Given the large number of Haitians that are voluntarily returning to Haiti, Migration Director, Ruben Dario Paulino Sem, told the press the government would likely extend the time period for services being offered to facilitate the emigration of foreigners from the country. The program is scheduled to end today (Monday, 6 July). Paulino said an assessment of the results of the program would be made immediately and it is possible that an extension would be recommended.
As of last week, 31,275 Haitian persons had voluntarily returned to Haiti. Of those, more than 1,000 did so to take advantage of the free transport for themselves and their belongings offered by the Dominican government. A principal advantage of the voluntary return is that the penalties for overstaying will not be applied and the persons leaving the country on the own accord can apply for their legal return to the country. In reality, most Haitians enter the country through unauthorized crossing points, sometimes paying a bribe to officials on both sides of the border.
Paulino announced that the first residence cards for foreigners registered in the National Foreigner Legalization Plan would be issued on Monday, 6 July at the Ministry of Interior and Police.
The government had committed to deliver all the residence cards within a 45 day period after the expiration of the plan on 17 June 2015. The government is delivering residence cards to Haitians that had come to work on sugar cane fields contracted by the Dominican government.
Meanwhile, President Michel Martelly of Haiti called intolerable, what he described as frequent violent deportations of Haitians from the Dominican Republic, when speaking to the Caricom forum held last week. “If some have decided to voluntarily return to Haiti, others, more numerous than the first, were arrested and taken by force to the border,” he said speaking on Friday, 3 July 2015.
The Dominican government gave persons with irregular migratory status a grace period under the 18-month long National Foreigner Legalization Plan to regularize their status, taking advantage of the government’s decision to waive fees and fines that normally would apply those individuals who had entered the country illegally or overstayed their permission to be in the Dominican Republic.
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2015/07/06/i1227191_gobierno-podra-extender-programa-retorno-voluntario.html
http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/2015/07/04/i191885_gobierno-dominicano-desmiente-primer-ministro-haitiano-sobre-deportaciones.html#.VZlNEkvxj7I