New Rules at DGM in SD

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
9,503
4,023
113
Cabarete
New rules at DGM in SD now prohibit friends, spouses, and significant others from entering DGM with you for your appointment.

Any suggestions nearby where one could kill some time while waiting for me to finish at DGM. It needs to be close by since time will be of the essence in order to get to JCE to get my cedula before it closes. No more than maybe 5 minutes.
 

Riva_31

Bronze
Apr 1, 2013
2,531
179
63
San Pedro de Macoris
New rules at DGM in SD now prohibit friends, spouses, and significant others from entering DGM with you for your appointment.

Any suggestions nearby where one could kill some time while waiting for me to finish at DGM. It needs to be close by since time will be of the essence in order to get to JCE to get my cedula before it closes. No more than maybe 5 minutes.

Explore the Malecón, just be carefull passing by to the other side of the avenute. A lot seats to enjoy the ocean view
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
last time i was in DGM it took me around 4 hours. no one can hang around the malecon for that long. unless they're "working".

i think it's better to go to the closest restaurant - there are a few in the area - and be on call. as soon as you get your residency pictures done contact your partner and have them come back. it will be a while even after that before you receive the actual card.
 

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
9,503
4,023
113
Cabarete
last time i was in DGM it took me around 4 hours. no one can hang around the malecon for that long. unless they're "working".

i think it's better to go to the closest restaurant - there are a few in the area - and be on call. as soon as you get your residency pictures done contact your partner and have them come back. it will be a while even after that before you receive the actual card.

I've seen a couple reports lately that, with the new system where you only need to have finger prints scanned, foto, and get your residency card, times are down to 2 hours or less. Also, they now have a system where you are issued a specific date and time to go to DGM - like a US Embassy appointment. Hopefully, wait times will be even shorter.
 

Riva_31

Bronze
Apr 1, 2013
2,531
179
63
San Pedro de Macoris
last time i was in DGM it took me around 4 hours. no one can hang around the malecon for that long. unless they're "working".

i think it's better to go to the closest restaurant - there are a few in the area - and be on call. as soon as you get your residency pictures done contact your partner and have them come back. it will be a while even after that before you receive the actual card.

Well if the waitting time will be so long then Im agree with you.
 

Riva_31

Bronze
Apr 1, 2013
2,531
179
63
San Pedro de Macoris
Sorry for the stupid, but:

What is a DGM?
What is a Malecon?

thanks,

Rob

DGM is the Spelling of Migration main office in Spanish located Santo Domingo, Dirección General de Migración.

Malecón is how we call the Side in front of the Caribbean Sea in Santo Domingo.

[video=youtube;OJ4iwcXt4U0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ4iwcXt4U0&t=2s[/video]
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
good to know they are cutting waiting time short. let us know how did it go and what did you decide at the end.

it may be also a good idea to have your partner go just about their day: shopping, lunch and so on. leave them be. when done at DGM take taxi/uber to JCE and call the person to pick you up from there. it's about 15 minutes ride or so and usually waiting time for cedula is very short, 30 minutes or so. after you are done with both offices drive happily back home.
 

dulce

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
2,523
211
63
Sorry for the stupid, but:

What is a DGM?
What is a Malecon?

thanks,

Rob

No question is stupid. This is a message board for learning.
Riva_31 answered your questions.

There is a Malecon in SanPedro also. I am sure you have been there.
 

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
9,503
4,023
113
Cabarete
good to know they are cutting waiting time short. let us know how did it go and what did you decide at the end.

it may be also a good idea to have your partner go just about their day: shopping, lunch and so on. leave them be. when done at DGM take taxi/uber to JCE and call the person to pick you up from there. it's about 15 minutes ride or so and usually waiting time for cedula is very short, 30 minutes or so. after you are done with both offices drive happily back home.

She doesn't drive, but I could drop her off and she could take a taxi/uber and meet me at JCE like you suggest. I just wonder how many drivers would even know where the JCE for foreigners even is(?).
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,328
113
Or make it simple....

drop her off... do your chores... and go get her

My last trip.. I left my wife at the hotel and Ubered back to get her and leave
She fiddled around the ZC all morning

I parked at the hotel & never drove .... Uber all the way
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
She doesn't drive, but I could drop her off and she could take a taxi/uber and meet me at JCE like you suggest. I just wonder how many drivers would even know where the JCE for foreigners even is(?).

directions to JCE are simple enough, it's on one of the main avenues in the city, maybe 100 meters from plaza de la bandera. just tell them this and stress this is NOT a regular dominican JCE which is close by. uber drivers can tap the address into their GPS.
 

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
9,503
4,023
113
Cabarete
Or make it simple....

drop her off... do your chores... and go get her

My last trip.. I left my wife at the hotel and Ubered back to get her and leave
She fiddled around the ZC all morning

I parked at the hotel & never drove .... Uber all the way

If there's enough time, I'll do that, but that's uncertain. Appointment is at noon and want to be a JCE no later than 3pm. I've heard there's some long wait times there now(never spent more than 20-30 min max. in the past), and a poster a little while ago who was just waiting for her cedula to be printed out was almost kicked out when they went to close at 4pm.

Sure don't want to spend another night in SD just to get my cedula and would prefer to head out of Dodge right from JCE.
 

drstock

Silver
Oct 29, 2010
4,493
2,080
113
Cabarete
The rule for no other people to accompany the applicant has been around for a while. I'm concerned for my friend when he comes to renew his Residency because he speaks little Spanish and in the past has relied on his Dominican wife to guide him along. There must be a lot of non-Spanish speakers who will have this problem.
 

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
9,503
4,023
113
Cabarete
The rule for no other people to accompany the applicant has been around for a while. I'm concerned for my friend when he comes to renew his Residency because he speaks little Spanish and in the past has relied on his Dominican wife to guide him along. There must be a lot of non-Spanish speakers who will have this problem.

It has been around for awhile. Last year when I was there it appeared that there were a lot of spouses and friends waiting inside. With the new rule that they are not even going to let applicants in except on the scheduled appointment date and time, I don't want to chance it. That would be a real headache if I got there and she wasn't permitted in.
 
Just drop her off somewhere she would like and pick her up when you are done, easy and maybe have Internet... That’s what I do when I wait with my friends, just on my phone for 4 hours and or I go and do errands. I am sure she will be thrilled not to be in that annoying building :)
All cabs know where that building is!!
 

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
9,503
4,023
113
Cabarete
Just drop her off somewhere she would like and pick her up when you are done, easy and maybe have Internet... That’s what I do when I wait with my friends, just on my phone for 4 hours and or I go and do errands. I am sure she will be thrilled not to be in that annoying building :)
All cabs know where that building is!!

That's my plan. She's hated being in there every year I've renewed.