Working in Santo Domingo

smurray · Oct 24, 2002

My company is sending me to Santo Domingo for six weeks, but I have never been to the Domincan Republic before. I am looking for some advice on where to stay, what kind of documentation I might need, and if it will be difficult for a non-Spanish speaker can get by in the city. And any other tips or advice anyone has, I would greatly appreciate it.

As background information, I'm from the US and will be working as a consultant to the IT department of one of the banks there.

Thanks in advance!

Ken · Oct 24, 2002

Start with the information already available...

Your best source is the information already available to you. At the top of this page, click on "living"; this will take you to a good description of life in Santo Domingo. Then click on "search" and make use of the dr1 search engine to find information on Santo Domingo and all the other topics you have questions about. You will get some responses to your post, but far from all the information already available to you in response to the many, many times questions like yours have been addressed in the past.

Bill Parker · Oct 24, 2002

SMurray, besides Ken's reply, be certain of your status before you come to the DR. If you are coming to work, it will be better to confirm what this means. There will be a question on your entry documents that will ask you to declare you are visiting for pleasure or work.

I'm not advising you should say one way or the other. Be sure you have the right answer before you come to lessen your chance of problems.

Bill

smurray · Oct 25, 2002

Ken and Bill,

Thank you both for your replies. I have searched the archives in their entirety for topics pertaining to the word "visa". You are right in saying there is much information to be had there. Based on my research, I have deduced the following:

As a citizen of the US, Canada, European countries, and many others, one can enter the Domincan Republic as a tourist on a 90 day tourist card, purchased at the airport for approximately $10 USD. Should this card expire during your stay, the usual practice is for a fine to be assesed at the airport upon exiting the country, more than likely not to exceed $20 USD. You are not legally permitted to work while visiting the Domincan Republic on a tourist card, although many try their luck and have been successful in doing so.

Officially, one wishing to work in the Domincan Republic must obtain a work permit. Many people choose to enter the country on a tourist card and change their status once they have decided the DR is the place for them.

With all that being said, I have two remaining questions:

1) I will be travelling back and forth from Philadelphia over a period of six weeks for work. I will be working for a US company, but our client is in Santo Domingo. (Any consultants out there done this before?) I have worked in Canada as a US citizen, and for multiple entries like that, I needed a work permit from Canadian Immigration. I am using that as a reasonable rule of thumb for my pending trip(s) to the DR. Can anyone confirm that requirement one way or the other?

2) Many of the links pointing folks in the right direction for obtaining said work permit are outdated or missing from the archives. Does anyone have an updated link to where I might information on obtaining a work permit?

Regards,
Sarah

Hillbilly · Oct 25, 2002

"Don't ask: don't tell"

General rule of thumb: "Closed mouth won't catch flies.

1) Go to the Dominican Consulate and request a multiple Entry visa. Not really recommended, just for propriety's sake.
2) Do nothing, go and come for the $20 cost per trip ($10 in and $10 out), do your work and be done with it.
3) You will find a huge number of people both at work and in your social life that will speak English, and quite well.
4) Be prepared for some intense fun. Young folk here will nap from 5-10 p.m. and then go out til 4 a.m. Be prepared to be proposed to, swept off you feet, danced til you drop....Just to show Dominican hospitality.

HB

JOHNNY HONDA · Oct 25, 2002

Is your company not prepared to do all legal paperwork?If not that indicates to me that you should just come in do the work and not worry as if your company contracted work to a bank it is doubtful the bank is going to report you to imigration,just my thoughts
Johnny

Criss Colon · Oct 25, 2002

I have worked here for 7 years!

I have met hundreds of foreigners,I have never met one with a "Work Permit,Papers"or anything close! Why do you think we are HERE? Lots of people here working for a few weeks,or months stay at the Hotel Dominican Fiesta,or the Hotel Naco,and the Hotel Delta is a long term residence.Depends on where you are going to be working(very important as trafic "sucks" here!) and your price range.Email me if you want more info.Tom

Ken · Oct 25, 2002

If you read the archives, you saw that the advice you are getting from Hillbilly, Criss, and Johnny Honda is what is normally given to those who ask questions similar to yours.

If you are only going to be coming a going during a period of 6 weeks, you'll be here on a tourist card for a lot less time than many.

I predict that when you are finished with your assignment you'll wonder why you worried about this subject.

lhtown · Oct 26, 2002

Officially, isn't there a distinction if your income is from here or from the US? It seems to me that if your income is from the US even if you are "working" here that it would be legal to enter on a tourist visa. We have missionaries(with my organization and others) who have come here(supported from the US or other countries) never dreaming of getting a work or resident visa for survey trips or intial work. Some never get them at all. Admitedly, it is sometime had to know what the law is in this country and even harder to deduce what laws or non-laws are being inforced or about to be inforced.

This is a country where ten motorcycles, a public bus, two taxis and a semi can run a red light filling the intersection with exhaust smoke while you wait patiently watching it all and a policeman pulls you over for not having an safety/emmissions sticker or talking on your cell phone at the light.

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