Cedula renewal ?

peep2

Bronze
Oct 24, 2004
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My cedula and residency card have the same expiration date in 2016. Since the numbers are the same for both cards and obviously the pictures and info are the same, is there any need for me to get one of the new cedulas now? I can't vote in this country anyway and can't think of anything that the cedula is used for that the residency card can't be substituted for. The main reason for my asking is that I went by the office where the expats get their cards around 3PM this afternoon and there were people still waiting that said they had been there since 7AM. Only one camera was working. I don't mind waiting a few months and paying a few pesos extra.
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
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For what it is worth I went last week and it took me a little over three hours to get my new cedula. I really doubt people were waiting since 7AM. I arrived around mid day and the line was to the bottom of the steps. Once you make it to the top of the steps you sit down and every five minutes or so you slide over a seat or two. There is only one camera working because I believe that is all they every use is one camera.

I would have easily been there another hour but for some reason the lady military guard just picked a couple of people and let them jump to the front of the line, this happened to me after three hours of waiting.

Actually surprised the office was open today being it is Dia de los Tres Reyes.
 
I went 2 weeks ago and it was 2.5 hours. I also doubt people has been there since 7am. I would def get a new one if your stuff expires in 2016. I believe the old ones are not valid after Jan 10.

We went into the little office showed our cards to the lady then we sat at the end of the chair line. Why on earth they do this when they have a number system thingy is beyond me.
They always only have one camera guy. (The 3 times I have gone anyways).
 

peep2

Bronze
Oct 24, 2004
581
16
38
We were told by a woman leaving that she had been there since 7AM and there were a lot of people sitting in the garage area around to the left side of the building so I decided not to wait. All that is beside the point. My question is about the need for the new cedula. My residency card is still good for another year and a half. What do I need a new cedula for. I can get the new cedula when it comes time for the new "permanent" resident card.
 

Bryanell

Bronze
Aug 9, 2005
694
83
48
Went on Sunday with a good book. I chose Sunday as I didn't have anything else to do that morning and knew that spending a couple of hours there would not stress me up too much or freak me out. Got there at 07.55 and was in line just at the top of the stairs one place away from the first seat. The "musical chairs" started at around 08.30 after the people greeter had collected cedulas from everyone and had come back with computer print outs of the data and turn numbers.....I got number 72!!
It's great place for people watching and learning all kinds of excuses for trying to jump the queue, like..."Was here with my mother yesterday but had to leave to pick up the kids...." I have a dentist's appointment at 10.30......" , "I'm double parked.....", I have to get to Puerto Plata before 16.00" ........
Must say that I was impressed by the way the young staffers handled those BS merchants, and how order, peace and quiet was maintained despite the fairly slow progress. Wasn't able to concentrate on reading that much because of the constant need to slide sideways on to the next seat but time passed fairly quickly until I got into the processing room, where a number of pretty young things held progress up for a while by insisting on having their photos retaken until they got one they liked. The person in charge quickly saw what was going on and put a stop to that. Photographed and fingerprinted, signed the form and was sent to the waiting room with around 50 of those who had got there before me. Fortunately for me, the person issuing the plastic apparently started at the top of the pile, and called me first......that was the nearest I've been to getting lynched.......
All in all, not such a bad experience............
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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For the rest of this week, before the deadline, it will probably be a madhouse every day. Today may have been worse being that it was a holiday for many.

Is there anything handicapped accessible? Or do they expect people with canes, etc., to stand for hours and climb stairs?
 

whirleybird

Silver
Feb 27, 2006
3,264
322
83
All being well, I am planning to get the Metro bus tomorrow from the NC to the capital and should get to the Junta offices in the early afternoon. Hope you are right AE and it is less busy than it was today.

Do they cater for Dominican cedula exchange there or is it extranjeros only?
 
All being well, I am planning to get the Metro bus tomorrow from the NC to the capital and should get to the Junta offices in the early afternoon. Hope you are right AE and it is less busy than it was today.

Do they cater for Dominican cedula exchange there or is it extranjeros only?

It looked like only extranjeros to me! The place for Doms is close by and a real friggen mad house!
Good luck!!
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
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its extranjeros only, Birdie, and we may meet there tomorrow, even that i hope that i do not need to stay in line til the afternoon. i will leave here at 5AM and leave my car at a friends place in higuey, catch the Bus there to stdgo, should be at the extrangjera by 9AM or shortly after. was almost on my way there a few times, but always something held me back, now i have to pay by standing in long lines. what a f.., lol.
i hope all those extranjeros have to work tomorrow morning and the darn place is empty when i come in.

