more bank questions

jjsk

"Going for Gold"
Jan 1, 2002
338
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Anyone know if any DR banks offer internet banking?

And which one would be most likely to be able to provide some services in English (or French)?

Thanks
 

Marc

New member
Jan 1, 2002
362
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www.haugen.ca
Banks...

There is a ScotiaBank here in Puerto Plata...they will be able to help you out in english, but I doubt French. As for internet banking....I shiver at the thought of Dominicans trying to do anything like that on the internet at this point, but perhaps you will find something and shock the socks off me! Do let me know if you find internet banking here...

marc
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
3,829
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www.casabush.org
Banking-on-line

Banco Mercantil certainly have on-line banking facilities. I can not remember their web-page address but if you search for banco mercantil, you will find it. There is an display on there as to what their system covers & also an application form. In Puerto Plata office, Maribel (the Manageress) has some knowledge of English & I believe two members of staff. If all else fails, ask her to contact me & I will come down to translate in my very bad spanish - but I always end up getting understood!@!

I intend signing up for on-line banking with them by the end of Feb when my bank balance becomes a little better & able to pay the relevent bills each month.
 

Capt. Larry

New member
Jan 1, 2002
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BANCREDITO also provides internet banking. I am sure that other banks also provide the service. Most banks have english speaking employees (although, at times, they do not speak english very well) in their branches.
 

lilsam

Santo Domingo Sammy
Jan 2, 2002
224
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I have Internet Banking with Banco Popular Dominicano
the have bill paying and everything. The even have an 800 number to call them from the states to the Domincan Republic.
 

jjsk

"Going for Gold"
Jan 1, 2002
338
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Just in case anyone was interested

The Scotiabank in Santo Domingo sent me the following reply:

<i>Thank you for your interest in opening an account in our branch, and in this
regard we inform you the following:
1) It is not possible at the moment to open bank accounts from Canada.
2) As our banking system is not online, it is not possible for you to access
and control your transactions from Canada.
3) At this moment we do not count with internet banking to our customers.
5) All the local banking transactions exceeding $10,000 dollars are subject to
fill an declaration form.
6) It is not possible for a non-resident to apply for a mortgage on a local property. </i>


I'm glad to hear that some banks there do offer internet banking. Looks to me like there's no advantage in going with Scotiabank over a local bank.
 

lilsam

Santo Domingo Sammy
Jan 2, 2002
224
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I was told by a friend of mine who is a lawyer(I know they are a dime a dozen) That the 2 best local banks are Banco Popular Dominicano and Banco Reservas . She said these are ther most reliable and stable local banks in the country. One is run by an established old Domincan Family and the other by the government
I as I have said in an earler post have had great results with Banco Popular .
 

euuusi

New member
Jan 2, 2005
6
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banking in Puerto Plata in 2005

What bank can you recommend in Puerto Plata that is safe, has internet banking, and good rates? ...where someone speaks English as well?
 

stallion

Mr. Main Event
May 28, 2004
813
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euuusi said:
What bank can you recommend in Puerto Plata that is safe, has internet banking, and good rates? ...where someone speaks English as well?

I would say Scotiabank. They are canadian bank. They are located in puerto plata in front of supermercado tropical.
 

euuusi

New member
Jan 2, 2005
6
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Trustworthy Dominican Bank in Puerto Plata?

Thanks. Anybody have experience with a local bank? We'd prefer that if someone can attest to good and safe conditions.
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
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stallion said:
I would say Scotiabank. They are canadian bank. They are located in puerto plata in front of supermercado tropical.

Sorry Stallion, Scotia Bank is NOT Canadian but a Dominican one that has a lot of Canadian influence by Bank of Nova Scotia in it. Further (& this is news to me as I thought they would have had on-line banking) as noted above by jjsk, they do not as yet have on-line banking. I can attest to them having English speaking staff as one of their managers I have known for 12 years & he has always had excellent English!!

We have banked with Banco Mercantil in Puerto Plata for some 11 years & found them to be most reliable & helpful. One or two members of staff there speak English & to give them adfded credibility, they are now woned (although like Scotia Bank here, as a DOMINICAN bank) by the Republic Bank of Trinidad & Tobago. They have banking on-line facilities (In English as well as Spanish) & you can even make banking connections to their Cayman Islands without having to leave the comfort of your fireside chair!!

Feel free to PM or E-mail if you want further details (Tel. No. e-mail, website etc!) ~ Grahame.
 

ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
4,837
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lilsam said:
That the 2 best local banks are Banco Popular Dominicano and Banco Reservas . She said these are ther most reliable and stable local banks in the country. One is run by an established old Domincan Family and the other by the government.

Banco Popular is a subsidiary of Grupo Popular of Spain is it not? And ScotiaBank is a subsidiary of ScotiaBank in Canada.
 

euuusi

New member
Jan 2, 2005
6
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Mercantil/Popular

BushBaby said:
Sorry Stallion, Scotia Bank is NOT Canadian but a Dominican one that has a lot of Canadian influence by Bank of Nova Scotia in it. Further (& this is news to me as I thought they would have had on-line banking) as noted above by jjsk, they do not as yet have on-line banking. I can attest to them having English speaking staff as one of their managers I have known for 12 years & he has always had excellent English!!

We have banked with Banco Mercantil in Puerto Plata for some 11 years & found them to be most reliable & helpful. One or two members of staff there speak English & to give them adfded credibility, they are now woned (although like Scotia Bank here, as a DOMINICAN bank) by the Republic Bank of Trinidad & Tobago. They have banking on-line facilities (In English as well as Spanish) & you can even make banking connections to their Cayman Islands without having to leave the comfort of your fireside chair!!

Feel free to PM or E-mail if you want further details (Tel. No. e-mail, website etc!) ~ Grahame.

We don't live in the DR yet - can we still get an account? And have you ever compared Mercantil and Popular (which was recommeded several times)? All information is greatly appreciated! E.
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
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euuusi said:
We don't live in the DR yet - can we still get an account? And have you ever compared Mercantil and Popular (which was recommeded several times)? All information is greatly appreciated! E.

I'll ring the local managert & see what she has to say re opening account from outside the country. The only times I have used Popular they were courteous (rather than friendly) & fairly efficient at getting my problem resolved. Mind you, I am not well known in that bank - I AM in Mercantil (been there 11 years!!). ~ Grahame.
 

euuusi

New member
Jan 2, 2005
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...or Mercantil!

BushBaby said:
I'll ring the local managert & see what she has to say re opening account from outside the country. The only times I have used Popular they were courteous (rather than friendly) & fairly efficient at getting my problem resolved. Mind you, I am not well known in that bank - I AM in Mercantil (been there 11 years!!). ~ Grahame.
That is so kind of you - Thank you! You sound happy with Mercantil - if they would allow us to open an account there that would be fine too. (Just read about some "horror" stories at Popular, however do not know what they entail. But I'm really not set on one or the other, am collecting possibilites. We will be in Puerto Plata later in January, so can go to the bank in person for the actual step!)
 

Lambada

Gold
Mar 4, 2004
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Any bank would need a Dominican address for you, to send statements if it is a checking account. Not so important with savings accounts as there are no statements if you have a book. And it isn't difficult to use a 'care of' address of a friend.

The other advantage of Mercantil is that there is a DR1 Board Member in Santo Domingo who works for them, KateP, & in the past she has very kindly offered to help with any problems like the ones some people had with Popular.
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
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It is also her birthday today, so in TRUE Dominican style, use the opportunity to your advantage & wish her a Happy Birthday!! ;) Contacts are everything down here & making a friend of KateP will NEVER do you any harm!! :laugh: ~ Grahame.