The director of the Passports Agency announced the opening of 12 new passport offices abroad as part of the actions under the Abinader administration to decentralize passport issuing and renewals to better serve the diaspora. There already were 19 consulates where passports could be obtained abroad. The passport issuing agencies are managed by the department of consular relations under Julia Martínez Sánchez.
Nestor Julio Cruz Pichardo, head of the Passports Agency, emphasized difficulties in renewing passports should not be obstacles for Dominicans abroad to visit another country. He said Dominicans can now easily renew their passports abroad at 31 consulates that are in the passport system.
The new consulates added recently are located in Los Angeles, Washington, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Orleans, Amsterdam, Canary Islands, Antwerp, Paris and Antigua and Barbuda. Soon to enter the system are the embassies and consulates of Mexico and Texas, USA are in the process of being connected.
The Passport Agency announced they will soon be opening new offices in Punta Cana, Santo Domingo West and Santiago to serve the increased demand for services in those areas.
Cruz Pichardo said that in 2021, 532,000 passport books were issued. He expects the total for 2022 to be around 700,000.
The issuing of passports generated RD$220.15 billion for the Dominican government, or 0.1% of total collections.
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El Dia
Diario Libre
Passport Agency
24 August 2022