Bank accounts cannot be opened by those who overstay in DR

This is an interesting update.  I will check with my banks tomorrow as well!

This is correct as when you open an account they copy your last passport date of entry.

You need to open it within the legal period of the 30 days...
is how it seems to read.

If you are 'out of bounds' time wise.... they will turn you away

This has been the case for at least several months. It is standard practice for the bank representative to first look for the last entry stamp on the passport to confirm that you have not overstayed prior to opening the account.

Interesting this letter doesn't confirm the other comments.  180 days is well outside the 30 day tourist visa.... yup still lots of confusion.

I learned long ago to not expect consistency in anything here.

This subject is just as 'confirmed' as all those thousands about visas.   Here's what you really do;  apply at a bank, if they refuse, go to another bank, repeat process till one of them for sure will give you an account.  That's what I did, and it turned out for that the it was Banco Progresso that did.

How long ago did that happen colonel?   If not in the last 6 to 12 months, things have changed. While there are minor differences all banks are following stricter requirements.  It always helps if you know someone in the banking system!

I got mine over a year ago, so don't know if they're really getting tougher. We always hear that they are, on so many things, like immigration too, and mostly these rumors are  never true.   In addition to the method I proposed, of course you're right in that if you know somebody with 'pull' at a bank, that can work to.    Or simply paying a bank guy off, almost anybody will take a bribe, if it's enough.

This is important stuff for many people -

The irony here is -
the longer you stay, the more you might need a bank account.
If you have been here too long... illegally.... you are SOL

Yes colonel things have changed across the board.  It's harder to get accounts opened now then a year ago. And it's across the board. And yes you can get around some of the rules if you know someone!

If all the banks are using the 180 day rule...
that's not too bad.....

180 days is a looooong time

Everything is a big 'if', arbitrary, changeable, goes by the offical at the moment, etc.   I'd be willign to bet that if some newcomer goes out and tries my experiment, he will get a bank account.  Whether you even need one is a different matter, many people don't, but just use their ATM for a foreign account. and for some foreign banks it's free like Schwab and some others for Americans, and Scotiabank for canadians.   Maybe some euroland ones too.

planner wrote:

Interesting this letter doesn't confirm the other comments.  180 days is well outside the 30 day tourist visa.... yup still lots of confusion.

Some of those rules also apply for Dominicans, before as Dominican you just go with your Cedula and the money and all banks opened your account, now with the new rules they ask you to write a letter telling them from where will come the money to deposit into your account, and If you work they will ask you for a Job certification letter.

About the letter and the 180 days I can guess now that the deal with coming without visa to Dominican Republic you can stay up to 180 days depending the country passport you have, citizents from Argentina, Perú and Chile has special agreement with Dominican goverment and they do not need to pay for turist card to visit Dominican Republic, but as every country in the world inmigration has the last word and can tell how many days you can stay and for those coming with turist card get only automatic 30 days stay.