So I paid 20,000 pesos

CristoRey

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Apr 1, 2014
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As many of you know, I have been living in the Dominican Republic on nothing
more than a tourist card since April 2012 . I was told when standing in line
at the JCE Office on San Isidro, SD that I needed to be in the country prior
to October of 2011 in order to qualify for the Regularization Plan. So, I never
bothered going back to get "regularized"
and decided I'll just deal with it when the time comes.

As it turns out, I had family emergency so I needed to catch a flight back to
Florida as soon as possible this week.
I booked a last minute ticket and Thursday morning June 9th I caught the bus
from downtown Santo Domingo to the airport. When I arrived at the airport, they (airport employees)
were in such a hurry to rush me through customs they forgot to charge me my
exit fee/ over stay fine. I have never paid an overstay fine so I was not sure when and where I
was supposed to pay the damn fee (no es me culpa) before boarding my plane.

Long story short, after clearing customs an immigration supervisor along with a
security officer walked over to me as I was sitting in the terminal and asked to see
my (exit stamp) passport. Then she (immigration supervisor) instructed me to walk
with them back to the passport control area. The supervisor asked me some questions
then she asked why I hadn't bothered to pay my 4 year, 2 month 20,000 pesos over stay fine?
I simply replied, "because nobody asked me too :cheeky:" The supervisor shook her
head and said to me "you've been here to long and your starting to act like a Dominican."

She then pointed to the counter on the opposite side of the control area and said "go pay
your fine or they won't let you re-enter when you decide to come back." Which I did. Then
I showed the receipt to her and few curious onlookers, walked back down to my gate and
hopped on a plane back to the good ol' USA.

So whats the point of me telling this story?
A lot of members who post on this forum are in a similar situation as mine. They entered
the country after October 2011 and did not bother to get "regularized". There has been a
tremendous amount of speculation about what may or may not happen to these people if/
when the try to leave the country at a later date?

Well... Let me be the first to tell you.. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING is going to happen when
you decide to leave so long as you have the ca$h in hand to pay your exit (overstay) fee
when you pass through the Customs and Immigration Area at the airport before boarding
your flight.

CCCCCCCCCC was 100% correct again.
Safe travels.
 
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CristoRey

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Do they also accept credit cards, or only cash? I mean to ask when we left, but I forgot.

I think its cash only. Makes sense too, cash is easier to divide up amongst honest employees :cheeky:
 

melphis

Living my Dream
Apr 18, 2013
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"you've been here to long and your starting to act like a Dominican."

This why I love this place so much. Nobody expects to much of you.
Great story that I will never experience. We did the residence thing years ago when when it was a simple process and a minor cash grab.
 

ju10prd

On Vacation!
Nov 19, 2014
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Do you know if they entered your overstay payment into the system? Earlier posts told us you pay, then go to departing officer who swipes the unlocked passport.

The arriving officer will presumably see if your overstay fee has been entered or not.
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
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Do you know if they entered your overstay payment into the system? Earlier posts told us you pay, then go to departing officer who swipes the unlocked passport.

The arriving officer will presumably see if your overstay fee has been entered or not.

I believe it was entered into the system because the cashier printed a receipt with my name on it.
My passport was never locked. I cleared customs without any problem. I was actually sitting at my
departure gate when the supervisor came over to me and asked to see my exit stamp, which I was
able to show her because they had already (exit) stamped my passport.
 

ju10prd

On Vacation!
Nov 19, 2014
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I believe it was entered into the system because the cashier printed a receipt with my name on it.
My passport was never locked. I cleared customs without any problem. I was actually sitting at my
departure gate when the supervisor came over to me and asked to see my exit stamp, which I was
able to show her because they had already (exit) stamped my passport.

Sounds positive in that regard.

What your report should tell readers is that at SDQ they are getting their act together. The fact that they tracked you down in the departure lounge says someone is checking.

I was waiting for a flight 3 weeks back and a few passengers were approached likewise in the departure lounge and were escorted away and I wondered. I thought nothing of it until your post.
 

charlise

Bronze
Nov 1, 2012
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Tell me... I entered the DR for the last time in August 2012 and never did the residency thing. Since that time, I renewed my passport from here. My passport number has changed so my question is: If I want to exit the country, how would they know what date I entered the DR ??

BTW, I had my expired passport returned to me when my renewal was done.
 

Kipling333

Bronze
Jan 12, 2010
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Cristorey ,,I understand what you are saying ,,it is a bit like so many other things here ,,there are rules and laws that are not strictly enforced. My question is...do you not feel any moral obligation to comply with the laws in the country where you live ?? If you deliberately flout this law, do you think that you can with equal legitamacy flought all other laws in the DR . I am just wondering what are your views are
 

ju10prd

On Vacation!
Nov 19, 2014
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Point of the story. Nothing has changed....well, fees went up.

Fees will always go up and the cost gap between legal residency and overstay will narrow more.

Ever care to check what the basic cost of temporary annual renewal is? Or the annual basic cost of a 4 year permanent residency with medical and cedula?

Divide CR's fee by 4 and you are almost on the money.

Now thank those guys who advised against residency back in 2011!!!!!!!!!!! They cost you dear.
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
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Cristorey ,,I understand what you are saying ,,it is a bit like so many other things here ,,there are rules and laws that are not strictly enforced. My question is...do you not feel any moral obligation to comply with the laws in the country where you live ?? If you deliberately flout this law, do you think that you can with equal legitamacy flought all other laws in the DR . I am just wondering what are your views are

I do not feel a "moral obligation" to comply with anything, Period.
I do my best to abide by the laws in the DR. but sometimes sh*t happens buddy
and life ain't perfect 100% of the time.
 

ramesses

Gold
Jun 17, 2005
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Fees will always go up and the cost gap between legal residency and overstay will narrow more.

Ever care to check what the basic cost of temporary annual renewal is? Or the annual basic cost of a 4 year permanent residency with medical and cedula?

Divide CR's fee by 4 and you are almost on the money.

Now thank those guys who advised against residency back in 2011!!!!!!!!!!! They cost you dear.

Can't get residency and I don't consider $500 bux dear for 4+ years.
 

Tom0910

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2015
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When I left the DR through POP in January I had an overstay fine of 4000 pesos,I paid the guy in the booth and he whistled to the two nearest other guys in the booths to come over and he gave them each 1000 pesos right in front of everybody.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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South Coast
When I left the DR through POP in January I had an overstay fine of 4000 pesos,I paid the guy in the booth and he whistled to the two nearest other guys in the booths to come over and he gave them each 1000 pesos right in front of everybody.

Did you get a computerized receipt with your name, etc., printed on it?
 

mofongoloco

Silver
Feb 7, 2013
3,002
9
38
I do not feel a "moral obligation" to comply with anything, Period.
I do my best to abide by the laws in the DR. but sometimes sh*t happens buddy
and life ain't perfect 100% of the time.

Dude, your name is CristoRey, but you don't feel a moral obligation to comply with anything, period? Dang...That's bold. You swingin.
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
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Dude, your name is CristoRey, but you don't feel a moral obligation to comply with anything, period? Dang...That's bold. You swingin.

Dude, I chose the name CristoRey (as in Las Flores, Cristo Rey, Santo Domingo) because it
was the first neighborhood in this country I lived in. Perhaps I should have chosen
Urbanization Hilario (Nagua) or Charamicos (Sosua)...
Nah, think I'll stick with CristoRey.