd
==========================================

That said I am personally shocked at the permitted behavior of certain posters in regards to our legal moderator and legal advisors professional integrity in another thread where he gave the community information on this sensative matter of immigration. When Mods.get the same ridicule by a few we know the forum is out of control.
====================================================

Hard to blame Sr Guzman for being invisible

Advice from the Peanut Gallery (aka Cheap Seats) isn't tolerable to many.

A few commented on this early in the thread...
The Guzman history, record, etc

Sad to see....such hubris

 

[windeguy]

This topic certainly brings out the worst in some people. Clarity is what is needed, yet clarity is sadly lacking in the DR.

An example is such a poorly worded document like is being discussed in this thread. One cannot easily tell if you just get an additional 30 days to stay legally for a total of 60 days including the first 30 days given under the tourist card for your two trips to Santo Domingo.

Another lack of clarity is the absence of information on plans, if any, for a snowbird visa or if the laws will just remain as they are and be enforced, selectively as it seems to appear, for a change.

 

[william webster]

worse than that

we have heard that they ALWAYS count the initial 30 days in the calculation
and
we have heard it's additional to the initial 30 days

reading here - even the office can't clarify that.... they say

Whew!

 

[chs1986]

worse than that

we have heard that they ALWAYS count the initial 30 days in the calculation
and
we have heard it's additional to the initial 30 days

reading here - even the office can't clarify that.... they say

Whew!

Precisely. I got three different answers from three different people at DGM:

- "I don't know." (meaning it wasn't clear)
- "The 60-day prorroga includes your initlal 30 days."
- "The 60-day prorroga is in addition to your initial 30 days."

 

[chs1986]

I should add that I have had lawyer friends look at the letter, and there has been a convergence of opinion that there is an initial 60-day maximum authorization for tourists (though I'm not sure who gets 60 days with the card anymore), but that this limit is for those that have not applied for extensions. Thus, you as a tourist have an initial fixed limit of 60 (but really 30, as the tourist card further constricts you beyond Article 81 of the Ley Migratoria), but that the Ley in Article 83 permits one-time extensions (in my case, 60 days) that can take you beyond the initial fixed limit of Article 81, IF you apply for and are granted said extension.

This is, according to aforementioned legal eagles, apparently the most "reasonable" reading of the law.

 

[chs1986]

But am always open to hearing more (informed) opinions...

 

[jeb321]

So I just came back from Migraciones on the Malecon and captured the unicorn of the DR: the tourist card extension. Unfortunately, they messed up my entrance date on the extension document and so I will have to return in a day or so while they redo the document.

For those that need it, it's quite simple: You go to Migraciones with a letter addressed to the Director General explaining why you need an extension. Bring a photocopy of the letter along with photocopies of your passport info page and your entrance stamp (this is where the confusion occurred...my stamp page had two entrance stamps, and they accidentally used the earlier one as my entrance date). Wait 3 weeks, and they will call you when your extension is (or is not) approved so you can go and pick up the document.

The document they give you is in Spanish legalese, and it left me with one big question. Essentially, it is not clear to me if I was granted an extension of 30 days or 60 days after my initial 30-day tourist period expires. The extension ("prorroga") is based on the following component of Dominican law:

Articulo 84, Parrafo 3 of the Ley Migratoria:
"En caso de ser aprobada la prórroga, la D.G.M. sólo podrá conceder una prórroga de
permanencia por sesenta (60) días. En caso de ser rechazada la solicitud, se procederá conforme
a lo que dispone la Ley y el presente Reglamento. Se exceptúan de esta disposición, los hijos de
dominicanos nacidos en el exterior."

Now, I am fairly fluent in Spanish, but the above clause is entirely ambiguous to me. That is, does the prorroga itself last for 60 days or does the prorroga function such that your entire stay including it is for 60 days? This would make the difference between a 90-day stay (initial 30-day stay + 60 prorroga days) or a 60-day stay (initial 30-day stay + 30 prorroga days). It all hinges on if "permanencia" in the above refers to the permenancia of your entire stay or the permanencia of your prorroga.

I would love if others, especially legal eagles, could chime in, as this nuance makes a big difference for me. I will be renting a car during my final week in the DR. As I understand it, should I be involved in an accident while on an expired tourist card, I will automatically be at fault for driving while "illegal", yes? This is literally the entire reason why I am trying to get this extension to cover my stay.

I will post the precise wording of the extension document when I get the updated version from Migraciones (I forgot to snap a photo of it before I handed it back for revision), but its wording more or less mirrored the migration law clause I have posted above.

This is just a little off this thread (I forgot thread I wanted to post on) BUT I left DR Sat after 8 months and I got a quick goodbye and made my payment out.  List of what overstay pesos are is posted right on customs persons window.  I mentioned to DRers that I would let them know.  It was either 4 or 5000 pesos. 
Jeb

 

[chs1986]

To give some finality to this discussion, the legal consensus was that the extension was 60 days total in addition to my 30 days on the tourist card, allowing me 90 days in the country.

I am not certain this will always be the case, but immigration officials at the border agreed, though they were a bit surprised that the document existed. Might have been the first time the officer in question even saw a prorroga. At any rate, they took the prorroga, made photocopies of it, and let me cross the border into Haiti. I did not have to pay the tourist overstay fee.

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

Now if we can just have this document available at DGM offices across this country, with no arduous preconditions and lame excuses that it doesn't exist, tourists can enjoy some small measure of comfort & confidence when they choose to stay up to 90 days.