Consular Section

Ask the Consul is a collection of articles prepared by the Consular Section that cover a variety of subjects of interest for those who want to visit or live in the United States and for U. S. citizens in the Dominican Republic.

If you have a general consular question, please send it to us by e-mail. Then check this page every week; we select one question per week and post the answer in the below space. The same questions and answers are also published in the Zona de Contacto section of Listín Diario every Monday. Or you can listen to the radio (106.5 FM in Santo Domingo, 92.1 FM or 1010 AM in Santiago, 94.7 FM in La Romana, and 88.5 FM in Samana) to hear the questions and answers on the radio. The articles from previous years are accessible via the links on the left side of this page.

Important Note: Other than the questions we select to answer in Listín Diario, we DO NOT respond to questions sent to Ask the Consul. Please contact the American Citizens Services Unit, the Immigrant Visa Unit or the Nonimmigrant Visa Unit directly (using the links on the left) and follow the instructions on that unit’s web page in order to ask a question.

• January 1^st MRV Fee Increase, December 31

• If I married my fiancé(e) (K-1), what happens to the case?,  December 23

• It’s Your Visa, Not Your Relative’s, December 17

• American Citizen Services, December 10

• Do Affidavits of Support (AOS) (Forms I-864) Expire?, November 26

• How to Complete the Nonimmigrant Visa Application (Form DS-156) Correctly, November 19

• American Citizens, Please Let Us Know You Are Living in the DR, November 12

• Returning Residents, November 5

• NIV Process Frequently Asked Questions, October 29

• Q-Matic Number System, October 22

• Domestic Employees of Foreign Nationals in Non-Immigrant Status, October 15

• Information on Absentee Voting, October 8

• Pre-Interview Document Collection for IV Applicants, October 1

• New Requirement for Reporting Your Lost or Stolen Visa, September 24

• End of the Temporary WHTI Accommodation, September 17

• When I Applied for a Nonimmigrant Visa, Why Did You Not Look at My Documents?, September 3

• Courier Service Expanding to Non-Immigrant visas, August 27

• Divorce in the Dominican Republic, August 20

• Courier Service Expanding to Non-Immigrant visas, August 13

• Information Regarding the U.S. Embassy’s New Passport Appointment System, August 6

• Information Regarding the U.S. Embassy’s New Passport Appointment System, July 30

• The Consequences of Sham Relationships, July 23

• The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, July 16

• Changes in Procedures for Dominican Police Certificates, July 9

• MEDICARE & Medical Treatment Overseas, July 2

• I Want to Travel during the Summer with my Grandkids.  Is this Possible?, June 25

• Dengue Fever, June 18

• How Can I Ensure I am Prepared For My Immigrant Visa Interview?, June 11

• Death of a Petitioner or Principal Applicant, June 4

• Criminal History and your Immigrant Visa, May 28

• Prepare Yourself for Hurricane Season, May 21

• My non-immigrant visa application was not approved.  How much time should I wait before applying again?, May 14

• I’m a stepchild being petitioned by my stepparent.  What do I need to bring to the interview?, May 7

• Is a person with a pending Immigrant Visa (IV) petition eligible for a Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV)?, April 30

• Why do we have Consular Administrative Days?, April 23

• Death of a Petitioner or Principal Applicant, April 16

• What should I do if my passport, visa, or I-94 form is lost or stolen?, April 9

• Tax Season Is Here Again:  Remember to File Your 2006 Taxes, April 2

• Affidavit of Support, March 26

• Courier Service for American Citizen Services, March 19

• Take Care When Completing Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) Application Forms, March 12

• Courier Service, March 5

• Remember to Check your Nonimmigrant Visa When you Receive It, February 26

• Actas In Extensa and Police Certificates, February 19

• How Can I Ensure I am Prepared For My Immigrant Visa Interview?, February 12

• Complete and Correct Documents Expedite the Passport Application Process, February 5

• American Citizens Services Unit Changes Hours of Operation due to WHTI Initiative, January 29

• Everybody Suffers from Visa Fraud, January 22

• What is the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative?, January 15

• Police Certificates for Non Immigrant Visa, January 8

• What is the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative?, January 2