Difficulties Using a Dominican Passport

Alltimegreat

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Has anyone experienced problems using a Dominican passport anywhere in the world and suspected that these problems were due to not having a Dominican appearance in the border agent's view (such as being white)?
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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I don't think it will be a good passport to use for extensive travel.

Other countries block the passport -- including the person carrying it.....white/red or green skinned
 

SKY

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I entered and exited Argentina years ago when a Visa was not necessary for the DR. No need to show my US passport. Also changed money and received money at banks with it. The idea that countries will block a legal passport is nonsense to me.

Actually I was there 3 different times with my girlfriend who is Dominican and looks it. Never a problem. Also went to Ecuador with a girl with the same results.
 
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Riva_31

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I entered and exited Argentina years ago when a Visa was not necessary for the DR. No need to show my US passport. Also changed money and received money at banks with it. The idea that countries will block a legal passport is nonsense to me.

Totally agree, I had been in 10 countries and never had any problem, last time I used my passport was in Canada landing in Montreal and had to do inmigration process by myself in a Kiosk and no issues with my Dominican passpprt. It was a surprise that they included Dominican Republic for self inmigation process. Just renew my passport but didnt use it yet.
 

Alltimegreat

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I'm well aware of the the Dominican passport's low ranking as pertains to visa-free travel.

My question is about using the Dominican passport in compliance with other countries' rules (such as obtaining a visa beforehand) and still facing increased questioning or added hassle due to not having a Dominican appearance.
 

SKY

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I'm well aware of the the Dominican passport's low ranking as pertains to visa-free travel.

My question is about using the Dominican passport in compliance with other countries' rules (such as obtaining a visa beforehand) and still facing increased questioning or added hassle due to not having a Dominican appearance.

Well, your question here is not the same as your original post, as nothing was mentioned about Visas. And I think this question about Visas was already answered by Riva, as I believe a Dominican needs one to go to Canada.
 

AlterEgo

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Are you unaware that there are a lot of Dominican passport holders who are white/European looking? Dominicans and naturalized citizens.

If the face matches the photo, how could there be a problem??
 

SKY

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Problem? Try and open a bank account in Europe with a US Passport and you will see a problem. Open with a DR one and get no problems.
 

Alltimegreat

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Are you unaware that there are a lot of Dominican passport holders who are white/European looking? Dominicans and naturalized citizens.

If the face matches the photo, how could there be a problem??

I realize that it SHOULDN'T be happening, but border agents even in the US seem to have plenty of leeway to hassle people about things they deem to be suspicious.
 

SKY

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I realize that it SHOULDN'T be happening, but border agents even in the US seem to have plenty of leeway to hassle people about things they deem to be suspicious.

The US is a Police State, don't go by what they do.
 

bob saunders

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I'm well aware of the the Dominican passport's low ranking as pertains to visa-free travel.

My question is about using the Dominican passport in compliance with other countries' rules (such as obtaining a visa beforehand) and still facing increased questioning or added hassle due to not having a Dominican appearance.

Is there such a thing as a Dominican appearance? My wife has been mistaken for Filipino, Mexican, Cuban, Japanese, Colombian....etc.
 

Cdn_Gringo

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Preconceived notions. When I say Japanese, an image of someone from that country flashes onto the back of your retina. When I say Swedish, tall, blonde, blue eyed, curvaceous. Come to think of it, I don't think there are any men in Sweden.

Same for Dominicans - just not as strikingly dissimilar from some other Caribbean ethnicities.
 

Alltimegreat

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Irrespective of what's morally right or wrong (or what's factually correct or merely politically correct), it's pretty obvious to me that most Americans and Europeans do in fact have at least a vague preconceived notion of what a Dominican looks like.
 

cavok

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Most Americans don't even know where the DR is and, even those that do, couldn't tell the difference between a Dominican, a Puerto Rican, or a Cuban. Dominicans vary widely in appearance.
 

bienamor

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Apr 23, 2004
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Irrespective of what's morally right or wrong (or what's factually correct or merely politically correct), it's pretty obvious to me that most Americans and Europeans do in fact have at least a vague preconceived notion of what a Dominican looks like.

don't know about europeans but most americans could not tell you where the dominican republic is. This is excluding Miami, Lawrence Mass. NYC an NJ.
 

Alltimegreat

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I know they couldn't. A US border agent at the airport once asked where I was coming from, and I said the Dominican Republic.

His response was, "Oh yeah, and where's that!?" as if it was such a far-fetched name of a country that it must be made up.

Nonetheless, many people couldn't locate China on a map but still have an idea in their minds of what a Chinese citizen should look like.
 

SKY

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This thread was useless when it started and even more so now. Time to put it to bed..................
 

william webster

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When I get my citizenship, I doubt I’ll get a passport.... I have a Cdn one

As for US border agents... I had one in MIA exclaim ...
Wow, Canadian with a visa! Never seen that before....and an E-2 no less
He was even more bafflled
 

Tamborista

hasta la tambora
Apr 4, 2005
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This thread was useless when it started and even more so now. Time to put it to bed..................

Yes indeed, complete dribble, back to my bagel & lox, anybody know what that is?
Lox cut by a Dominican from La Vega that looks like a man from Earth.
 

SKY

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When I get my citizenship, I doubt I’ll get a passport.... I have a Cdn one

As for US border agents... I had one in MIA exclaim ...
Wow, Canadian with a visa! Never seen that before....and an E-2 no less
He was even more bafflled

I am going to give you some advice you really need to listen to. When you get DR citizenship the first thing to do after getting the Cedula is to get a DR Passport. Reason is that is when it is expected of you. Wait, and you might have to jump through more hoops even though you are in fact a citizen. Also if you are using a lawyer this is what he is getting paid for. Cedula and passport. And you get a lot more respect when you come and go from the DR with a passport issued here. The first time you get a passport there are hoops to jump through and must be done in SD. After that, renew anywhere like any other Dominican. First one is important.