Tourist card fine rates

[Justintime]

I arrived STI Feb 22 and departed through STI on Mar 2. Upon arrival they swiped my passport and collected my $10 blue tourist form. This, in theory, would give them the opportunity to enter all my info in their system. IF the data entry is done correctly...then...in theory, when they swipe the passport in their computer upon departure they can know exactly how long I've been in the country, and where I told them I was staying, etc.

Departing - When checking in at the American Airlines desk I was given (no charge) another blue form to fill out and give to Immigration. Same silly form as when I entered the country. Immigration collected it without a word. They swiped the bar code on my passport (as they did on arrival).

Observation - if the data entry is done off the entry form...there would be no need for the departure form at all..thereby saving paper and man hours.

I imagine after they change their system a few more times they'll get it streamlined, info up to date and cost efficient.

In my case I was only in country 8 days...so it wasn't any kind of test of over-staying.

[rellosk]

I doubt if the Tourist card information is saved in the computer system. There were a couple of posts by people that had overstayed under the new system and were not charged an additional fee.

[Tamborista]

The system does indeed need a little streamlining!

Nobody bothered to look at my entry stamp, the card should be checked by the person that collects the overstay fines. It does have a barcode and a date of issue printed to adorn the back!

I owe someone $RD300, not sure who.

[laurapasinifan]

please keep this to yourself.....we dont need another line clog!!!

the last time through is went very very smoothly....finally...Id hate for that to change......if you want to mess up another other airport besides STI, have at it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

my last time through was very similar to "just in time's"... and even the two working the small booth that takes the tourist card after you pass through customs showed me the sign that says you dont need to PAY for the blue card to fill out when you leave!!

nice knowing that before I check in to leave when it is the day of departure.

I am not sure what info they think they are getting off those departure forms

unless it is a precusor to added fees down the road


bob

[Justintime]

Originally Posted by Tamborista

The system does indeed need a little streamlining!

Nobody bothered to look at my entry stamp, the card should be checked by the person that collects the overstay fines. It does have a barcode and a date of issue printed to adorn the back!

I owe someone $RD300, not sure who.

They didn't bother checking my entry stamp either. But as at least one other in this thread said, they collected my little 'receipt' card before baggage upon entry. So the only document I had was my stamped passport. They weren't looking for the little card upon exit at STI anyway.

Don't know how they're gonna' check for overstays if the data ain't in the system and we aren't required to keep a dated card. EXCEPT the passport if they wanna' hunt for the date stamp.

[laurapasinifan]

Originally Posted by Justintime

They didn't bother checking my entry stamp either. But as at least one other in this thread said, they collected my little 'receipt' card before baggage upon entry. So the only document I had was my stamped passport. They weren't looking for the little card upon exit at STI anyway.

Don't know how they're gonna' check for overstays if the data ain't in the system and we aren't required to keep a dated card. EXCEPT the passport if they wanna' hunt for the date stamp.

I bet their computers tell them all they need to know when they run you rpassport through their machine!.... all your info comes up, for them to see...in the case of immigration in the DR they can at least see when they last ran your passport through the system...which would be when you last arrived!! right

they dont need the tourist card...

the very first little tourist card i got , I kept until i left....now they take it as soon as you come through...which tells me it is just a money generating gimmick.... their is NO info on that card linked to you, even the stamp from immigration that is the same stamp they use on your passport...has no information ABOUT YOU on it!!!!!

WHAT is on the TOURIST CARD...you have it for maybe 10-30 minutes tops....it serves no purpose other than generate income

the only info about you they have is when they run the passport and their computers log you in or out... and the little blue form you fill out.

but the way they handle those long blue forms... I doubt they really use them.
It is probably some congressmans dream idea that he pushed through the system as "IMPORTANT"... that immigration could really care less about... and now no one checks....

thats just an idea anyway.

bob