Buy a car or rent a car for 6 month visit

[Anastacio]

If you do not have residency after the date your tourist visa or any other visa is valid for, then you are technically illegal. This is a loop hole that will be used against you.

So everyone awaiting residency or Cedula in the country and not returning to homeland, or getting an extended visa while application goes through are technically illegals here? Wow, alot of illegals in this country who don't even know it, probably enough to give the Haitian population a run for thier money (ok maybe not:ermm.
I presumed having a cedula application in the pipelines allowed you rights to be here.

 

[jrhartley]

I think if its in the process it counts.....I could be wrong

 

[Robert]

So everyone awaiting residency or Cedula in the country and not returning to homeland, or getting an extended visa while application goes through are technically illegals here? Wow, alot of illegals in this country who don't even know it, probably enough to give the Haitian population a run for thier money (ok maybe not:ermm.
I presumed having a cedula application in the pipelines allowed you rights to be here.

You know full well that's not what we are talking about here.
The OP is not a resident or resident in process.

But...

If you're in process, then you usually have documentation stating so and not technically illegal. You would still need to get clarification about the driving license.

The DR is full of illegal Haitians, they are always deporting them, read the news.

Lots of people here will say... yeah, my buddy with no cedula and licence had an accident, the cops just let him go blah blah blah. That's BS!

He either paid his way out or the cops never got involved.
I guarantee in the above scenario, the insurance company didn't pay if he ever tried to make a claim.

As I said, do your due diligence...

 

[Anastacio]

You know full well that's not what we are talking about here.
The OP is not a resident or resident in process.

No, but worth the mention I thought before people start getting all excited and calling lawyers saying DR1 said they were illegal.:glasses:

 

[cobraboy]

What, is this another law like the one 'to be a pilot in the Dominican Republic you must be Dominican'. Thats not true but people are convinced it is.

Anyone can be a pilot in the DR. To WORK as a pilot in a DOMINICAN AIRLINE or CHARTER COMPANY you must be Dominican.

All better now?

 

[cobraboy]

I suggest you call your insurance company and ask what the deal is for an ilegal in an event of an accident? Your might just get a shock at the answer

If you do not have residency after the date your tourist visa or any other visa is valid for, then you are technically illegal. This is a loop hole that will be used against you.

If you have an accident and the police are involved, usually the first thing they will ask you for is your passport so they can verify your entry stamp.

In order to get paid by your insurance company, you need a police report.
The police report for a non-resident has to have a copy of the passport for the insurance company to usually accept it.

Don't say you haven't been warned. I suggest some of you do your due diligence.

People!!! Listen up!!! ^^^THIS^^^ is reality!

There is a difference between knowingly driving illegally and accepting that risk and driving thinking you're legal and have insurance when you don't.

 

[cobraboy]

Just to give you an idea... if I rent a car here for a couple of days, a Montero Sport or Honda CR-V, with insurance,

I'll bet if you actually did the research that "insurance" ain't diddly, it's just the basic to get a revista and that's it. You assume almost all the risk still...

All insurance here is NOT the same.

Most rental companies have extra insurance you can buy as an oiption that DOES cover almost all risks. I recall the price @ adventure is around RD$280 per day, but I might be off a little; it's been 2.5 years since I rented from them.

 

[cobraboy]

How many of you have actually brought and sold a car "legally" in the DR?

It's not a walk in the park for a newbie.

Transfer tax, contracts, inspections, paper work, running around etc.

I've bought two, one just last week.

The first vehicle the dealer did all the paperwork, not big deal.

The second, we found a local guy who does "matricula runs" for car and moto dealers here to Santo Domingo; his fee is RD$1500 per matricula. He needs the official buy/sell agreement signed by the seller (left blank, he fills it in from the info on the matricula and adds the price based on the valuation from the tax folks), the original matricula, a copy of the sellers cedula/passport, proof insurance is in force (insurance does not automatically expire upon title transfer here, Iam told by an insurance company) by seller or buyer, buyers cedula/passport and $$$ for the taxes (in our case RD$12,000 for a 2002 Mitsubishi Sport A/4WD)....predetermined, online, by make/model/year. He leaves in the morning, returns in the evening. I'll bet there are "matricula runners" in every town, you just have to do some digging.

