documents..minimum needed to enter the DR

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laurapasinifan

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I have a flight saturday am...but I cant seem to find my passport....so i was surfing the web all morning and within the Us State dept website and the phone system for the domincan republic consular in washington dc...I cant seem to get an answer.....either thats not one of the FAQ's or no one ever answers the phone at the consulate....so in the mean time Ill ask here


what is the minimum documents needed to enter and leave the DR by their customs dept?

Also ( i will call soon) what does AA require

I think i already know what the US customs and border service wants on my return.

thanks
bob
 
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HOWMAR

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A Birth Certificate with a raised seal and a government issued photo ID. If you are an immigrant to the US, Immigration card would be accepted.
 
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Kyle

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flavio espinal is the ambassador here in washington. i have his email. i will get back with you.
 
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laurapasinifan

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HOWMAR said:
A Birth Certificate with a raised seal and a government issued photo ID. If you are an immigrant to the US, Immigration card would be accepted.
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is that 100% correct ....as what the DR would want for me to enter and leave?

here is what another buddy found someplace....

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: The U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic strongly recommends that all U.S. citizens traveling to the Dominican Republic do so on a valid U.S. passport. Although Dominican law technically allows U.S. citizens to enter the country on other proof of U.S. citizenship (U.S. birth certificate, Naturalization Certificate, etc.) along with a photo ID, numerous U.S. travelers have been prohibited from departing the Dominican Republic on such documents. In these cases, Dominican Immigration has required the travelers to obtain a U.S. passport from the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo. Obtaining a U.S. passport may take up to 10 business days and requires documents that most tourists do not carry, thus potentially delaying the traveler's return to the United States.

bob
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HOWMAR

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laurapasinifan said:
is that 100% correct ....as what the DR would want for me to enter and leave?

here is what another buddy found someplace....

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: The U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic strongly recommends that all U.S. citizens traveling to the Dominican Republic do so on a valid U.S. passport. Although Dominican law technically allows U.S. citizens to enter the country on other proof of U.S. citizenship (U.S. birth certificate, Naturalization Certificate, etc.) along with a photo ID, numerous U.S. travelers have been prohibited from departing the Dominican Republic on such documents. In these cases, Dominican Immigration has required the travelers to obtain a U.S. passport from the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo. Obtaining a U.S. passport may take up to 10 business days and requires documents that most tourists do not carry, thus potentially delaying the traveler's return to the United States.

bob
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You're saying that an American citizen is being prevented from leaving the DR with the proper documents for reentry into the US (a passport is not required until January 7, 2006). Under what authority can the DR hold him? Under suspicion of being Dominican? Sounds like an international incident in the making.
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

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HOWMAR said:
You're saying that an American citizen is being prevented from leaving the DR with the proper documents for reentry into the US (a passport is not required until January 7, 2006). Under what authority can the DR hold him? Under suspicion of being Dominican? Sounds like an international incident in the making.
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I think they're just getting folks up to speed before 1/7/06.

The second week of January '07 is gonna be interesting at US Port of Entries.
 
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Dolores1

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HOWMAR said:
You're saying that an American citizen is being prevented from leaving the DR with the proper documents for reentry into the US (a passport is not required until January 7, 2006). Under what authority can the DR hold him? Under suspicion of being Dominican? Sounds like an international incident in the making.
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This is the US that is saying that, and the Dominican authorities have been too lame to deny it or even take notice that that is up.

I personally questioned the local authorities, and they know of no cases where an American citizen has been prevented from leaving the DR if that person has the proper documentation, that up to 8 January 2007 can be a birth certificate and photo ID. It is the US authorities that are requiring the passport. The way they word it makes it appear that the Dominican authorities are the ones forcing Americans to get passports. But the only authorities requiring the passport are the US authorities.

Note that the Dominican authorities will continue to allow Canadians that have a birth certificate and photo ID to enter and fly back to Canada without passport.

