CAN YOU BUY A SPECIAL LISCENSE AND USE IT AS YOUR PASSPORT?

[givengo440]

I WAS IN THE DMV IN THE BRONX AND THEY HAD A ADVERTISEMENT FOR A SPECIAL LISCENSE THAT YOU SWIPE INSTEAD OF STAMP AND IT SAID SAFER TO TRAVEL WITH THAN A PASSPORT OR SOMETHING TO THAT AFFECT DOES ANYONE ONE KNOW OF IT?

[Jimmydr]

I WAS IN THE DMV IN THE BRONX AND THEY HAD A ADVERTISEMENT FOR A SPECIAL LISCENSE THAT YOU SWIPE INSTEAD OF STAMP AND IT SAID SAFER TO TRAVEL WITH THAN A PASSPORT OR SOMETHING TO THAT AFFECT DOES ANYONE ONE KNOW OF IT?

Lets first stop with all caps.

thanks

[David Smash]

My advice for now stick with a laminated copy of your passport so you don't have to carry your real one around. It more acceptable in most countries and you don't have to worry too much if you lose it.

[Vincent Vega]

I think what you saw posted was the new "passport card". You can see the posters in most post offices too. The "passport card" is only good when you enter a country from land or sea. If you fly in, you need a passport. The "passport card" is about the size of a drivers license and can fit into your wallet.

I have been hearing rumors that they will soon be a sea gong ferry from Miami to the north coast. That would be way cool.

[Jimmydr]

I have been hearing rumors that they will soon be a sea gong ferry from Miami to the north coast. That would be way cool.

How long will that take?

[Vincent Vega]

A thread on DR1 said 48 hours. They even give the name of the ship, but, no quote on price. Vehicle restrictions will be the same, nothing more than 5 years in age. Honestly, this sounds too good to be true

[Hoseman]

I think what you saw posted was the new "passport card". You can see the posters in most post offices too. The "passport card" is only good when you enter a country from land or sea. If you fly in, you need a passport. The "passport card" is about the size of a drivers license and can fit into your wallet.

I have been hearing rumors that they will soon be a sea gong ferry from Miami to the north coast. That would be way cool.
I think you are right We boarde Cananda here in Mich. and they are offering it her next year as a way to cross the boarder.the thing i s almost as high as a Passport.

[Jimmydr]

A thread on DR1 said 48 hours. They even give the name of the ship, but, no quote on price. Vehicle restrictions will be the same, nothing more than 5 years in age. Honestly, this sounds too good to be true


48 hours is a good deal? :icontd:

[Vincent Vega]

I guess it depends on what you want to do. For me, if the ticket price is reasonable, I have a 4X4 I would love to bring there for one of my extended stays. For someone with limited time and/or the sole desire to rip and run, then no, this would not be a viable option. Jimmy, I would only use this mode of travel to bring a vehicle with me

[Don Tomas]

I guess it depends on what you want to do. For me, if the ticket price is reasonable, I have a 4X4 I would love to bring there for one of my extended stays. For someone with limited time and/or the sole desire to rip and run, then no, this would not be a viable option. Jimmy, I would only use this mode of travel to bring a vehicle with me

1. Try to get your insurance to cover you.:lol:
2. I can see the chop shops starting up now!

There is a ferry now from San Jose iirc to Santo Domingo. You do see Puerto Rico plates from time to time in the capital but from Miami. Even if you get insurance and not get it stolen, do you really want US Customs to take it apart bolt by bolt every time you come back to Miami...

[Hoseman]

1. Try to get your insurance to cover you.:lol:
2. I can see the chop shops starting up now!

There is a ferry now from San Jose iirc to Santo Domingo. You do see Puerto Rico plates from time to time in the capital but from Miami. Even if you get insurance and not get it stolen, do you really want US Customs to take it apart bolt by bolt every time you come back to Miami...Good point DT

[Vincent Vega]

Answer to # 1 http://www.clements.com/expatriate/international_auto/liability_detail.asp

Answer to #2 http://international.lojack.com/en-us/Pages/international.aspx

Why would you think US Customs would more likely to tear a car apart when you arrive in Miami? There are more small packages of drugs smuggled in vehicles at any border crossing along the Mexican/US boarder than any other port of entry in the USA. And customs doesn't take apart every car that crosses there. Far from it. US Customs, although they do have the authority to do so, operate under a pre-planed method for the type of search you describe.

1 - If you are flagged in the computers as a possible smuggler/drug dealer, then yes, they might want to look more closely.

