Questions about my Dominican friend's visa application

[Arlette]

Hello, glad I found this forum, it may give me some pointers. I've invited a Dominican friend Carol to come for a couple weeks this summer. I've read the Canadian gov't visa site, I have the notarized letter of invitation and other document requirements since we are sponsoring her visit. She has her passport and is working on the forms. The problem is logisitics. How do you safely get all the stuff to Santo Domingo? Do most people physically GO there?

From what I understand, the mail system is very unreliable in the Dominican Republic. She could go there, but she lives in Puerto Plata which is 4 or 5 hours drive, then she'd probably have to stay overnight in a hotel since they only give you two hours in the morning four days a week. Is it better to be there in person?

Are there courier services?

How does the Visa office get the visas to the applicant? Do they mail them? Courier them? Expect you to pick them up? Anyone have experience of this?
Do they usually ask you for an interview during the process?

If there was a better mail system, the process wouldn't be very difficult.

ALSO, I was going to scan and email all the forms for Carol to print out. I'm a bit concerned that they won't feel these are authentic documents, even though I did call the Canadian visa office in Santo Domingo and they said they would be acceptable. I was thinking of having them couriered to my friend. Has anyone got advice here?

Thanks very much for any helpful hints you might have.
God Bless!

 

[Arlette]

PS, any idea how long the process usually takes on average? It doesn't have a time line listed on the gov't site for DR. Thanks!

 

[SFD]

PS, any idea how long the process usually takes on average? It doesn't have a time line listed on the gov't site for DR. Thanks!

Arlette

It takes about two weeks to get a visa. One needs to pick it up. Make sure she is familiar with the schedule as they only take applications during mornings hours from Monday thru Thursday...8:30 - 11:00 A.M.

SFD

 

[sangria]

Arlette,

Use a courier (DHL or UPS). Put a Puerto Plata adress and include a phone number. The courier will call your friend when they are delivering the package. You can also have it delivered to the bus station for pick up. Your friend can go to Caribe Express and ask them about this. I couriered many things to my husband and he always picked it up from the bus station.

Your friend needs to take all the documents in person to apply. There are some inexpensive hotels close by ($50 per night).

They will advise her to come back at 3pm same day to pick up her passport. Decision made same day. Visa will be in the passport if she was successful.

 

[Arlette]

Hello Sangria, Thanks for that info.
So, you're saying that I should send my invitation documents to Carol in DR...to her address, or the bus station which is of course a more known address.

So, if Carol goes to Santo Domingo, they will decide that day if she will get her visa? That would be great because I was worried she'd have to travel back and forth more than once.

Could you possibly suggest those nearby hotels if possible? THANK YOU!

 

[Arlette]

Arlette

It takes about two weeks to get a visa. One needs to pick it up. Make sure she is familiar with the schedule as they only take applications during mornings hours from Monday thru Thursday...8:30 - 11:00 A.M.

SFD

Hi SFD, thanks for your advice...I just wished it matched up with Sangria's...lol.

 

[tink23]

When my boyfriend applied for a visitors visa, we went to Santo Domingo. We left in the morning from Puerto Plata, were in Santo Domingo by 9:30am and submitted the papers. There will be no need for a hotel, if your friend does decide to go in person. The bus ride is about 3 1/2 hours, depending on traffic. When we applied (Oct 2010) he was told to come back the following business day and picked up his passport with visa inside, however, lately it seems that people going for visitors visas from Santo Domingo are being asked to return the same day at 3pm. It's a very fast process.
If your friend does decide to go in person, make sure she knows they will only accept her application between 8:30 and 11am Monday-Thursday. If she takes the Metro bus from the Puerto Plata station (6am if my memory serves me correctly) she should be in Santo Domingo around 9:30am... she can then pay the fee at the Scotia Bank in the acropolis centre, and proceed up to the embassy. However, I guess it is a possibility that traffic could pose a problem, but it didn't for us.

 

[Arlette]

Thanks so much tink...good to have another confirmation of that info!!
It's funny, no matter how much info they pile on the website, it never actually really explains how to go about things...lol

 

[sangria]

Very true and things change all the time as well.

Luckily same day visas are changes in the right direction for this VO!!

Good luck to you and your friend!

 

[Arlette]

Thanks very much Sangria!
Today, I sent all the host documents via DHL to my friend in Puerto Plata. She is working on her application. She is a student, but she left her course early and will restart in the fall, also she had a job at a hotel which decided to close for the summer...so now, no job, and no school at the moment. Should she get any documentation for her university saying she will be back, or anything from her work saying she didn't quit?? She is only 22 and mainly a student, so I don't know how important the job is to the visa office.

Thanks again.

 

[tink23]

If she is registered for school that will begin in the next few months, definitely send the proof of registration. Her biggest problem will probably be showing ties to DR, that she will return at the end of her visit... so registration for uni is a good start.

 

[Arlette]

Thanks again Tink! Yes, she is enrolled in school.

Another Question: Carol is going to take the Caribe bus to Santo Domingo. Never having been to this large city and not knowing her way around, I thought it would be best for her to take at cab to the visa office. Does anyone know approximately what to expect the cab fare to be? The Visa office is on Sir Winston Churchill of course, and Caribe tours station is in the San Juan Bosco area at La Curacao and Av 27 de Febrero...if that makes sense.

So far, things are going well. I shipped the required documents, all notarized, via DHL. They will deliver them when Carol gives them the shipping number. Now she just has to finish filling out the forms. Since she has no printer, she has to go to an internet center to finish up.

Ok, thanks so much again.

 

[SFD]

Hello A..

If she takes the METRO BUS, she will only need to walk 2 blocks...
Nowadays, a taxi is about RD$200.00 the distance you mentioned.

SFD

 

[Arlette]

Thanks SFD. Would you be able to tell me approximately what streets the Metro Bus is on? Is that just a stop or a station? I can look on Google maps if I have some idea. God Bless, Arlette

 

[SFD]

Arlette


Metro is on Winston Churchill close to 27 de Febrero
Santo Domingo
(809) 544-4580
http://www.groupmetro.com
http://www.metroserviciosturisticos.com/

As I wrote few days ago, she can walk the distance. It´s about 500-700 mts.... On the same Avenue.. It depends on how she gets to manage herself...

Don´t follow my instict... If she is not secure enough, have her to take a taxi.

SFD