Listin Diario reports on the high discretion the Ministry of Foreign Relations allowed the consuls working in Haiti from 2015 to 2020 in regards to visa revenue collections. The story does not reveal if the practice of allowing the consuls to keep most of the visa revenues has continued.
The investigative report reveals that in violation of Ministry of Foreign Relations Resolution 2-07, the consular officers installed in Haiti between 2015 and 2020 charged Haitians US$79.5 million (around RD$3.7 billion) for visas to travel to the Dominican Republic. Of the amount, only US$11.6 million, or around 20%, was deposited to the Ministry of Foreign Relations. The consulates are located in Port-au-Prince, Ouanaminthe, Anse-A-Pitre, Belladere and Cap Haitien. The government allowed the consuls to retain around US$68 million for the management of the operations.The actual use of the funds was decided by the consuls themselves.
Listin Diario says that the retention of the funds collected for the visas has bordered on a violation of Ministry of Foreign Relations Resolution 2-07, that dates back to 2007 but still is in effect. Resolution 2-07 regulates the use of the visa revenues. The newspaper explains that by law, the prices of the visas range from US$40 for tourism and simple business visas, to US$50 for residence and multiple business visas, and US$60 for business visas for work purposes.
Listin Diario points out: “However, there is a notable difference between what these missions should charge and what they actually collect, as each consulate sets its prices at its discretion, generally above US$100 per visa.” The newspaper reports the consulates would have charged from a low US$85 in Port-au-Prine to US$250 in smaller towns for the visa service.
As reported in Listin Diario, the Ministry of Foreign Relations regulations requires consulates remit US$20 per month per visa issued to the institution for each visa issued. The consuls are allowed to keep the remaining money to “cover administrative and operational expenses of the Consular Management System.”.
According to Foreign Ministry documents, the consuls complied with the US$20 payment. The newspaper questions the high sums the consuls are allowed to retain for the overpriced services they provide and the lack of accountability of the use of this money.
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Listin Diario
18 April 2022