This is a big issue, because 1. No one understands there is a 30 day limit. 2. There is no real option for getting a 60 or 90 day Visa, etc. 3. When you leave & they charge you extra, you think that is the normal way it is here. 4. Tourism supports this place, so they need to come up with a better resolution. 5. Yes, the US has rules, but they're clearing spelled out & believe me, there are plenty of people who have overstayed there, but at least they know in advance they're breaking the law. Most of us snowbirds, had no idea we were breaking the law!!!
- Thread starter Goldenruler
- Start date
Stuck at the Airport
This is a big issue, because 1. No one understands there is a 30 day limit. 2. There is no real option for getting a 60 or 90 day Visa, etc. 3. When you leave & they charge you extra, you think that is the normal way it is here. 4. Tourism supports this place, so they need to come up with a better resolution. 5. Yes, the US has rules, but they're clearing spelled out & believe me, there are plenty of people who have overstayed there, but at least they know in advance they're breaking the law. Most of us snowbirds, had no idea we were breaking the law!!!
I'm here, what would you like to know. I'm still hesitant to lie, if asked that question next year. I've even sent an email to the US & Dominican Embassies & they don't seem to have any answers. I'm not trying to get away with anything, would gladly pay an extra fee upon entrance, but even in that 2 hour period, that was not suggested.
We are not stupid people!! We just did not know we were breaking the law!! When they charge you an extra fee as you depart, you do assume that is the process. No one has ever said otherwise
That’s the kind of live report you can only get here on dr1. I think you’re so right.
Someone either got a kick in the ass about something else, so he is kicking downward. Or some new guy got a promotion and thinks he gonna change ish! Yeah. That always works out. You are also right about how harsh USA rules are...if you get caught, ...and if you get deported .... then the ten year stay away rule applies. However, even if a person is a scheming mofo once they get their citizenship it is a done deal. It never gets taken away. (That’s not a challenge, but I’m sure someone will prove me wrong.). Anyway, regarding the silliness of the thirty day tourist card, then the late fee, which isn’t a fine, and might be a tax, but means you don’t get in trouble...until you get in trouble! We have so many options for people from so many countries. The problem with dr is they’re a bunch of scheming mofos when it comes to visas. World renowned.
So, when Americans suggest alternatives they are doing so from a selfish perspective. (I want 90 days so I can get a good rental) Dominicans will use that to get more visas for their people. Or at least they will try. It keeps gringos in limbo. And on the lamb for insurance scams often described here. Or more precisely it was the first time me a black officer of the law told her to shut the front door. Probably nothing more than a little pearl,clutching, but if it’s is a new experience it can be scary. I understand. Keeping the status quo also supports a narrative that so many Americans are in the DR illegally, how then can the USA complain about Dominicans in New York or Lawrence?
It’s called diplomacy. Or horse trading.
See, Wally and I were were eating super colossal shrimp the other night and he said that since he’s out of the whole ambassadorial thing it’s gone to pot. I tried to use my connections to get him a meeting with The Donald. Oh well...
Wally. We miss you. I let him said hey.
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You’re screen name is golden ruler. Kinda makes me think you shoulda known. You know, the whole follow the golden rule thing. Maybe I’m misinterpreting the meaning. Hmmm ?????? golden ruler?
Anyway. You’ve been coming to the island and just joined us. Welcome.
You’ll get to know the characters around here.
I’m sorry this happened to you. Seems so unfair. Think about it the next time you’re on the highway driving at 75mph and you see a car pulled over. Don’t know where you live. In Boston I can make pretty accurate predictions about who is in that car.
I’m just saying. Is all.
First of all, I checked to see if we need a visa when we first started coming here, nothing. The name goldenruler is something I took from someone else bc they kept rejecting everything I came up with. Nothing special about it.
I have contacted the American & Dominican Embassies & so far, they don't have any real answers either. As far as I can tell, it's just a vicious circle. Someone says get permission when you arrive but there is no where to get permission. They make you pay a fee when you leave so you think that is the way it is supposed to be. Not sure I'll be back, even tho we really love spending the winter here.
I have contacted the American & Dominican Embassies & so far, they don't have any real answers either. As far as I can tell, it's just a vicious circle. Someone says get permission when you arrive but there is no where to get permission. They make you pay a fee when you leave so you think that is the way it is supposed to be. Not sure I'll be back, even tho we really love spending the winter here.
For the last 15 years,since i first started comming to the Dr. there have been overstay fees,EVERYBODY KNOWS. If they say different,they are full of S... That being said,if the Dr,doesnt want tourist dollars,go elsewhere,i have lived her for 10 years,and find the everyday stupidy of the Dominicans funny now,the first two years,it bothered me,to no end.Now i realize they are one step above the primates.Notall Dominicans just about 80%.
Goldenruler,
I possess the deepest regret if you interpreted my response as being too harsh upon you, as that was not my intended course of action. I was merely stating the obvious in which you told an immigration official that you were going to violate the terms of the 30 day tourist entrance card. Of course, you should not have been detained for two hours, but I think you would agree as well, that some manner of further inquiry should have been in order. Unlike others within this forum, I am not pointing fingers in your direction, or taking exception towards you perhaps due to the country you may have arrived from, as I do not remember you stating from where it was your itinerary began. Although, I believe it to be from North America, as you mention the term "snowbird". I also have neither the time, nor desire to interject politics into every conversation. My opening statement was, "This seems to be such a sticking point for tourists visiting the RD, and I really can not understand why." Now, that was tourists with an 's', as in plural. Yes indeed, you are one of many, and if it does apply to you, not only limited to those tourists from North America. Many other country's visitors are also obligated to purchase this temporary tourist card, and incur the same difficulties. There are several countries that are not required to purchase the 30 day tourist card, but that is between individual governments to arrange working agreements with the RD, and not the individual tourist. As far as permitting your husband to handle the future transactions, I believe this would make sense, if only to alleviate any future hardships prior to beginning your scheduled vacation, and not having to relive a rather stressful, unfortunate incident. To further prove that no malice was meant, I invite the both of you to please join me for dinner one evening. I will be traveling to Buenos Aires on Monday, but will be back by the following week. Hopefully, we can agree on a location, and put this behind us. Not all Dominicans are as difficult as the Immigration officials.
