Odd occurrence at PUJ while leaving for US

InsanelyOne

Bronze
Oct 21, 2008
895
28
28
I travel back to the US every 6-8 weeks through PUJ. Typically when leaving I give the immigration agent my passport and residency card, they smile, stamp my passport and I'm on my way. This time, the immigration agent looked at my residency card like she'd never seen one before, called the manager over who then took my passport and card over to another booth. He then started typing a bunch of crap into the computer and then ultimately took a photocopy of my passport and residency card. He returned them to me and then I had to return to the original agent and she stamped my passport and was on my way.

Anyone else experience this? Not sure what's going on. I also noticed that each booth had notice posted in many languages indicating that they cannot accept the overstay tax at the booth.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
what is the type of your residency and the validity date? i know a guy who entered DR with residency expiring within a month. at passport control they retained his residency card. he does not speak much spanish and he did not question this decision, just kept on smiling. so maybe this is now more thoroughly checked both on entry and upon departure?
 

InsanelyOne

Bronze
Oct 21, 2008
895
28
28
My residency expires in November. I'm still at a loss why the extra scrutiny.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

tht

Master of my own fate.
Oct 10, 2002
849
154
63
Planet Earth
Happened to me at SDQ a couple of weeks back, but they managed to explain why. Their new computer system didn't work!! The problem seemed to be with foreign residents only.
 

KateP

Silver
May 28, 2004
2,845
6
38
They just recently computerized all the airports and apparently the system is not yet up to par. Wouldn't be surprised if this was one of the glitches...
 

ju10prd

On Vacation!
Nov 19, 2014
4,210
0
36
Accountkiller
They just recently computerized all the airports and apparently the system is not yet up to par. Wouldn't be surprised if this was one of the glitches...

Wow

Are you suggesting to us that the Immigration in this country is actually getting it's act together, albeit with a few glitches, in commissioning normal modern systems of immigration monitoring and control.

I had read on other threads that they are absolutely incapable of such things...........(excuse the sarcasm)
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
They just recently computerized all the airports and apparently the system is not yet up to par. Wouldn't be surprised if this was one of the glitches...

what do you mean "recently"? i am sure i saw computers at airports before. were they unplugged? :alien:
 

Firefighter

New member
Apr 18, 2014
14
0
0
My wife and I left Sunday, after quite a delay and being told our Canadian passports were blocked. Officer took our passports to the supervisor's desk where they were unable to " unblock " finally, officer took photo with iPhone and allowed passage. Still no idea of what transpired :(
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
113
Previously there was little point in swiping the passports as the computer systems were not connected to an Int'l database that returned any useful information such as conviction records, entry denials/deportations from participating countries, Interpol detention warrants and of course previous travel history, now updated with each swipe.

Thx Uncle Sam, you're the best.
 

Curacaoleno

Bronze
Apr 26, 2013
585
0
0
My wife and I left Sunday, after quite a delay and being told our Canadian passports were blocked. Officer took our passports to the supervisor's desk where they were unable to " unblock " finally, officer took photo with iPhone and allowed passage. Still no idea of what transpired :(

So some nitwit made a pic with his iphone of your passport.. So now he has your full name, photo, knows date of birth and place of birth, passport number and a signature sample of you... easy to steal your identity!

Someone may try to hack into your bank accounts and other investments that you may have..
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
13,766
2,195
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Punta Cana/DR
www.mikefisher.fun
So some nitwit made a pic with his iphone of your passport.. So now he has your full name, photo, knows date of birth and place of birth, passport number and a signature sample of you... easy to steal your identity!

Someone may try to hack into your bank accounts and other investments that you may have..

if you are that adventurous, then please let me be on the scene to take a video, when You tell a Immigrations officer(even the supervisor) of any country that you have a problem with taking a photo of your passport, taking a copy of it on a real photocopy machine or asking for any personal Information he wants to ask. because as around the world the rules are clear: they ask and you answer rightfully, or you simply do NOT pass. and they do not need to give any explanation about "Why". if he/she does not like your face, thats enough to not let you pass by their counter. there is NO LAW rulingthis, it is world wide a dictatorship when it comes to Immigrations officers. they are God for the few moments when you are at their counter.
as for the swiping passports, there are/been different machines on duty the last couple years, checking out what works best and also different because there been not at all times enough machines of the same kind available for all counters/not enough of the same kind working. most used ones today are the ones where your passport gets swiped thru, like a credit card thru a Veriphone, and the others in use are the screens on the table where they just have to lay down your passport face down on the screen to get the barcode scanned. as with every new introduced thingy, there are little troubles to flat out, when a passport (due machine malfunction or due bad passport condition etc) does not bring the awaited result, then the supervisor gets your passport and types the Data by hand into his computer on the next desk to get the result, and all is fine.
nothing to worry because it was your passport which did not work there right away, no problem with your personal data just because you did not pass the first scan.

