Why no line at airport Immigration for Citizens at POP?

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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When I go to the USofA, there is a special line for citizens to go through immigration.

That last two times into POP airport, there was no special line for DR citizens. My wife and I, both Dominican citizens, had
to go through the same line as everyone else and waste the better part of an hour.

Why does the DR not have a line for citizens at the airport?
 
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windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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At Toronto there is a line for citizens and residents and a separate line for visitors. only difference is the visitor line is usually much shorter the the other.
Not at all unexpected, but why did thompstr get that wrong, eh?

POP used to have separate lines for DR citizens. Do other DR airports still have them?
 

Northern Coast Diver

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Feb 23, 2020
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When I go to the USofA, there is a special line for citizens to go through immigration.

That last two times into POP airport, there was no special line for DR citizens. My wife and I, both Dominican citizens, had
to go through the same line as everyone else and waste the better part of an hour.

Why does the DR not have a line for citizens at the airport?
It appears that not even the Dominican government cares about your citizenship.
 

BermudaRum

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Oct 9, 2007
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Not at all unexpected, but why did thompstr get that wrong, eh?

POP used to have separate lines for DR citizens. Do other DR airports still have them?
I use STI all the time and have never seen a separate line for DR citizens.
 

SKY

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Apr 11, 2004
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Punta Cana and SD both have Citizens lines. In PUJ you clear customs in minutes no matter the crowd. Just seems POP is out of the loop................
 

Riva_31

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Apr 1, 2013
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When I go to the USofA, there is a special line for citizens to go through immigration.

That last two times into POP airport, there was no special line for DR citizens. My wife and I, both Dominican citizens, had
to go through the same line as everyone else and waste the better part of an hour.

Why does the DR not have a line for citizens at the airport?
I arrived into PUJ one time and there was not line for Dominican Citizents and I asked where was the line and they push me all the way to the front with an free agent.
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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There used to be a line for Citizens & Residents......
I remember that as well. That is why I asked about why there is no such line now at POP.
Punta Cana and SD both have Citizens lines. In PUJ you clear customs in minutes no matter the crowd. Just seems POP is out of the loop................
Exactly.
Nobody has confirmed yet that STI has a special line for Dominican citizens.
I arrived into PUJ one time and there was not line for Dominican Citizents and I asked where was the line and they push me all the way to the front with an free agent.
I asked the person managing the line at POP and he said no can do, all people must go through the one line.
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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Maybe they're following in the US footsteps. Illegals are treated with priority over citizens
In theory everyone entering the DR via a flight is entering legally because their documents have been checked.
The issue is that POP seems to do things "different" than other DR airports.
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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I remember that as well. That is why I asked about why there is no such line now at POP.

Exactly.
Nobody has confirmed yet that STI has a special line for Dominican citizens.

I asked the person managing the line at POP and he said no can do, all people must go through the one line.
STI never had one. There is the Autogate option on arrival for anyone that is a member (which is basically every Dominican citizen, but most have no idea it exist or that they have to register once and the "membership" last for as long the passport hasn't expired; hence the line for immigration which in STI Dominican citizens are probably most of the people.) That skips the line to immigration altogether and usually breeze through as there is never a line, ever. To keep it that way, it's essential for most Dominican citizens to not know it exist for normal people.

With that said, it doesn't matter much if STI has one or not. STI is its own private company while POP is a government airport. The reference point for comparison for POP is Las Américas.
 
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windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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STI never had one. There is the Autogate option on arrival for anyone that is a member (which is basically every Dominican citizen, but most have no idea it exist or that they have to register once and the "membership" last for as long the passport hasn't expired; hence the line for immigration which in STI Dominican citizens are probably most of the people.) That skips the line to immigration altogether and usually breeze through as there is never a line, ever. To keep it that way, it's essential for most Dominican citizens to not know it exist for normal people.

With that said, it doesn't matter much if STI has one or not. STI is its own private company while POP is a government airport. The reference point for comparison for POP is Las Américas.
Does Autogate have utility at POP airport? I expect not.

With Autogate it would not matter if STI had a separate line since they have the Autogate option at this time.