Tourist card scam?

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Cantaloulou

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Feb 19, 2008
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Recently in mid-july, I arrived at POP and bought my tourist card as usual except this time the guy standing in front of the customs counters was asking for the card back... I argued a bit because on my last 3 trips, I was always told to keep my card for the return. But, this guy was very insistent and he did the same thing to all people in the queue just like me. I didn't argue any further and gave it back to him. I figure they'll stamp my passport with the entrance date anyhow...

Is this a new procedure to take back the card:ermm:? Will I have a problem because I don't have the card when I leave in mid-october other than having to pay fine for overstaying:surprised?
 
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Charlielyn

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Jul 31, 2005
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I know that it seems silly, but they take the tourist card (long form and business card size) from you as you enter the DR. The silliest procedure is you fill out a tourist info form when you enter the DR and you fill out another that is identical when you leave the DR. In the past there was one form and you kept it with you until you left the country. Go figure! When you leave you just pay the extra pesos and fill out another form.
 
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bigbird

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May 1, 2005
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Cantaloulou said:
...........Is this a new procedure to take back the card:ermm:? Will I have a problem because I don't have the card when I leave in mid-october other than having to pay fine for overstaying:surprised?
Click to expand...

It is not a scam. This is the new procedure. They have been doing this for quite awhile. You are lucky to have the tourist card in your hand for 5 minutes.
 
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catcherintherye

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Mar 2, 2008
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In all my flights to POP it has always been handled they way you describe.

You would have to pay anyway, since a tourist card is only good for 30 days.
 
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Vintage

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Aug 26, 2008
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i stayed an extra month in total i was there for two months and i had to pay another ten dollars only
and they took my tourist card when i arrived there
 
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Cantaloulou

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Feb 19, 2008
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Thanks all!!!

Wow, thank you all for your replies, what a relief:cheeky:! I was sure I was in deep crap for my return! Now I know not to stress...:squareeye
 
MikeFisher

MikeFisher

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Feb 28, 2006
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i thought the length of your stay as a visitor/tourist depends from where you are coming in/from which country your passport is, because different countries may have different regulations with each others.
Mike
 
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catcherintherye

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Mar 2, 2008
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Mike,
Although you might be correct, the time limit and the fine that are posted at the airports make no distinction between tourists. It simply says the fine is 300 peso or 30 US dollars for staying beyond 30 days.

I haven't seen anything to the contrary, nor have I seen anything about tourists from other countries.

I've been on flights with people from other countries, and when we all buy our tourist cards, no one asks where people are from, and they are sold and discarded before anyone gets to the immigration check point.
 
Tamborista

Tamborista

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Apr 4, 2005
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catcherintherye said:
It simply says the fine is 300 peso or 30 US dollars for staying beyond 30 days.
Click to expand...

The overstay fine is indeed RD300 pesos for everyone, regardless of passport and no reference to paying 30 USD, which would be close to RD1000 pesos. I have paid it in USD and they accept $10.

tambo'
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

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Jul 24, 2004
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I always considered tourist cards to be the shortest, most expensive toll road in the world.

30 feet. US$10.
 
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Reidy620

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Mar 30, 2008
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DR Tourist Cards

Hi All,

We have always bought our tourist cards in advance direct from the Dominican Republic embassy here in the UK. Lately you have been able to do it online (Dominican Republic Embassy United Kingdom) and the card(s) have arrived within three working days. It costs a little more, ?10 + ?2 p&p [about $18US] but it is well worth doing to avoid all the hassle at the airport with 300+ people all trying to get sorted out at the same time.

Regards

Reidy
 
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DavidZ

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Aug 29, 2005
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catcherintherye said:
Mike,
Although you might be correct, the time limit and the fine that are posted at the airports make no distinction between tourists. It simply says the fine is 300 peso or 30 US dollars for staying beyond 30 days.

I haven't seen anything to the contrary, nor have I seen anything about tourists from other countries.

I've been on flights with people from other countries, and when we all buy our tourist cards, no one asks where people are from, and they are sold and discarded before anyone gets to the immigration check point.
Click to expand...

I'm sure in was a typo, but 300 pesos is about $9, not $30...
 
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catcherintherye

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Mar 2, 2008
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Yes, thank you DavidZ. Now I've been embarrassed twice for my transgression. I surrender.
But you are correct, and I don't know what I was thinking or not thinking. Anyway, I do respect the watchful eye of the readers. You guys/gals keep everyone honest.

It is without a doubt, 300 pesos, or about 9-10 US dollars.

No mas, por favor.
 
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DavidZ

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Aug 29, 2005
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LOL...sorry about that...didn't see that Tambo had already caught it.

One time at the SD airport I paid with a 500 peso note and of course they had no change...so after waiting for awhile, I realized I had $9 in US $$...they took it without any problems...

On the flip side, I once showed up at POP with no US$, only pesos..they wouldn't accept the pesos for the tourist card, which I thought was strange...what was even stranger, they told me to go to the exchange window....PAST passport/immigration control to get change. I was past immigration and could have just walked right out of the airport...but I did go back and pay it...and get my passport stamped...
 
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rubio_higuey

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Feb 7, 2007
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DavidZ said:
I was past immigration and could have just walked right out of the airport...but I did go back and pay it...and get my passport stamped...
Click to expand...

Walking out would not have been such a great idea. On your return back to foreign lands you would have been hit with a huge fine for overstaying - time ever since your passport was issued - because of no entry stamp. You would have had a lots of hassle proving when you entered the country and explaining why your passport had not been stamped.
 
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