Mike
 

tht

Master of my own fate.
Oct 10, 2002
849
154
63
Planet Earth
Having computers at an airport doesn't mean they are connected to a network. Their new system was implemented recently, but unfortunately with some glitches. Keep arguing.
 

HUG

Silver
Feb 3, 2009
3,940
1
0
Like I stated already last week, they have the system up and running. You now will get a little yellow receipt for paying hour overstay, and your passport will be skimmed in and out. They do not require a human to look at the stamps and get a calander out, you're skimmed and the computer prints your bill. If foreign resident, you will be skimmed in and out so the computer knows how long you're spending out of the country. If you are wanted internationally, an alarm will go off in hour arriving airport, they will be there to meet you at the other end. If you are wanted for any reason in DR (mother of child claims to the courts for no payment of pension for example) and nothing so serious as internationally then it will show up, you will be escorted to the courthouse.

It seems to be all go, which means you can expect overstay fines to go up hugely over the next couple of years once they see how much and how many people are using this option. I think they hzve been so low for so l8ng as they just had no idea of how many people do just doss around in DR for months on end.
 
Oct 13, 2003
2,789
90
48
instagram.com
if you are that adventurous, then please let me be on the scene to take a video, when You tell a Immigrations officer(even the supervisor) of any country that you have a problem with taking a photo of your passport, taking a copy of it on a real photocopy machine or asking for any personal Information he wants to ask. because as around the world the rules are clear: they ask and you answer rightfully, or you simply do NOT pass. and they do not need to give any explanation about "Why". if he/she does not like your face, thats enough to not let you pass by their counter. there is NO LAW rulingthis, it is world wide a dictatorship when it comes to Immigrations officers. they are God for the few moments when you are at their counter.
as for the swiping passports, there are/been different machines on duty the last couple years, checking out what works best and also different because there been not at all times enough machines of the same kind available for all counters/not enough of the same kind working. most used ones today are the ones where your passport gets swiped thru, like a credit card thru a Veriphone, and the others in use are the screens on the table where they just have to lay down your passport face down on the screen to get the barcode scanned. as with every new introduced thingy, there are little troubles to flat out, when a passport (due machine malfunction or due bad passport condition etc) does not bring the awaited result, then the supervisor gets your passport and types the Data by hand into his computer on the next desk to get the result, and all is fine.
nothing to worry because it was your passport which did not work there right away, no problem with your personal data just because you did not pass the first scan.

Mike

Mike,

Not to be finnicky but I experience checking/swiping a passport in an automated system as completely different than making a copy and keeping this as a record.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
Wow

Are you suggesting to us that the Immigration in this country is actually getting it's act together, albeit with a few glitches, in commissioning normal modern systems of immigration monitoring and control.

I had read on other threads that they are absolutely incapable of such things...........(excuse the sarcasm)

This is point many people are trying to make in this and other threads....

The world ( or RD) as we know it is about to change..... less of a 'free-for-all' is in the making

Tracking residents and visitors will be more sophisticated.

What's wrong with that?
 

xstew

Member
Jul 4, 2012
528
0
16
Some years ago when Dominicans started to use technology to effect bribes. I was on Las Americas going to the Airport Their was a motor cycle cop by the side of the road with a radar pistol he pulled me over. Upon stopping he informed me i was going faster than a F-16 that was when I saw the cord to the radar dangling in the wind. I informed him of this little technical fault and his reply was it was new and did not need to be plugged in end result paid him 2 hundred pesos and continued on my way. Dominicans can be very determined when it comes to getting your cash !
 

ROLLOUT

Silver
Jan 30, 2012
2,198
35
48
Also had what I thought was a strange incident upon leaving PUJ yesterday. Normaly, you would fill out the Migracion form, and stand in the hour-long cue. This time, the guy at the initial screening point waves me through. I ask, "no form"? He replies, "no, today is a special day for you". I get to passport control, I am swiped, and through. My friend advised me to just keep my mouth shut. ???