expiration date of russian passport (3 or 6 months)

ryan · #1 05-22-2008, 11:19 AM

My mother-in-law with russian passport is traveling to DR in 2 weeks. Her passport expires Oct. 13.

So that's about 4 months after arrival (she only plans on staying 10 days).

Is this ok? I suspect it is, I just want to make sure.

some generic answers about this issue on internet say passport needs to have 6 months left to enter. But this is generic "stock answer" not specifcally geared toward DR.

DR official sites (from their US embassy/government) have no information on this. Likewise, when I call the DR embassy/consulate in NY and DC , no body ever answers so I can ask my question.

SKY · #2 05-22-2008, 11:24 AM

There is a zero chance of any problem unless YOU bring the topic up. Enjoy your stay.

Dolores · #3 05-22-2008, 11:36 AM

I would first contact the airline carrier. Note that the airline will have the last word in boarding your mother in law. So if in their system it says the passport needs to be 6 months+, then you will need to renew the passport asap.

You can also try to get an answer from the Dominican Republic Tourism Office that is located in St. Petersburg. Since they deal mostly with tourists traveling to the DR, and your case should be a common one, they probably can speak from past experiences they have known of. The person in charge of the Dominican Tourism Office is Galina Lyssenko and their email is optdom-ru@mail.ru

rubio_higuey · #4 05-22-2008, 01:38 PM

I have experience that the passport should be valid at entry, but not so required on exit. What happened to me: my passport expired while here. I tried to exit on new passport, but had problems (no entry stamp) so I produced the old passport (expired) that one was entered into the system and stamped. I asked about it and they (migracion) told me passport validity didn't matter on exit (of foreigners).

Bronxboy · #5 05-22-2008, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan

some generic answers about this issue on internet say passport needs to have 6 months left to enter. But this is generic "stock answer" not specifcally geared toward DR.

.

When i visted Costa Rica this year, my passport was 6 months and two weeks before expiration. They (CR) did question this. I was not aware. The customs people (CR) said if the passport did not have the extra 2 weeks I would not be allowed in.

Also, they said the country in which i left from would have question it and not let be aboard.

Hope this helps!!!

Dolores · #6 05-22-2008, 03:21 PM

According to the Dominican Embassy in London, to enter the Dominican Republic, a passport must be valid for twice the amount of time the person shall remain in the country (this would be indicated by the airline ticket).

Dominican Republic Embassy United Kingdom

But again, as previously mentioned, to avoid surprises, my recommendation is to contact the airline carrier and the Dominican tourism office in St. Petersburg.

ryan · #7 05-22-2008, 05:44 PM

thanks for the tips so far. Very helpful.

(dolores, nice link) ... i wonder if its good for carriers of all passports or just UK passports.

Its amazing how a simply thing is so hard to find definitive answer.

Further, from a purely theoretical standpoint, its really silly not let someone in if they had 5 months left on what is a VALID passport (and return ticket). What part of "valid" doesn't Costa Rica understand. If this is the case, expiration dates on passports mean nothing; in other words expiration is really 6 months before expiration.. Its all silly really.

thanks again for advice... i am thinking we just may go for it and not get an extension for mother in law. Its not easy for her to do this now and i just can't imagine a DR customs telling her that she can't enter. I mean her passport is still "valid" passport (for 4 more months that is).

rubio_higuey · #8 05-22-2008, 06:07 PM

Why don't you contact Migracion in SD at 809-508-2555

rubio_higuey · #9 05-22-2008, 06:12 PM

Art. 78 of Immigration Law
http://www.migracion.gov.do/Ley285.pdf

It states that people should posess a valid passport, or other documents accepted by Migracion to establish the identity of the person.

Besides that, there are no physical "time periods" established in the law cited. I did a search within the PDF document and also a brief revision and could not find anything with keywords "valido, meses", etc. that would correspond to the topic at hand.

PICHARDO · #10 05-22-2008, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan

My mother-in-law with russian passport is traveling to DR in 2 weeks. Her passport expires Oct. 13.

So that's about 4 months after arrival (she only plans on staying 10 days).

Is this ok? I suspect it is, I just want to make sure.

some generic answers about this issue on internet say passport needs to have 6 months left to enter. But this is generic "stock answer" not specifcally geared toward DR.

DR official sites (from their US embassy/government) have no information on this. Likewise, when I call the DR embassy/consulate in NY and DC , no body ever answers so I can ask my question.

A foreigner is allowed to use his/her passport to exit the DR, even when the document expired for no more than 90 days to the date of departure. In other words, the passport will be good for 90 or so to exit the DR.

Now this being the DR, even on the event that the 90 was gone and doubled, there won't be problem using it as ID to exit the country...

The question is not the DR but Russian entry ID requirements...

Given that she'll stay only 10 days, I see no problems!!!