Banco Popular: Depurificacion Passport?

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caribmike

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What does that exactly means? Not translation, I mean what the bank is doing with a customers Passport when soliciting an account? Where they check with that Passport? Embassy? If there are debts? What the bank is actually doing with it? I am curious where and who would have access to the data on the passport etc.

Anybody knows? Thanks!
 

caribmike

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Don't the banks in your country ask for identification when opening an account?

Thanks, but that was not what I enquired about. Of course they do.But living in the D.R. since 1998 I think this is my country ;). But back to my question I don't want to dispute the fact that they ask for it, I asked if somebody know what and where they investigate about someone and who would have access to that information. (Identity theft? Money gone from accounts? Etc.?)
 

Deyvi

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I believe part of it is- the DR does cooperate with the US as far as off shore accounts go. In other words, if you get a good chunck of interest you'd better declare it on your US tax return. They may also check criminal type things that may show on your passport like if you go to leave the country and something shows up you'll be taken into custody at the airport till things are figured out. It's also your only valid ID as far as the bank is concerned.
 

caribmike

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My point was, I don't believe they use your passport for any kind of "investigation" on you, they use it for identification.
OK, I understand. But I am not concerned about any 'investigation' ;), I just like to know who possibly might get involved with my data? So you think they just do nothing with it but to keep a copy? In Europe they would do a check on you if you are in debt etc and therefore transmit your data to various institutions. So I just want to know if that is the case in the D.R., too since I don't know about. Just curious.
 

caribmike

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Btw they mentioned "depurificar" the passport, which means to me, that they intent to do something with it besides keeping the copy for identification.
 

caribmike

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I believe part of it is- the DR does cooperate with the US as far as off shore accounts go. In other words, if you get a good chunck of interest you'd better declare it on your US tax return. They may also check criminal type things that may show on your passport like if you go to leave the country and something shows up you'll be taken into custody at the airport till things are figured out. It's also your only valid ID as far as the bank is concerned.

Thank you for your information. Well in my case it is just about opening a savings account on my name to receive salary. We have two more with the same bank but in the name of my wife.
 

caribmike

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Caribmike, I think you mean they said "depurar", not depurificar.

:) Dunno, that (depurificar) they told my (Dominican) wife, could it be she misunderstood, from Dominican to Dominican? lol
Yes, "depurar" makes more sense to me. Still want to know what they doing to "depurar" it though. But maybe DavidZ is right and they just keep it for ID...
 

Massielg

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Nearly all Dominican banks have the new procedure to verify the passport of foreigners who wants to become a customer.
And indeed, they check the credit information of this person, looks for legal problems and depending on what they found out, deny or accept this person as a client.

Not only as identification, the banks really investigate.
 

DavidZ

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caribmike...did they ask for a letter from your current bank, stating how long you have held an account there? Besides my passport, that's all I've ever been asked for.

I have had accounts opened the same day, I can't imagine a Dominican Bank has the ability to do a credit check on a foreign citizen, even with a copy of their passport, especially on the spot or within 24 hours. They could certainly check within the DR to see if you have some kind of "record" here, but even then, the various legal/governmental systems here aren't connected or centralized the way they are in the US, and I assume, other countries.

This is all speculation on my part, but I've never heard of anyone being turned down to open an account here...
 

caribmike

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caribmike...did they ask for a letter from your current bank, stating how long you have held an account there? Besides my passport, that's all I've ever been asked for.

I have had accounts opened the same day, I can't imagine a Dominican Bank has the ability to do a credit check on a foreign citizen, even with a copy of their passport, especially on the spot or within 24 hours. They could certainly check within the DR to see if you have some kind of "record" here, but even then, the various legal/governmental systems here aren't connected or centralized the way they are in the US, and I assume, other countries.

This is all speculation on my part, but I've never heard of anyone being turned down to open an account here...

I heard the same you telling. But what appears strange to me that they asked me for 2 "referenciales comerciales" + Passport and told me (my wife) that I would have to wait 2 days because they need to "depurar" my passport etc., so not the same day... And I only want a savings account to receive payments what come anyway to the same bank weekly to an account which is in my wifes name. But for (US) legal reasons I need an account in my own name to further receive these payments. But that is another thing.

Hearing that people (foreigners) opened accounts without hassle I wonder why to me apparently they make it more difficult to do it...
 

caribmike

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OK, the issue is I cannot figure out where or what bank gives one an account right away here in Bavaro. As far I asked around it is none. We have accounts in the name of my wife at Banco Leon and Banco Popular (both in good standing) and in BOTH institutions they require "depurar" my Passport and "referenciales comerciales" (which I have) even for only adding me as an additional beneficiary to the existing accounts. That makes it impossible for me to believe that foreigners went into a bank with their passport and came out half an hour later with their "libreta". Banco Popular needs 2 - 3 days and Banco Leon a month (!) to "depurar" ones passport.

Another question I have is I owned an account at BanReservas, but I abandoned it (less than 10 years) and lost the card / libreta. Somebody knows if I can re-activate it with my passport? That would solve everything for me.

The other issue I have an old debt with codetel out of reluctance to pay for a service charged but not delivered as promised :), could it be that a bank would refuse to allow me to open a savings account? Where could a debt like that be "stored" and where I could get information about that?
 

caribmike

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Hi Moderator, can you please close this "depurificacion" mess? I'll try with a new thread! Thank you :)
 
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