US passport renewal

SomebodySmart

Member
Oct 24, 2015
194
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When we were packing for the trip to Dominicana, I noticed my daughter's USA passport was expired by a few months, so we used her Dominican passport for the trip south and had to renew the USA passport in Santo Domingo.

It is outrageous that the bureaucrats require people to go on line to schedule an appointment, instead of consular staff assisting the customer by saying what appointments are available. I paid 5000 pesos to a private service located up the hill from the embassy, to handle the paperwork. I don't like that because I shouldn't have to pay 5000 pesos, and because now the private agency got copies of all our ID data. The 5000 peso fee is offset because it included passport photos, which we would otherwise have to pay for. Kinda like if the driver licence people require applicants to bring in their own photos, or the JCE people issuing cedulas.

I went to Juridico Visa, one of several located in the commercial plaza just up the hill from the embassy on Avenida de Colombia. Yes, I can put in a good word for the service. Why not provide good service? They were getting paid well for it.


The consular bureaucrats required documentation that we had purchased flights. I provided the JetBlue itinerary six-letter code and the service was able to pull it up. The service phoned me with every new development and our appointment for an emergency passport was scheduled for the day before we left.

We arrived before the 7 a.m. appointment, stopping first at Juridico Visa to get some documents. We were advised to leave our cell phones there as these things were not allowed through security.

Notwithstanding what is says on the paper they hand out, they did not ask for family photos or medical records, nor for her Social Security card.

I was given a red ticket and told to return at 2:00 p.m. at which time they had prepared the passport. A good verb for this in Spanish, BTW is CONFECCIONAR which also applies to flags, cheques etc.

At 2:00 p.m. they issued my daughter an emergency passport valid for 30 days, and I told her to sign it immediately. This looks almost the same as a regular passport, but the identity page is actually an adhesive label applied at the consulate over a passport booklet with fewer pages; and another adhesive label over the annotations page saying the passport is issued for a limited time and cannot be extended. The identity page overlay has artificial watermarks clearly identifying it as a temporary passport and yes, the bureaucrats knew at the Dominican airport and at the US airport. It was not a problem because it is a perfectly valid passport. The Dominican bureaucrat wondered why my wife and daughter did not have Dominican entry stamps in their passports, and it was because they entered on the basis of Dominican passports, which he asked to see.

Of course, if you have a few weeks to wait in Dominicana you can get a normal USA passport instead. I overheard something, too. A lad was denied a USA passport requested by his father and step-mother because the mother refused to consent, and under USA law that is her right. I reminded the guy to make sure, if he does manage ("LOGRAR") to get her to sign the form, it is useless unless it is duly authenticated, so make sure that it is done right. He told me the mother refuses to take care of the kid. This requirement began years ago after a USA mother lost her children to her father, who took them to his country on passports issued by his country. Now, many countries are co-operating to prevent such illegal removals from the country where the children were born and are living.

When planning any international trip, always check the expiration dates of everybody's passports. Don't plan on renewing a U.S. passport while on vacation.
 

Dr_Taylor

New member
Oct 18, 2017
351
2
0
When we were packing for the trip to Dominicana, I noticed my daughter's USA passport was expired by a few months, so we used her Dominican passport for the trip south and had to renew the USA passport in Santo Domingo.
As an informational comment, U.S. citizens should be departing the U.S. on a valid U.S. passport. You can always go to a passport center and obtain an expedited passport renewal if necessary. My renewals, by mail, often take less than two to three weeks.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
113
Woulda , coulda, shoulda - sometimes life and expired passports get in the way.

Yes, it is ridiculous what the OP had to go through, but in the end one has to do it their way or you don't get to take the skyway.

I renew using the US Consulate office in Puerto Plata and it takes about a month. But then, I am able to plan ahead.
 

Abuela

Bronze
May 13, 2006
1,952
288
83
The new ambassador has yet to appoint a consulate officer for POP so passport renewals for North Coasters have to happen at the Embassy until further notice.
 
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cruzan1

Active member
Sep 12, 2016
114
36
28
How did you get a passport expedited for only $5000 pesos? That is cheap for an expedited passport, especially if you got one the same day? I just paid $425.00 usd to get a passport renewed and expedited in the States. The renewal fee (government charge) by itself was 142.00 usd. I think you got a really good deal, especially if they gave you one the same day! I'm going to use Juridico Visa next time for sure. Thank you for sharing.
 

SomebodySmart

Member
Oct 24, 2015
194
2
18
How did you get a passport expedited for only $5000 pesos? That is cheap for an expedited passport, especially if you got one the same day? I just paid $425.00 usd to get a passport renewed and expedited in the States. The renewal fee (government charge) by itself was 142.00 usd. I think you got a really good deal, especially if they gave you one the same day! I'm going to use Juridico Visa next time for sure. Thank you for sharing.

Re-read. The passport was issued the same day as the appointment, which was like 10 days after we first visited Juridico Visa.
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
7,375
163
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Re-read. The passport was issued the same day as the appointment, which was like 10 days after we first visited Juridico Visa.

That was the way I understood it. You received the "temporary passport" the same day. I have always thought that USA passports are ONLY printed in the USA so no way could you get a permanent the same day. Heck you can't do that in the USA.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
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Actually I have renewed my US Passport on the same day in the Regional office in Miami. You need an appointment, pay an extra fee, and have a travel reservation for the next day. There are only a few offices in the US that can do this. Miami is one of them. You go in the AM and pick up at about 4PM.
 