2 - If a dog gives a reaction to your vehicle, then yes, you will be searched.

3 - If during your re-entry interview, you seem to be lying and/or do not have answers to questions you should know, then yes, they might want to talk to you further.

What Customs does not want is to waist time searching someone who does not "smell of criminal" thus allowing a real threat to pass through due to lack of manpower.

Unless you think they will take apart every car on the ferry.

So, don't deal drugs, don't smuggle and have your shit half-way wired tight when they talk to you and I would be very surprised if they wasted their time completely taking your vehicle apart.

A tip: Avoid traveling with aspirin that is old. As aspirin ages, it gives off an altered chemical smell that tells a dog it is heroin. This fact has been a real problem for police who work in areas that involve travelers. Bus stations, train stations and yes, airports. It sometimes ends up being a citizen complaint that the police don't need.

[Don Tomas]

The insurance through a third party that works but $$$$.

As for Lojack, for example in my home state of Illinois, only covers about 1/5th of IL. You can contact the DR office but I would be willing to bet coverage doesn't extend outside of Santo Domingo, maybe Santiago. And if I were to steal US cars it would be too easy even in Santo Domingo. Just hire a fine chica, have her come up to you in a club and keep you occupied while I drive the car out of the city. And even if you had the active one, just have the chica meet you outside of the club and then distract you on the way there. Then just get it out of cell range which is easy in the DR, at least you will know which way it headed before the signal was lost.

As for customs, remember a good portion of us are flagged already, sex travelers are not the favorites of customs either. Also should I even mention the bribe(s) needed to get it back on the ferry or DR customs might just search it "completely" for drugs/people/etc.

If you were moving down there or going for 6+ months then I would say Hell Yeah! But for even a 1-3 month vacation, the hassle/problems/etc would be too great IMHO.

[moshy2k]

What DT is saying is that you would be increasing the likelyhood that you could be stopped at seached.

I have gotten stopped more by customes in 2008 than many prior years. And I have never touched a drug in my life. All the DR stamps in my passport (and many others) sends of a signal to agents. Most people do not travel multiple times a year (as many of us do).

So it may not be you bringing your car back that causes concern, but the 15 stamps in your passport over the last 2-3 years and the car may cause you the extra grief. And since drug smuggling is a major problem us guys with many stamps in our passports will automatically attract more attention.

[Hoseman]

What DT is saying is that you would be increasing the likelyhood that you could be stopped at seached.

I have gotten stopped more by customes in 2008 than many prior years. And I have never touched a drug in my life. All the DR stamps in my passport (and many others) sends of a signal to agents. Most people do not travel multiple times a year (as many of us do).

So it may not be you bringing your car back that causes concern, but the 15 stamps in your passport over the last 2-3 years and the car may cause you the extra grief. And since drug smuggling is a major problem us guys with many stamps in our passports will automatically attract more attention.I Hear you Moshy they are starting to look at me real hard asking me questions like why I have so much luggage 2 bags and a carry onor do I have a wife there I guess 9 times in 1 year is too much.Land of the Free.

[Vincent Vega]

The subject matter was about the dismantling of a vehicle, period. My examples were strictly directed to this subject matter, not to the subject of re-entry at the airport. Please, go back and read exactly what was said. I agree with you 100% that many stamps in a passport will cause more scrutiny. However, that alone would not cause a customs agent to start taking a car a part. And what you have said, Moshy, has supported my point a little. You were questioned by customs and obviously had the right answers for them. "Shit wired tight".



When I mentioned drugs and smuggling, I did it strictly to make a point. I was in no way suggesting that DT or anyone is involve in drugs. If I came across that way, then I apologize.

[moshy2k]

Easy wmark,

I think you are in need of a Passions massage my friend. You seem a little on edge (
the cold weather is killing me also).

Your post didn't come across saying anyone was into anything illegal. I did not interprete your post as literal as you wrote. Which is why I talked about how many of us are looked at more closely due to all the passport stamps.

All I was saying is that our hobby makes it more than likely that we will be investigated when traveling. Adding an additional item like a car to my traveling cold add a whole new dynamic to the security search.

I have had my bag searched and and had them do a mild search of me during a recent exit from the Dominican Republic.

My post is not argueing against your specific point, but was more an expansion on the issue of problems we face when traveling.

[Vincent Vega]

Agreed! I will be back Christmas night. The first thing I will do is get drunk and get a happy ending. Good Advice Moshy!