- Thread starter drstock
- Start date
Visiting Haiti to renew tourist visa
This reminds me of those "influencers" that stand on the edge of a ravine in the Grand Canyon just to produce a Pic with a lot of likes, and... they fall off the edge and die a horrible disfiguring death.
Oooh this is interesting. Have we stumbled upon a(nother) disadvantage of the 30-day tourist card? I know that when I applied for a bank account recently they took a photocopy of every single page of my passport, so this may be a thing. (I have residency).
Your friend should read the British government's travel advice to Haiti. They say:
- No consular assistance
- Crime is particularly high near to the Dominican-Haitian border
- The British government has a policy of not paying kidnappers so wouldn't help you if you were kidnapped
- Advice is not to travel, so his travel insurance would be invalid, so if anything did happen in Haiti, no medical coverage, no cover for theft
The travel insurance question is an important one. If he had an accident in DR after returning from Haiti, I think one of the questions the insurers would ask is the countries he has visited on this trip. And one of those being Haiti, I wonder if this would invalidate a claim. They do try to get out of paying, so this would be worth thinking about.
Why not just do a back-to-back flight to somewhere? Arrive on the outbound flight, pass through immigration and come straight back on the same plane. Airlines like SkyHigh fly to a lot of other islands and they're small enough planes and destinations I'm sure this would be easily done.
skyhighdominicana.com
Your friend should read the British government's travel advice to Haiti. They say:
- No consular assistance
- Crime is particularly high near to the Dominican-Haitian border
- The British government has a policy of not paying kidnappers so wouldn't help you if you were kidnapped
- Advice is not to travel, so his travel insurance would be invalid, so if anything did happen in Haiti, no medical coverage, no cover for theft
The travel insurance question is an important one. If he had an accident in DR after returning from Haiti, I think one of the questions the insurers would ask is the countries he has visited on this trip. And one of those being Haiti, I wonder if this would invalidate a claim. They do try to get out of paying, so this would be worth thinking about.
Why not just do a back-to-back flight to somewhere? Arrive on the outbound flight, pass through immigration and come straight back on the same plane. Airlines like SkyHigh fly to a lot of other islands and they're small enough planes and destinations I'm sure this would be easily done.
SKYhigh | Aviation Services Dominicana S.A.
Una empresa con sinónimo de calidad, que nació con la visión de aportar a la aviación de la República Dominicana.
skyhighdominicana.com
Not true. Not only this friend but another one has been refused opening an account at different banks because they have an expired tourist stamp. Both were told they could re-apply if they have a current tourist stamp and one has done so and opened an account.
As I stated earlier, the reason my friend wants to renew in Haiti because I have to go to Dajabon next week and it is much easier and cheaper for him to come with me and just nip over the border than going to another country.Oooh this is interesting. Have we stumbled upon a(nother) disadvantage of the 30-day tourist card? I know that when I applied for a bank account recently they took a photocopy of every single page of my passport, so this may be a thing. (I have residency).
Your friend should read the British government's travel advice to Haiti. They say:
- No consular assistance
- Crime is particularly high near to the Dominican-Haitian border
- The British government has a policy of not paying kidnappers so wouldn't help you if you were kidnapped
- Advice is not to travel, so his travel insurance would be invalid, so if anything did happen in Haiti, no medical coverage, no cover for theft
The travel insurance question is an important one. If he had an accident in DR after returning from Haiti, I think one of the questions the insurers would ask is the countries he has visited on this trip. And one of those being Haiti, I wonder if this would invalidate a claim. They do try to get out of paying, so this would be worth thinking about.
Why not just do a back-to-back flight to somewhere? Arrive on the outbound flight, pass through immigration and come straight back on the same plane. Airlines like SkyHigh fly to a lot of other islands and they're small enough planes and destinations I'm sure this would be easily done.
SKYhigh | Aviation Services Dominicana S.A.
Una empresa con sinónimo de calidad, que nació con la visión de aportar a la aviación de la República Dominicana.
We are well aware of the problems in Haiti and would just go across the border for a short while, and not stray far from the border. I am told by a Haitian friend who comes from Ouanaminthe, just over the border, that it is safe there and nothing like the capital.
As for health insurance, he has Dominican insurance and has used it before without a problem.
I think it's Santa Cruz. My other friend who could not open an account without a current tourist card was trying at BHD.
Not in the cases of my two friends who have tried to open accounts with an expired tourist card.
You need to spend some more time and visit more branches and banks. If I was still on the North Coast you would have that account.............
