Passport Questions

No one will inspect your passport on the way out of the US to the DR. And you can get into the DR on the strength of your driver's license and a tourist card.

Smuggling your passport through Mexico does sound paranoid.

You can make the copies that you'll need for your residency process in the US before you leave, but you'll still need the passport itself throughout the residency application process. I don't think there's any way around that. In fact, some of those copies will have to be certified as authentic copies, which involves comparing them with the original document (i.e., the passport). We had to have this done at Citizen's Services at the consulate in SD.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Keith

This sounds a trifle nutty and paranoid

Jigglebelly said:

Bummer! I was hoping to apply for residence without inviting Big Brother in on it. I would rather be legal but I guess I'll have to overstay my Tourist Card.

Nevertheless, thank you for your reply Keith.

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Hold on a second here - Big Brother? Here's the sequence of what you need to do:

1.You carry the US passport in your pocket.

2.Nobody in USA looks at it for departure anyway, so nobody knows you left with the passport in your pocket.

3.You arrive in the DR, use DL and Birth Certificate/Voters Card etc., and a tourist card to enter. (Prepare to have them whack a stamp on the back of your birth certificate and BTW a DL alone is not enough ID to enter since it shows no citizenship info).

4. You copy the passport as many times as required. You say two so do two. Do three or five if you want.

5. Go to the US Consulate and have the copies certified by some clerical drone who could care less who you are and why you want certified copies of the passport and who will tell nobody about it since it is so incredibly unimportant to everyone but you there is nobody to tell.

6. If you think asking the Consulate to do "that" invites Big Brother in you are barking up the wrong tree.

Frankly with Echelon and the whole NSA monitoring of all suspicious e-mail and other communication they are as likely to be interested in this thread and your posting about getting around sneakily with your passport etc., than just going to the consulate in due course.

Also, I doubt they report back to the USA all arrivals in the DR just because they swiped your passport - BUT, since they type in your name and particulars etc. on arrival, if their arrival records are shared with the USA then the DL/Birth Cert. info is shared also.

Finally remember that the flight manifests and ID for ALL departing USA flights are shared with the Homeland Security anyway so before you even arrive in the DR they know you are on the plane heading there.

You could always drive to Canada and fly on a charter to the DR and avoid that part. Or fly to PAP in Haiti and come across hidden in a truckload of dates or pineapples, like a sapper, at Darajbon.

Jigglebelly....WHO are you hiding from again?

If you are that worried about people knowing you are there how are you going to RELAX and enjoy the laid back lifestyle of the DR? Straighten out your legal BS that makes you so paranoid..if that is the case and then go to the DR to enjoy life. You will never be happy until you complete the problem you are having with the ex etc... You should feel comfortable about traveling to the DR....not like you are running from the law! Unless that is indeed the case..I hope not...but you sound too too worried to be traveling comfortably. Will you be able to relax anyway with all that stuff you are escaping from? Pam

This is making little sense

Jigglebelly said:

You are right Rick. Since the DR is my destination anyway I am hardly any worse off if the consulate does take the PP.


My concern is for the document itself. I'd hate to lose it while it is still valid for a long time.

Still, I want to be legal in the DR. (I am that kind of guy) so I will take your advice and my chances. Afterall, I have not been ordered to surrender it yet so maybe I am going to a lot of bother for nothing.

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If you have it in your pocket and then lock it in the safe in your room or other secure location how can "they" take it? And I seriously doubt the clerk at the consulate is awaiting you specifically to show up to snag the passport as part of his or her photocopy stamping duties which is nothing more than a cash grab anyway since a notary public should be able to do the same thing.

You seem to be in some sort of shady trouble that you are not terribly forthcoming about. If you are absconding on child support payments you deserve what you get (since I paid mine for 15 years you can do the same).
If you are a wanted felon, terrorist, looney, or threat to democracy, ditto.

If you are just Joe Schmoe then you are making a lot of fuss about nothing.

Serve WHO Right?

Jigglebelly said:

[As for the CS, I wish I could skip on it ( it would serve her right), but they take it directly from my pension. I never see it in the first place. That will continue even after I get to the DR. but so what? Lots of guys have to pay more than I do. At least I can afford it.[/B]

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The money is for YOUR kid with 1/2 YOUR DNA - it isn't her (or his or their) fault you know. Don't put the kids between you and what must be a hell maven of an ex-wife. As for ALL the rest, relax. You are cogitating beyond the need to.