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Cars 4 Rental Information on Dominican Republic

General

Area: 48,072 sq km (18,696 sq miles).

Population: 8,230,722 (2002).

Population Density: 175.9 per sq km.

Capital: Santo Domingo. Population: 1,822,028 (2002).

GEOGRAPHY: The Dominican Republic is in the Caribbean, sharing the island of Hispaniola with Haiti and constituting the eastern two-thirds of land. The landscape is forested and mountainous, with valleys, plains and plateaux. The soil is fertile with excellent beaches on the north, southeast and east coasts, rising up to the mountains.

Government: Republic. Gained independence in 1884. Head of State and Government: President Hipolito Meja Domnguez since 2000.

Language: Spanish is the official language. Some English and French are spoken.

Religion: Almost all Christian, with 89 per cent Roman Catholic; there are small Protestant and Jewish minorities.

Time: GMT - 4.

Electricity: 110 volts AC, 60Hz. American-style two-pin plugs are in use.

Communications:

Telephone

Full IDD available. Country code: 1 809. Outgoing international code: 011. CODETEL, Dominican Republic’s telecommunications company, has produced the Comunicard, which enables tourists visiting the country to phone anywhere abroad from any touchtone phone. For further information contact CODETEL, Av Tiradentes 1169, Santo Domingo (tel: 220 5168; fax: 549 4721; e-mail: ayuda@codetel.com.do; website: www.codetel.net.do).

Mobile telephone

GSM 1900 network exists; the main network provider is Orange (website: www.orange.com.do).

Fax

There are facilities at most locations and many hotels and telecommunications centres offer this service.

Internet

ISPs include Verizon (website: www.verizon.net.do), Caribbean Internet (website: www.caribe.net) and Tricom (website: www.tricom.net).

Telegram

These may be sent from RCA Global Communications Inc., Santo Domingo, or from ITT-America Cables and Radio Inc., Santo Domingo. Large hotels have facilities.

Post

Airmail takes about 10 days to reach western Europe. It is advisable to post all mail at the Central Post Office in Santo Domingo to ensure rapid handling.

Press

All daily papers are in Spanish and include Hoy, Listn Diario and El Nacional. The English-language Santo Domingo News is published weekly on Wednesday and may be obtained in hotels. Dominicana News, a monthly Tourism Promotion Council publication, has the main Dominicana tourism industry items.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

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Money

Currency: Dominican Republic Peso (peso) = 100 centavos. Notes are in denominations of peso2000, 1000, 500, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of peso1, and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 centavos.

Currency exchange: The peso is not available outside the Dominican Republic. Currencies of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, UK, USA and Venezuela may be converted into local currency. At departure, up to 30 per cent of the exchanged currency can be reconverted into US Dollars at any bank, provided original receipts are shown. All exchange must be done through official dealers such as banks and hotels approved by the Central Bank.

Credit & debit cards: American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are all accepted. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Travellers cheques: Travellers cheques are accepted by some banks. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars.

Currency restrictions: The import and export of local currency is prohibited; the import of foreign banknotes is allowed provided they are declared on arrival. Foreign currencies up to the amount imported and declared may also be exported. The import and export of travellers cheques is unlimited.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Dominican Peso against Sterling and the US Dollar:

Date Nov ’03 Feb ’04 May '04 Aug '04
£1.00= 62.09 90.28 80.91 72.77
$1.00= 37.15 49.60 45.30 39.50

Banking hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1800.

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Health

Special Precautions Certificate Required
Yellow Fever No No
Cholera No No
Typhoid and Polio 1 N/A
Malaria 2 N/A

1: Typhoid may be a risk in rural areas. Vaccination against typhoid and polio is recommended.

2: Malaria risk, exclusively in the malignant falciparum form, exists throughout the year in rural areas of the western provinces of Castauelas, Hondo Valle and Pepillo Salcedo. Chloroquine is the recommended prophylaxis.