Regardless, if you plan to travel, you should travel with a passport. Note that with the exception of citizens of North America (US and Canada, exempt for travel in North America and Caribbean), all other citizens of the world need a passport to travel anywhere outside their country. Now US citizens will join the rest of the world.
 
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M.A.R.

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You shouldn't have a problem with a birth certificate and a state ID. For many years I travelled with my children and only with their birth certificates, this year was the first time they both had passports, I thought might as well get them since next year you must have them. Like Howmar said why would they want to hold you? the law still allows you to travel without a passport, so it shouldn't be a problem.
As of January 2007 every American citizen travelling to the DR must have a passport.
 
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Dolores1

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cobraboy said:
I think they're just getting folks up to speed before 1/7/06.

The second week of January '07 is gonna be interesting at US Port of Entries.
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I would think that no airline will board a US citizen that does not have a passport. So the US citizen sections of the US consulates will be busy, providing these for those caught abroad without a passport.

One would also assume that an airline would not fly a US citizen down without a passport, if returning after January. I would assume that the restriction would begin earlier than the cut date of 8 January 2007. Best to check with the airline, but of course, best is to get that passport.
 
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laurapasinifan

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You know i dont have an asnwer to WHY they would do anything.....but I am not naive enough to just close my eyes...I want to have as much info as possible, and I want to have confidence before I travel that my CHANCES of having problems are slimmer.........it only takes one man ( or maybe a few ) who works at STI to say...we cant let you go, until we are absolutelt SURE you are who you say you are... and thus..the odd ball case pops up......while the last 10,000 people breezed through.... I know once in the us I can prove I belong here.....I just want a heads up about the DR end of this trip......the fact that they can prevent me causes me some concern......

If I have to go without the passport.....Ill take the birth cert and a few state issued Id 's with phots...plus ill bring a few more passport photos, and some other identification stuff....In case i get hauled to the capitol......

I can get a new pasport( or a temporary one) in one day. The problem is I just figured I may have lost or misplaced my passport last night...so when i called today ( another long story) I got an appointment for tomorrow morning..but the lady at the passport office( not the one I need to go to though) said they will mail it over night.....well.....for sure I would miss a saturday 6 am flight.....and since its a saturday...I bet Id have to wait till monday.......to get this OVERNIGHT package........

One thing for sure is the dominican consulate has not bothered to return my call...i left a message to call me back.....they never ever answer the phone................the one time i did get someone , was the ambassadors office....she directed me to another dept....and back into the loop i went...

they would be able to answer my question

bob
 
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HOWMAR

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After January 8, the liberal in me thinks that there is going to eventually be a question of Constitutionality asked. I can't believe that the Constitution of the US would allow for a US citizen, with proper identification (the same birth certificate that would be used to procure a passport), to be denied entry into the US if he showed up at a Port of Entry. I can possibly understand requiring a through background check, but outright denial of entry for a citizen seems would be against his constitutional guarantees.
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

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I do not think, from my most "on high" position, that you would have any troupbe at all with Dominican authorities, either entering or leaving the country.
A) You might have trouble with AA at the counter if they do not like your proof of citizenship
B) You might have trouble with US Immigration if THEY don't like your proof of citizenship.

Until then, Jan 7 2007, you just need proof like birth certificates and picture ID cards....

HB
 
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slrguy

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FWIW, it is not at all unusual for airlines to deny boarding to travelers with inadequate identification or visas. Not just for DR, but everywhere. If, for example, they boarded you on a flight to the US, and you could not enter the country - guess who gets to fly you back to the DR? Likely at no charge?

As to the constitutionality of requiring passports for re-entry? I can't think of any reasonable challenge to this policy on constitutional grounds. Given that there are many thousands of entities issuing birth certificates, plenty to make determining validity problematic, requiring that international travelers invest $100 in a passport doesn't strike me as unreasonable. I frankly can't understand why anyone would NOT have a passport when they travel outside the country, or object to the policy...
 
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