SomebodySmart

Member
Oct 24, 2015
194
2
18
The regular passport has your name and picture printed on a page, one of the passport pages sewn into the passport book, and laminated over. The temporary passport is easier to make because the name and picture are printed on an adhesive label which they slap onto a blank passport booklet. Plenty of safeguards against counterfeiting, but quicker to prepare in the consular section.
 

SomebodySmart

Member
Oct 24, 2015
194
2
18
How did you get a passport expedited for only $5000 pesos? That is cheap for an expedited passport, especially if you got one the same day? I just paid $425.00 usd to get a passport renewed and expedited in the States. The renewal fee (government charge) by itself was 142.00 usd. I think you got a really good deal, especially if they gave you one the same day! I'm going to use Juridico Visa next time for sure. Thank you for sharing.

You are WAY better off not waiting until a passport has expired. I should not have waited until my daughter’s passport expired, and once we decided to plan the trip I should have checked the passport expiration dates. Time flies. I strongly recommend not getting into that problem.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
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Many countries will not let you enter with a passport that expires in less than 6 months. When it gets under a year to expiration you should renew.
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
11,694
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I'm convince the best way to renew my passport is to fly up to Miami for a few days and renew it there. That would be a lot more fun than doing it here in the Consulate.
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
7,375
163
0
I'm convince the best way to renew my passport is to fly up to Miami for a few days and renew it there. That would be a lot more fun than doing it here in the Consulate.

I think you are absolutely right. Just left and that entire area is a mad house. Everybody triyng to sell you some kind of service. I thought I had gotten pretty good at getting rid of those annoying beach vendors but these folk are relentless.

I went to the place mentioned in the OP, judiciovisas. Got all the forms done, photo taken and appointment scheduled.

Even the Uber driver didn't want to take no. I guess cause he saw the word visas listed on where I wanted to go he just took it upon himself and took me straight to the Embassy. I thought everyone understood, NO, NO aki. Embassy and plaza are only a few blocks away but I don't know where I am at or which way I could of gotten out and walked. So he has to twist and turn, I guess another of two miles of stupid driving we finally get.

Now the small plaza doesn't have a single ATM machine. So off I go walking. Ended up out by the PriceSmart. At my age I wasn't about to walk back to the plaza so Uber time once again.

Back at my apartment with A/C on and really sort of laughing at the whole thing cuz it will never change. What else you gonna do?
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
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163
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Forgot to ask, does the Embassy accept credit cards or do I now have to go and exchange pesos for USD?

And YES, you can NOT take your phone inside the Embassy. I need the phone for Uber so Wenesday back to the plaza, leave my phone, walk up and back to the plaza to retrieve it.
 
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USA DOC

Bronze
Feb 20, 2016
3,162
757
113
..was at the usa embassy in Santo Domingo on monday morning....to renew my passport, the embassy made it a nightmare.....from here there is no temporary passport, but of course that depends on who you talk to....sad to say big credibility issue............Doc........... ( oh yea one of my usa cards is coming by Dominican post office... and a Dominican told me that......Post office in DR.??????.....
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
7,375
163
0
..was at the usa embassy in Santo Domingo on monday morning....to renew my passport, the embassy made it a nightmare..........

After all these years I am finally beginning to sympathize with you north coasters who have come to SD and deal with that place.

Now the OP said his daughter got a 30 day temporary passport on the spot. I asked the person who did my form work was the passport good for 30 days and he told me it is good for a year. I won't know anything else until I return Wednesday.

Now if you say your passport was lost is one thing, if you say it was stolen all the form work stops until you go get a police report..... I now say, oh i meant to say it was LOST to the person who stole it. LOL It is same with losing your residence/cedula. Say stolen go waste half a day getting police report. Say lost and just keep filling out the froms.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
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You want to make your life easier if you don't mind the ride, go here. No one is ever there, and they can do the same thing for you with no hassle. Call first to check the hours. I had a friend that had a problem renewing a passport in SD and got it done here.


Consular Agency Bavaro/Punta Cana
Home | U.S. Citizen Services | Consular Agency Bavaro/Punta Cana

Address: Palma Real Shopping Village, Business Center, Second Floor, Suite 1, Bávaro, La Altagracia
Phone Number: (809) 552-8990
Email: puntacanaconsularagency@state.gov

The U.S. Consular Agency in Bávaro/Punta Cana provides all U.S. Citizen Services with the exception of adults 18 and over applying for their first passport, to American Citizens residing in or visiting the eastern Dominican Republic, including the cities of Higüey, El Seibo, Hato Mayor, and La Romana. These services include emergency assistance, notarials; applications for U.S. passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad. If you would like to make an appointment at the Punta Cana Consular Agency, please email puntacanaconsularagency@state.gov. If you experience technical difficulties or do not have access to Internet, you may make your appointment by calling (809) 552-8990.
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
7,375
163
0
Please if someone knows for sure does the US Embassy accept credit cards for passport payment? If not can I pay in pesos or only USD. Trying to minimize my foreseeable problems before i return.
 

bienamor

Kansas redneck an proud of it
Apr 23, 2004
5,050
458
83
Bird take cash! either peso or dollars

They say they do but when I tried was told the machine was not working (twice). had to walk down to the bank next to pricesmart.