Mike
 
Dec 24, 2012
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Mike, you're in for a big surprise. Like most who posted about long lines, my family went in this morning at 5am and there were already a long line of about 50 people who said they were there since 11pm last night. There's a rumor that if you don't renew by the 10th it will cost 3000 pesos to get it afterwards which is not true but it is getting a lot of people to these offices. It seems there's only one working machine at each location too... it really sucks.
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
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there is only One Location, and that location Always had only One Machine working, lol.
i sure will not stay over noght, if it takes the whole day so it be, it has finally to be done. its my own fault that i am so late on this one, which is untypically me, but it's fact this time.

Mike
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
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...... I am planning to get the Metro bus tomorrow from the NC to the capital.....

You might also want to consider taking Caribe Tours. Caribe Tours will let you off at Avenida Luperon and JFK. From there you can take a taxi to JCE at Luperon and 27 de febrero.

Be prepared to sit, slide over, and wait. Sure seems as though things have gotten a lot worse since when I went last week.
 

peep2

Bronze
Oct 24, 2004
581
16
38
And now, back to the original question.........please........or should I start a new thread. Is there any valid reason for getting the new cedula (other than the cost) if I have a perfectly good permanent resident card that is valid for more than another year? ? My resident card has the same number and address and vital information as the cedula. The only difference is the color. AGAIN.....why do I need a voter card that says I can't vote ? ?
 

whirleybird

Silver
Feb 27, 2006
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Thanks, bigbird.

Mike, just speaking to a facebook friend now and she was in line for 8 hours today so sounds like a very long wait.....
 
And now, back to the original question.........please........or should I start a new thread. Is there any valid reason for getting the new cedula (other than the cost) if I have a perfectly good permanent resident card that is valid for more than another year? ? My resident card has the same number and address and vital information as the cedula. The only difference is the color. AGAIN.....why do I need a voter card that says I can't vote ? ?

Your old cedula WILL BE INVALID after Jan 10, is that not a good enough reason?!
 

peep2

Bronze
Oct 24, 2004
581
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38
Your old cedula WILL BE INVALID after Jan 10, is that not a good enough reason?!

I have, on rare occasions, been asked for my residents card. Mostly at an airport. I have never been asked to show my cedula where the resident card would not have served the same purpose. What is the difference between a valid card and an invalid one if I don't seem to need one at all?
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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I have, on rare occasions, been asked for my residents card. Mostly at an airport. I have never been asked to show my cedula where the resident card would not have served the same purpose. What is the difference between a valid card and an invalid one if I don't seem to need one at all?

If you have a bank account, they require a cedula when making transacations. They could refuse to make those transactions if your cedula has expired. It is possible that a resident could get by with using a passport.

I have to chuckle about the people who wait until the last moment when this could have been done months ago.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
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Jan 9, 2009
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If you have a bank account, they require a cedula when making transacations. They could refuse to make those transactions if your cedula has expired. It is possible that a resident could get by with using a passport.

I have to chuckle about the people who wait until the last moment when this could have been done months ago.

We're coming down soon, but not before the 10th. Mr. AE was going to go to Philadelphia to get the new cedula, but when we figured in bus, taxi, etc., it will be cheaper to just pay the 2000 pesos [is that the right number??] when we get there. With any kind of luck, they may extend it to the end of the month :)

Banking is the thing we were concerned about, because each time we withdraw money he has to show his cedula. Then the light bulb went off and we realized I can use my passport to do that until he gets the cedula.
 

bob saunders

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Jan 1, 2002
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If you have a bank account, they require a cedula when making transacations. They could refuse to make those transactions if your cedula has expired. It is possible that a resident could get by with using a passport.

I have to chuckle about the people who wait until the last moment when this could have been done months ago.

Huge lineups in Jarabacoa with most people complaining about bad service. The office has been open late and on Saturday and Sunday for two months. No excuses for not have it done earlier.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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Makes you wonder if Dominicans are lining up to get new cedulas because the old ones expire, why do they bother to do it if the old ones word "work just as well".....hmmmm.. Must be some reason to have the new version and not the expired version. Don't you think?