Food & drink: All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated and sterilisation should be considered essential. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is pasteurised. Powdered or tinned milk is available. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.

Other risks: Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is endemic. Avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water; swimming pools which are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis has been reported. Hepatitis A and B may occur. Outbreaks of dengue fever occur in the area.
Rabies may be present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information consult the Health appendix.

Health care: Health insurance (to include emergency repatriation) is strongly recommended. Medical care is limited and variable in quality. An emergency service is available in Santo Domingo.

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Climate

Hot with tropical temperatures all year with coastal areas being warmer than central regions. There are two rainy seasons; the first is from May to August and is the heaviest whilst the second from November to December is the lightest. Hurricanes may sometimes occur during these periods.

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Passport

Passport Required Visa Required Return Ticket Required
British Yes 3 Yes
Australian Yes 3 Yes
Canadian 1 3 Yes
USA 1 3 Yes
OtherEU 2 3 Yes
Japanese Yes 4 Yes

PASSPORTS: Passports valid for 6 months after date of departure required by all except:
(a) 1. nationals of Canada and the USA holding appropriate ID such as a Birth Certificate or a Driver’s Licence accompanied by a photo ID document, provided travelling for business or touristic purposes;
(b) 2. nationals of Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and The Netherlands holding a National Identity Card at the discretion of immigration.

Note: These nationals will also require Tourist Cards, which may be purchased on arrival.

Tourist Cards: Issued to travellers visiting the Dominican Republic for touristic purposes for stays of up to 90 days. Tourist Cards can be applied for in advance at a cost of £8, or can be issued on arrival at a cost of US$10, though this can be a lengthy process. Extensions are possible by visiting the Immigration Department in Santo Domingo; failure to do so will result in a surcharge at the airport upon departure. Nationals of the following countries are eligible for a Tourist Card:
(a) 3. nationals of the countries mentioned in the chart above (except nationals of Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia and Malta who need a visa);
(b) nationals of Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curaao, Dominica, El Salvador, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of), Martinique, Mexico, Monaco, Norway, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Russian Federation, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Surinam, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, Ukraine, US Virgin Islands and Venezuela.

Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section. In the UK, the cost is £8.

Application requirements: (a) Photocopy of the photo page of the passport, containing personal details of the applicant. (b) Some foreign nationals with permanent legal residency in countries such as the UK need to get a verbal note from the Embassy of the Dominican Republic. In the UK, the passport containing the stamp of right to remain in the UK must be presented along with £50 in person. (c) Fee, payable by postal order or bank draft. Applicant’s name and address must be written on the back. (d) Stamped, self-addressed A5 envelope for postal applications.

VISAS: Required by all except:
(a) holders of a Tourist Card;
(b) 4. Residents, regardless of nationality, of Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Korea (Rep), Liechtenstein, Peru and Uruguay, may enter the Dominican Republic without a visa or Tourist Card.

Note: In addition to a valid visa, nationals of China (PR) require an authorisation from the Director of the Migration/Immigration Department.

Types of visa and cost: Tourist (single entry): £120. Business (single entry): £200. There is no charge for visas for nationals of Italy, Panama, Mexico, Norway, Spain and the USA.

Validity: Tourist visas and single-entry Business visas are valid for 60 days. Multiple-entry Business visas are valid for up to 1 year.

Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section. Multiple entry visas can only be applied for once in the Dominican Republic.

Application requirements: (a) Two complete copies of all pages of passport. (b) Completed application form. (c) Three passport-size photos. (d) Fee (payable by cash or postal order). (e) Flight itinerary and reservation. (f) Proof of sufficient funds. (g) Reference letter from employer or college (if a student). (h) Stamped, registered self-addressed envelope for postal applications.

Working days required: 7 days for Tourist Cards; up to 4 weeks or more for Tourist and Business visas which have to be referred to the authorities in the Dominican Republic unless requested by fax (the cost of which must be paid by the applicant).

Temporary residence: Consult the Consulate or Consular section at the Embassy; see Contact Addresses section.

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