I possess the deepest regret if you interpreted my response as being too harsh upon you, as that was not my intended course of action. I was merely stating the obvious in which you told an immigration official that you were going to violate the terms of the 30 day tourist entrance card. Of course, you should not have been detained for two hours, but I think you would agree as well, that some manner of further inquiry should have been in order. Unlike others within this forum, I am not pointing fingers in your direction, or taking exception towards you perhaps due to the country you may have arrived from, as I do not remember you stating from where it was your itinerary began. Although, I believe it to be from North America, as you mention the term "snowbird". I also have neither the time, nor desire to interject politics into every conversation. My opening statement was, "This seems to be such a sticking point for tourists visiting the RD, and I really can not understand why." Now, that was tourists with an 's', as in plural. Yes indeed, you are one of many, and if it does apply to you, not only limited to those tourists from North America. Many other country's visitors are also obligated to purchase this temporary tourist card, and incur the same difficulties. There are several countries that are not required to purchase the 30 day tourist card, but that is between individual governments to arrange working agreements with the RD, and not the individual tourist. As far as permitting your husband to handle the future transactions, I believe this would make sense, if only to alleviate any future hardships prior to beginning your scheduled vacation, and not having to relive a rather stressful, unfortunate incident. To further prove that no malice was meant, I invite the both of you to please join me for dinner one evening. I will be traveling to Buenos Aires on Monday, but will be back by the following week. Hopefully, we can agree on a location, and put this behind us. Not all Dominicans are as difficult as the Immigration officials.
Cdn_Gringo,
It is very well documented that smokers tend to be of the testy and irritable sort, this is acknowledged, but it is also not an excuse for outright nasty behaviour, such as name calling within a public forum. I understand that you may strongly disagree with my stated position within another thread in reference to smoking on the beach, but that is another thread, and there is no reason to interject brutish behavior into this thread, as a common school yard bully would. For the public registry, the name is Caonabo, not Coanabo. Some time spent exploring Dominican history may be advantageous for you. May you have an enjoyable day.
It is very well documented that smokers tend to be of the testy and irritable sort, this is acknowledged, but it is also not an excuse for outright nasty behaviour, such as name calling within a public forum. I understand that you may strongly disagree with my stated position within another thread in reference to smoking on the beach, but that is another thread, and there is no reason to interject brutish behavior into this thread, as a common school yard bully would. For the public registry, the name is Caonabo, not Coanabo. Some time spent exploring Dominican history may be advantageous for you. May you have an enjoyable day.
Adding to Caonabo's apology -
I may add that letting the male do the talking here in RD sometimes is a better course of action.
Customs/society is different everywhere....
Women have a strong place in the DR... in some areas , not all and with some people , people not all.
No offense intended here, just commenting on how I carry myself in the country.
There are times to send a 'She' and times to send a 'He'
I may add that letting the male do the talking here in RD sometimes is a better course of action.
Customs/society is different everywhere....
Women have a strong place in the DR... in some areas , not all and with some people , people not all.
No offense intended here, just commenting on how I carry myself in the country.
There are times to send a 'She' and times to send a 'He'
Why naive? I’ve never lied on my immigration form, if I’m coming for 4 months that’s what I put down. Now that something seems to have changed recently, I may rethink that, but if I’d been on her flight I’d have put an honest date down too.
Welcome to DR1. this is what we talk about all day long. People like the wild west atmosphere, until they don't
Stick around and tell us more about your time here.
First, I am not naive & have not stayed at AIs in the past 8 years. It seems to me, based on everything I've read here, there is no real answer. I have asked everyone staying where we are For more than a month what is their interpretration of the tourist card & the fee we pay when we leave. All thought the same as we, stay more than 30 days, pay a fee when you leave. None of us thought we were breaking a law or anything of that sort. And they all said they would have said how long they stayed if asked when they arrived. If the DR does not want tourists here for more than 30 days, they should make that known plain & simple. If they want to allow more than 30 days, but charge more, that's fine. Have a method of taking care of that. I am from the US & you can't even get a Visa to be here longer. I have never seen anything saying you can't stay here as a tourist more than 30 days. And when they charge you a fee as you depart at the end of 90 days & never say anything about it being a fine & you're really not allowed to do that, how would you know any different!!
So true !
I found about it years in......lol. From an AMET pulling me over. And it was a sympathetic " I am just letting you know you shouldnt be driving on a french DL for 9 months "......
The dr has more laws than you can shake a stick at......... but they apply about 9 of them, and sporadically at best.
Again, again and again, if the effin DGM employees and the bloody consulates and embassies have no idea of the laws of their own country, how can anyone else ?
30 days has been the law for many years, predating your 8. Surely you knew this.
It's the arbitrary enforcement that is maddening, but it's still the law.
It wasn't that long ago a bunch of gringo tourists literally got rounded up in Sosua (or was it Cabarete? Puerto Plata) on a bus and squeezed through the ringer by LE. Yeah, DGM apologized, but it's not the first time the left hand doesn't know what the right is doing.
Crackdowns are inevitable as the data systems become more functional. Your experience should be yet another shot across the bow for those who have routinely been proud scofflaws of this particular law.
The "mistake" was your honesty. Consider alternate honesty next time.