Immigration Rip Off

snowqueen

Member
Dec 15, 2004
232
8
18
At the airport on the way home after 3 months in DR, I knew I would have to pay 2500rd. I thought that once I went through immigration I would be sent to a separate desk to pay. However, the immigration officer told me I had to pay her directly, which I did. I thought maybe the process was changed. When I asked for a receipt, she said the machine is broken. I knew then that I had been taken.

Now, I'm wondering what will happen when I return. Is the system going to alert immigration that i didnt pay my overstay fee? Any suggestions on how to handle these situations in future?
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
113
You don't mention which airport you were leaving from. It is my understanding that overstay payments are now made at a special kiosk or office and there is no reason for the receipt machine to not be working. My stance would have been, no receipt, no payment. That should be easily understandable by the immigration official.

They should have taken your passport to a separate area to have it unlocked in the computer. If that did not happen then your guess is as good as mine as to what may or may not happen when you return the next time. Let us know.
 

AnnaC

Gold
Jan 2, 2002
16,050
418
83
At the airport on the way home after 3 months in DR, I knew I would have to pay 2500rd. I thought that once I went through immigration I would be sent to a separate desk to pay. However, the immigration officer told me I had to pay her directly, which I did. I thought maybe the process was changed. When I asked for a receipt, she said the machine is broken. I knew then that I had been taken.

Now, I'm wondering what will happen when I return. Is the system going to alert immigration that i didnt pay my overstay fee? Any suggestions on how to handle these situations in future?

Did she at least stamp your passport on the way out (salida). I had that happen one year. Paid in the same spot, no receipt, no stamp out. Didn't notice till I got home that my passport wasn't stamped. I was worried but as it turned out I had to get a new passport so didn't have a problem the following year.
 

Garyexpat

Bronze
Sep 7, 2012
2,105
739
113
At the airport on the way home after 3 months in DR, I knew I would have to pay 2500rd. I thought that once I went through immigration I would be sent to a separate desk to pay. However, the immigration officer told me I had to pay her directly, which I did. I thought maybe the process was changed. When I asked for a receipt, she said the machine is broken. I knew then that I had been taken.

Now, I'm wondering what will happen when I return. Is the system going to alert immigration that i didnt pay my overstay fee? Any suggestions on how to handle these situations in future?

It depends on the airport. At SDQ (Santo domingo) there is the separate desk to the far right, you pay, ALWAYS get a receipt and then give the paper to the immigration agent when passing through the regular line.
I agree with Cdn_Gringo, no receipt no money, ask for supervisor.
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
6,407
580
113
Santiago DR
It depends on the airport. At SDQ (Santo domingo) there is the separate desk to the far right, you pay, ALWAYS get a receipt and then give the paper to the immigration agent when passing through the regular line.
I agree with Cdn_Gringo, no receipt no money, ask for supervisor.
The supervisor probably gets 50%.....
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
7,339
2,949
113
At the airport on the way home after 3 months in DR, I knew I would have to pay 2500rd. I thought that once I went through immigration I would be sent to a separate desk to pay. However, the immigration officer told me I had to pay her directly, which I did. I thought maybe the process was changed. When I asked for a receipt, she said the machine is broken. I knew then that I had been taken.

Now, I'm wondering what will happen when I return. Is the system going to alert immigration that i didnt pay my overstay fee? Any suggestions on how to handle these situations in future?

Consider yourself lucky. For three months, you should have paid 4000 pesos. Seems like you ripped off the system, not the other way around. Safe travels.
 

AnnaC

Gold
Jan 2, 2002
16,050
418
83
I was there for 87 days, therefore 2500rd

To finish my post I wanted to add that I worried about them thinking I had been there for over a year since there was no exit stamp so I was going to bring my return ticket and boarding pass from 2015 when I returned in 2016. Not sure what else to suggest, sorry
 

drstock

Silver
Oct 29, 2010
4,502
2,086
113
Cabarete
I shouldn't worry about it. I think quite a large proportion of overstay never find their way to the government.
 

joe

Brain Donor!
Jan 12, 2016
1,092
0
0
Anna can you post the link or any info about the current overstay fees? I can't bring it from the archives and google doesn't have any current info unless they haven't changed since 2015.
 

