What is Needed in order for a Cuban to Get Tourist visa for DR?

[JC171]

Does anyone know what is needed in order for a Cuban to visit The Dominican Republic as a Tourist for 7 days?(The Cuban is not planning to stay)
I know they need an invitation letter and bring that to the Embassy..but what does the Dominican Government ask of them?
Is this visa difficult to obtain?

[hansbert]

Originally Posted by JC171

Does anyone know what is needed in order for a Cuban to visit The Dominican Republic as a Tourist for 7 days?(The Cuban is not planning to stay)
I know they need an invitation letter and bring that to the Embassy..but what does the Dominican Government ask of them?
Is this visa difficult to obtain?

Indeed a DR tourist visa for a Cuban citizen is extremely difficult to obtain. If you do not know anybody in the Departamento consular of the Ministry of foreign affairs forget it. It goes all through relations and bribery. I myself went sucessfully through this process (but under the former PLD government) and could write a novel about my experiences.
First the Cuban citizen needs to obtain an exit visa isseud by the Cuban ministry of internal affairs. Main condition: A letter of invitation signed by a person living permanently in the DR (Dominican citizen or permanent resident)
Some more documents have to be produced to the Dominican consulate in Havanna. Then the whole file will be sent to Sto Dgo and there the big problems start to have a competent person approve the visa. Dominican authorities are reluctant to issue such visas to Cubans because they are afraid the Cubans will stay and compete with less qualified Dominicans in the labour market.

[Escott]

I just got back to the DR from Havana and can see why a Cuban would want to come here and NOT return.\

I was told that the Cuban would have to Pay Castro for their education before they can even think of leaving the country.

Scott

[hansbert]

Originally Posted by Escott

I just got back to the DR from Havana and can see why a Cuban would want to come here and NOT return.\

I was told that the Cuban would have to Pay Castro for their education before they can even think of leaving the country.

Scott

It is only partly true what they told you Scott Doctors are forbidden to leave the country although it is only for a short staying abroad. If they are married to a foreigner they have to wait for three years after marriage to leave the country, in case of a specialist 5 years. All the other Cubans (including people with a university degree) if they do not have a dissident record may legally leave without paying for their education even for a holyday provided that they are invited to a foreign country. If they stay abroad with an exit visa for more than 11 months (what happens often) in case of getting married in a foreign country they may legally obtain a "permiso de residencia en el exterior" entitling them to return to Cuba at any time without needing a visa and even to reintegrate themselves into the socialist society. Those who do not get married abroad upon expiration of 11 months need a visa to return even for a holyday in their homeland.