Our trip report, and the reality of import duties

[the gorgon]

First I hope you have no issues with the dog bite. I assume you got immune globulin, but in fact if you got bit by a rabid animal you are also supposed to follow with several doses of rabies vaccine over a two-week period.
If you washed the wound good immediately after you should be fine.

And excessive taxes (and corruption) is why poor countries stay poor.
Yes the cost of medical is too high in the US.
But this is because of lawyers, pharmaceutical, lobbyists and insurance.
But many basics like food and transportation are cheaper.
Just the added cost on gasoline & diesel in DR which abouts to about an extra $30 per tankful (currently gasoline is $2.29 in Florida - ~ double that in DR) would pay for medical in DR.

But wait it is getting worse in the US - There are many Congressmen trying to vote to delay or nullify the high taxes which were set to kick in in 2019 when Obamacare was passed, but a few in Congress are blocking the vote - so health care cost is going to rise again. Some say significantly.

Me - I'm still waiting for that $2,500/yr in medical insurance I was going to save.
Promises to fix something by politicians always seem to favor those in power.

what does any of what you just posted have to do with what i posted?

whether or not drugs and treatment are overpriced in the USA, they still cost something. so, they might normally cost X in a reasonable and realistic setting, and X plus Y in the USA. however, they have a cost. somebody has to foot the bill. in the DR, it is the government. in the case of the dogbite, i went to Centro Medico Bournigal, where i can just flash my insurance card, and pay the copay. well, they do not deal with that matter there. dogbite equals public medical center, to be treated for free.

and what in heck does Obamacare have to do with this? can't we discuss any topic in this site without American politics taking over?

 

[AlterEgo]

Back to importing a container of household goods/car please

 

[JD Jones]

i see you have not fully grasped the concept of poor countries, with poor people. it amazes me that some people live in countries like these for extended periods of time, yet do not have the faintest idea how these places work. yes, we all agree that the taxes are higher than we would like to see. and , yes, we agree that thieving politicians pocket exhorbitant amounts, and drive around in ill gotten gains Prados. there is, however, another side, and opening eyes will help one see why certain things are the way they are.

a few days ago a playful dog jumped up at me, and nipped me on the finger. i took the precautionary trip to an outfit in POP called Centro Sanitario, to get an anti tetanus and anti rabies vaccination. there were hundreds of people there.at 8am. numerous mothers with ill infants, pregnant women, men with all kinds of social diseases..you name it. well, i got my vaccinations and was out of there without spending a peso. it is all free...to everyone.

so is a lot of other stuff here. some of it is expensive. the government has to find ways to afford social services.

read what the same service costs in USA...

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/7/16851134/rabies-treament-expensive-emergency-room

Even when you pay, costs here are much, much lower. I should scan my last hospital bill from a couple months ago and post it here.

The prices (low) of medical supplies always amaze me.

 

[the gorgon]

Even when you pay, costs here are much, much lower. I should scan my last hospital bill from a couple months ago and post it here.

The prices (low) of medical supplies always amaze me.

JD, i had my prostate removed at Centro Medical Bournigal in POP. i had a suite...not a private room...for 3 days. the entire bill, including the visits prior to the surgery, added up to less than 100k pesos..

try that in America.

 

[RockyM]

JD, i had my prostate removed at Centro Medical Bournigal in POP. i had a suite...not a private room...for 3 days. the entire bill, including the visits prior to the surgery, added up to less than 100k pesos..

try that in America.

I think that is the price of a tongue depressor here. Oh, my mistake, two tongue depressors. :cheeky:

 

[RockyM]

Anywho....our attorney is kicking over rocks trying to find someone who can answer my questions. Not holding my breath. I do think people have different experiences at the port; some bad and some not so bad. All we can do is prepare the best we can.

 

[ROLLOUT]

It is worth keeping in mind, my friend, that you are in a "developing" country. After 10 years of coming there, and dealing with the prevalent idiocy at every turn, I decided that my little slice of heaven will be right here in LA (FL panhandle), where I have no problem leaving my door unlocked when I go fishing, and the only sounds I hear are the birds.
As another poster has said on occasion, (your mileage may vary).

