The Ministry of Interior and Police says that almost 200,000 foreigners have registered to legalize their status under the National Foreigner Legalization Plan. As reported in El Dia, the Ministry says that this is 94% of the total the Ministry expected would apply as part of the plan.
The Ministry reported that as of Thursday, 7 May 2015, some 198,614 foreigners had sought to legalize their migratory status. The plan originally estimated that 210,000 people would take this opportunity before it expires on 17 June 2015.
“The plan can be said to have been successful and it is the first census of foreigners that has been carried out in the country,” commented Washington Gonzalez, deputy minister of Interior and Police. He confirmed that an extension would not be granted once the plan expired, adding that after 17 June 2015 whoever has not applied would be subject to deportation.
Of the 198,614 who began the process, only 36% have completed the paperwork. Most of the applicants for legalizing their migratory status are Haitians. The main obstacle has been the lack of documents that should be provided by the government of Haiti. It is common for people in Haiti to not have legal identity. This brings considerable problems to the host country when they emigrate.
Last week the new Foreign Minister of Haiti announced that his country is working to be able to issue a new identity card to its citizens. An editorial in Diario Libre says that this could be a tactic on the part of the Haitian government to force an extension of the expiry date of the fast-tracked and free migratory status legalization program.
The Dominican government had offered Haiti the use of the equipment it used to issue the old cedula.
http://eldia.com.do/?s=Casi+200+mil+extranjeros+se+acogen+al+Plan+para+regularizarse
http://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/2015/05/08/i1138021_otro-gancho-para-frenar-plazo.html