AnnaC

Gold
Jan 2, 2002
16,050
418
83
Anna can you post the link or any info about the current overstay fees? I can't bring it from the archives and google doesn't have any current info unless they haven't changed since 2015.

I don't know of any changes since 2015

Time Cost
1 day to 3 months RD$2,500.00
3 to 9 months RD$4,000.00
9 to 12 months RD$5,000.00
12 to 18 months RD$6,500.00
18 to 24 months RD$8,000.00
24 to 30 months RD$9,500.00
30 to 36 months RD$11,000.00
36 to 48 months RD$16,000.00
48 to 60 months RD$20,000.00
6 years RD$30,000.00
7 years RD$40,000.00
8 years RD$50,000.00
9 years RD$60,000.00
10 years RD$70,000.00
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
11,716
7,977
113
OP

I can tell you exactly what I was told by an immigration supervisor when I
accidently passed go without them collecting.... You will not be allowed to
re-enter upon your return. You will need to be prepared to pay your overstay
fine on the spot as soon as you arrive. Seeing how its only RD$2,500 I doubt
you will be hauled off to jail but honestly... that all depends on what type of day
they're having when you return.
 

bigwhiskey

New member
Aug 29, 2010
383
4
0
Could be worse like when they hold passport in one hand and a note saying Tip in the other when you arrive.Happened in POP
 

Riva_31

Bronze
Apr 1, 2013
2,533
179
63
San Pedro de Macoris
To finish my post I wanted to add that I worried about them thinking I had been there for over a year since there was no exit stamp so I was going to bring my return ticket and boarding pass from 2015 when I returned in 2016. Not sure what else to suggest, sorry
 
Save those papers and make copies, in case they keep it so you wont lose your proof.
 

ijfesq

New member
Dec 12, 2009
3
0
0
At the airport on the way home after 3 months in DR, I knew I would have to pay 2500rd. I thought that once I went through immigration I would be sent to a separate desk to pay. However, the immigration officer told me I had to pay her directly, which I did. I thought maybe the process was changed. When I asked for a receipt, she said the machine is broken. I knew then that I had been taken.

Now, I'm wondering what will happen when I return. Is the system going to alert immigration that i didnt pay my overstay fee? Any suggestions on how to handle these situations in future?

The same exact thing happened to me, when I left in February from POP. I was prepared to pay 2500 because I stayed for 45 days. A young man took my passport and looked at it and told me that I owed 2500. I gave him the 2500. He went over and gave it to the supervisor. He gave over to me and told me to follow him the booth on the left side and not the one on the right side where I go when I stay over 30 days. He looked at my passport again and gave it back and told me that I can go. When I was waiting to board the plane, that when I noticed he did not stamp my passport. When I came back April 1, I flew into STI airport with no trouble.

When I leave in May I will have to pay again. This time I will not give them the 2500, unless they stamp my book. I do not care what they do with the money, after they stamp my book.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
That is the way to do it....

No trouble... just worry about your stamp

You can't stamp out the corruption !!
hahaha
 

slowmo

Well-known member
Aug 1, 2016
1,008
666
113
Same thing happened to me but I believe my passport was stamped but not swiped. No problem on re-entry.
 

USA DOC

Bronze
Feb 20, 2016
3,162
757
113
...if they pocketed your overstay money, I am very sure they have your return covered....so you have no problems, and yes that money is split among several people....Its a kind of latino bonus system... if you spend time or live here, is best to get used to that........Doc......
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
At the airport on the way home after 3 months in DR, I knew I would have to pay 2500rd. I thought that once I went through immigration I would be sent to a separate desk to pay. However, the immigration officer told me I had to pay her directly, which I did. I thought maybe the process was changed. When I asked for a receipt, she said the machine is broken. I knew then that I had been taken.

Now, I'm wondering what will happen when I return. Is the system going to alert immigration that i didnt pay my overstay fee? Any suggestions on how to handle these situations in future?

Don't sweat it. You will not have any problems coming back into the DR. This practice is par for the course and you're reading way to much into this. Chill.......