While renewing my residency in StoDgo on Friday, a man approached my lawyer and had a warm hug and chat that ended up as lunch at Adrian Tropical.
Turns out he's a high-ranking DGM bureaucrat, not a top guy or decision maker, but clearly in a position of knowing what's what and implementing policy.
I didn't ask many questions, the warm convo was more between him and his friend, my lawyer.
But I did glean a couple of points I thought I'd pass along. Granted these are not "official", but worthy of consideration.
1) It's doubtful there will be many changes in the "pay a fine upon exit" soft policy if you don't run into other DGM problems. If you DO, all bets are off. I specifically asked about required residency for my 89 y.o. mom who travels back and forth and overstays.
2) DGM is currently concerned with a large influx of Haitians (who never left) and Venezuelans, many of which have "pop-up" survival businesses or are sex workers. "Normal" tourists are not on the radar screen. "Europeans" also seem to be a concern, don't know if that meant West or East, or why they are a concern.
3) Prostitution by foreigners is a concern, both hookers and johns. They do not like it, nor do the higher Executive branches.
4) While DGM "street sweeps" won't be like the arbitrary one on the North Coast, targeted sweeps will occur. Don't be surprised, based on #3 above, if "sweeps" are at locations known to cater to that crowd, or where Haitians and Venezuelans congregate.
5) An interview in Spanish may no longer be necessary for citizenship on a case-by-case basis.
As I said, an interesting fly-on-the-wall conversation.
Don't shoot the messenger.
On another note: it's been over a year, but the DGM office seems to have undergone a facelift and added new technology, especially in the inner sanctum. Has anyone else noticed the same?
Turns out he's a high-ranking DGM bureaucrat, not a top guy or decision maker, but clearly in a position of knowing what's what and implementing policy.
I didn't ask many questions, the warm convo was more between him and his friend, my lawyer.
But I did glean a couple of points I thought I'd pass along. Granted these are not "official", but worthy of consideration.
1) It's doubtful there will be many changes in the "pay a fine upon exit" soft policy if you don't run into other DGM problems. If you DO, all bets are off. I specifically asked about required residency for my 89 y.o. mom who travels back and forth and overstays.
2) DGM is currently concerned with a large influx of Haitians (who never left) and Venezuelans, many of which have "pop-up" survival businesses or are sex workers. "Normal" tourists are not on the radar screen. "Europeans" also seem to be a concern, don't know if that meant West or East, or why they are a concern.
3) Prostitution by foreigners is a concern, both hookers and johns. They do not like it, nor do the higher Executive branches.
4) While DGM "street sweeps" won't be like the arbitrary one on the North Coast, targeted sweeps will occur. Don't be surprised, based on #3 above, if "sweeps" are at locations known to cater to that crowd, or where Haitians and Venezuelans congregate.
5) An interview in Spanish may no longer be necessary for citizenship on a case-by-case basis.
As I said, an interesting fly-on-the-wall conversation.
Don't shoot the messenger.
On another note: it's been over a year, but the DGM office seems to have undergone a facelift and added new technology, especially in the inner sanctum. Has anyone else noticed the same?