I'v thought about this for the past couple of days and can see why one would be denied an account with an overstay visa that is not settled.Ex: Until you pay the fine/fee you are out of sync with the law. You are not compliant. The agreements with the USA and DR are very detailed and strict about financial matters and MONEY LAUDERING. Banks (especially the mid-level employees at the retail level) don't want problems). It's easy for them just to say NO.
I can understand this logic but don't agree with the way the individual is trying to resolve the issue. Why do all this fancy footwork when you can easily pay up and move on without delay or hassle?
I can understand this logic but don't agree with the way the individual is trying to resolve the issue. Why do all this fancy footwork when you can easily pay up and move on without delay or hassle?
I find it interesting that this is even a thing. If someone is here on a Tourist Card that is only valid for 30 days and ONLY for TOURISTS who is here to do TOURISM. Why would a TOURIST want to open a bank account if he's not here for BUSINESS but for TOURIMS? So even allowing someone who isn't a resident or in the process of (i.e. entering the country with a Residence Visa) should be illegal. So what's the difference between allowing someone to open a bank account who has overstayed or someone who is supposed to be here as a TOURIST?
Because there are many people living here for 20-30 years or more without Citizenship or Residency. They have bank accounts, cars, houses, even jobs. One of them who passed away was here for over 30 years and even worked in a hospital CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCI find it interesting that this is even a thing. If someone is here on a Tourist Card that is only valid for 30 days and ONLY for TOURISTS who is here to do TOURISM. Why would a TOURIST want to open a bank account if he's not here for BUSINESS but for TOURIMS? So even allowing someone who isn't a resident or in the process of (i.e. entering the country with a Residence Visa) should be illegal. So what's the difference between allowing someone to open a bank account who has overstayed or someone who is supposed to be here as a TOURIST?
Because there are those that live here Not tourist but have property,cars, bank accounts here and have reason to exit every 28-29days.I find it interesting that this is even a thing. If someone is here on a Tourist Card that is only valid for 30 days and ONLY for TOURISTS who is here to do TOURISM. Why would a TOURIST want to open a bank account if he's not here for BUSINESS but for TOURIMS? So even allowing someone who isn't a resident or in the process of (i.e. entering the country with a Residence Visa) should be illegal. So what's the difference between allowing someone to open a bank account who has overstayed or someone who is supposed to be here as a TOURIST?
The overstay fines are extra-legal solutions to the overstay problem. Paying those fines does not mean your overstay was legal.
It is true there are many people that live and work here that are not legally in the DR.
About the only thing they cannot do these days is get a motorcycle license. That cannot be gotten without a cedula.
Getting a bank account is harder for them, but claims are that can still be done.
Otherwise the government does not care about them if they are from a tourist card country.
They can drive on their foreign licenses forever and they don't seem to ever be caught working illegally.
Haitians are held in a different category.
We are not going there on legal fines/overstay legality, way too many threads about this already. The OP is asking about going to Haiti to start "the clock again" on their stay.
Unfortunately, doesn't one need to return to their country of origin to "start the clock again"?
No. Back before I had Residency, I went to the USA and back. I got a new 30 days stamp in my passport.
You are right in your reasoning as to why you can't open an account without being currently legal. This is a relatively new thing because banks have tightened up a lot recently, and whatever Sky says I don't know of any bank here that will let you do so.
I didn't want to make the story too complicated but the reason why my friend wants to use this particular bank is that he already has one account there (Dollar or peso, I can't remember) and open another in the other currency.
The individual is not trying to do any "fancy footwork" at all. He's trying to do it in the easiest and cheapest way possible for him - i.e. jump in my car in which I am going to Dajabon anyway, walk over the border and walk back a short while later with a new stamp in his passport. That's the simple idea - if it's possible.
I opened my first account here with a regular tourist stamp and you can still do that, but not if it's expired.I find it interesting that this is even a thing. If someone is here on a Tourist Card that is only valid for 30 days and ONLY for TOURISTS who is here to do TOURISM. Why would a TOURIST want to open a bank account if he's not here for BUSINESS but for TOURIMS? So even allowing someone who isn't a resident or in the process of (i.e. entering the country with a Residence Visa) should be illegal. So what's the difference between allowing someone to open a bank account who has overstayed or someone who is supposed to be here as a TOURIST?
Whatever. Go for it if you friend thinks that's the "easiest and cheapest way possible". BTW, not to confuse the matter but I went from peso to dollar to credit card (NOT debit) after I opened my FIRST account showing my passport only once to establish my relationship with the bank.