Well worth the RD$1500, IMO, and saves a ton of bureaucracy.

 

[william webster]

Matricula Runners

In Pennsylvania its called a "Messenger Service".
It used to be the only way to get plates... couriers to the state capital to submit and return the necessary paperwork

Nowadays, most of these people are online and the transaction is instantaneous

WW

Thank you Roberts x 2 for helping to clarify the insurance/cedula issue.
As I said, it has been covered extensively before and that coverage drove me (pun) to get my local license

 

[pedrochemical]

Just to clarify - is this correct?
It is what I was told when I bought my insurance?

• My car insurance is valid if I am driving within the time period of my tourist visa?
• And my tourist visa is renewed every time I enter the country?
• My wife is OK to drive with valid insurance for the time period of her visa (1 year)?

Thanks for the response.

 

[cobraboy]

Just to clarify - is this correct?
It is what I was told when I bought my insurance?

• My car insurance is valid if I am driving within the time period of my tourist visa?
• And my tourist visa is renewed every time I enter the country?
• My wife is OK to drive with valid insurance for the time period of her visa (1 year)?

Thanks for the response.

Your tourist visa is valid for 30 days. Other visas may be for a longer period. Once the DR gubmint receives your residency application and fees-which may include a fine for overstaying-your visa is considered extended and your DL and insurance should be in force.

If this is incorrect, someone please chime in, but the lawyer handling my residency stated as such.

 

[pedrochemical]

I am not applying for residency in the D.R.
I fly in and out as a "tourist" every 2 weeks so I never overstay my tourist visa.


My question is - can I drive on a tourist visa for the 30 days it is valid - with my car insurance still being valid?

 

[rice&beans]

Close

Your tourist visa is valid for 30 days. Other visas may be for a longer period. Once the DR gubmint receives your residency application and fees-which may include a fine for overstaying-your visa is considered extended and your DL and insurance should be in force.

If this is incorrect, someone please chime in, but the lawyer handling my residency stated as such.

Dominican Republic Visa,Embassy Requirements,Travel,Tourist Visa Application Form,Student,immigration information

Tourist Visa valid for 60 days.........:cheeky::cheeky:

 

[pedrochemical]

So my question remains -

Disregarding residency which I do not intend to apply for as I have that elsewhere.
Disregarding how long a tourist visa lasts for as I know it last for more than 2 weeks

Is my car insurance valid if I drive within the time period of my tourist visa?

 

[Tamborista]

So my question remains -

Disregarding residency which I do not intend to apply for as I have that elsewhere.
Disregarding how long a tourist visa lasts for as I know it last for more than 2 weeks

Is my insurance valid if I drive within the time period of my tourist visa?

Ask your insurance company!

 

[rice&beans]

Relax Pedro

So my question remains -

Disregarding residency which I do not intend to apply for as I have that elsewhere.
Disregarding how long a tourist visa lasts for as I know it last for more than 2 weeks

Is my insurance valid if I drive within the time period of my tourist visa?


Yes, I do it all the time....you would be covered.........

 

[Tamborista]

I am amazed at the BAD information certain people post on this board!

 

[cobraboy]

Dominican Republic Visa,Embassy Requirements,Travel,Tourist Visa Application Form,Student,immigration information

Tourist Visa valid for 60 days.........:cheeky::cheeky:

Oop! :cheeky: My bad.

The rest remains accurate.

 

[pedrochemical]

Ask your insurance company!

But of course they will say yes - they sold me the insurance.....:bunny:


Anyway, I am supposed to be working...so I will check back later...

 

[rice&beans]

experience

Rice & Beans, you DO NOT have Dominican Insurance nor live in DR, so please take a step back.

A few months back I got in an accident ...(minor)....I got hit on the side...but the car was not driveable....but I was renting from National...took the FULL ins..(ALWAYS DO)......nobody was hurt.....police report, copy of passport...copy of valid license, valid registration and that was it. They gave me a new car didn't have to pay a DIME...ps I even took the tire ins....me no pay nada......The other person said it was my fault....didn't matter .....I WAS COVERED........also not the first time this has happened........it happened in 2001 but that was a little different............. .......so Judge Tambo chill.....LOL....your telling me nobody on this board has EVER got in an accident....with all the time everyone has spent in the DR.....hard to believe....