 

[RockyM]

It is worth keeping in mind, my friend, that you are in a "developing" country. After 10 years of coming there, and dealing with the prevalent idiocy at every turn, I decided that my little slice of heaven will be right here in LA (FL panhandle), where I have no problem leaving my door unlocked when I go fishing, and the only sounds I hear are the birds.
As another poster has said on occasion, (your mileage may vary).

Well Yes, I do understand that. It is not for everyone. I am an educated person, having been to the DR 8 times and owning property. I am capable of observation.

One thing I have observed is there are some posters here that have absolutely nothing positive to say about the place. Not quite sure why they are hanging around a DR board, other than to provide "warnings" to everyone else (?)

 

[william webster]

Rocky
what exactly are you sending?

Perhaps a Mudanza is your answer... not all this legal hassle

 

[the gorgon]

Well Yes, I do understand that. It is not for everyone. I am an educated person, having been to the DR 8 times and owning property. I am capable of observation.

One thing I have observed is there are some posters here that have absolutely nothing positive to say about the place. Not quite sure why they are hanging around a DR board, other than to provide "warnings" to everyone else (?)

don't worry. they say negative things about wherever they are. there are guys here who have tried living in over a dozen countries, and are still looking for nirvana. they have not realized that maybe they are the problem..not the countries.

 

[DRPAWA]

don't worry. they say negative things about wherever they are. there are guys here who have tried living in over a dozen countries, and are still looking for nirvana. they have not realized that maybe they are the problem..not the countries.

Anyone of these guys go by the name Candide?

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

I am an educated person

That's not going to help you much here. What lots of people (myself included) fail/failed to appreciate before arriving in this country, is that it is called the third world for a reason. No amount of hope or just wishful thinking will counter the effects of systemic government incompetence, corruption and inability to deliver anything on a timeline of another's choosing.

Time, will in due course bring about major development here in the DR with respect to Govt services and the society as a whole. Unfortunately, I may not have enough years left to see some or all of this logical progression. There are some good aspects to living here, just not many "official processes" that don't add gray hairs to one's scalp or sees all of your hair fall out.

As a bit of encouragement, getting a driver's license here isn't too bad and only takes about 48 days...

 

[kg4jxt]

We arrived by sailboat in 2009, and you know what? People are still arriving here by boat. They come down through the Bahamas, usually and that might take a couple or three months from the US east coast, and they don't have a great deal of space. But you might find someone who could carry along a few personal items for you if importing is a hassle and you are not in too much hurry. The Aduana does not inspect visiting yachts whatsoever. If you happen to be near an east-coast marina, put out some feelers and at least you might meet some interesting folks.

 

[judypdr]

Again, to answer the original question, I did not pay any duties on my household items imported shortly after my first temporary residency. The freight company handled it all. I did not import a car. I did not have to be at the port when it arrived or when it was opened and checked. I did have to pay a small fee for the large glass desk that they said was business quality. I did have to have a short inperson interview with a custom's official in Spanish and he spoke English. I'm glad I brought all my stuff and even in hindsight I have everything I need. I could not have purchased many of the items here, including a Kawai (acoustic) (not elecrtronic) piano. It all depends on what you what to spend to get your stuff here. I could have left everything behind but moving here permanently it seemed like a good idea to bring it with me..

 

[TropicalPaul]

Personally I agree with the other posters who say don't bother to bring too much stuff here. When you first come you imagine it's going to be impossible to buy stuff here like you can buy at home. Santo Domingo has got some really good shops, you can buy pretty much everything you need and avoid the hassle of shipping. And if the OP is going to retire here he just needs to accept that is it not the US, that some things will be way more expensive and some will be way cheaper. Some things will be better, some will be worse. If you spend all day complaining that things are different here to how they were where you come from, it's time to go back.