Dominican Republic issues legal status to 230,000 Haitians

Santo Domingo.- Interiorand Police deputy minister Washington González on Tuesday said the government programto regularize foreigners has handed over more than 100,000 ID cards and stampedpassports which grant legal immigration status to the mostly Haitian foreignerswho applied.

He said of the 288,466foreigners who registered, over 230,000 obtained regular immigration status andstressed that more than 130,000 ID cards and stamps are ready and can be retrievedat the offices where the application was filled.

The official said 63.50%of the applicants receive legal immigration status for one year, while 36.50%who applied with a passport will receive a regular immigration status for two years,which is registered in the stamp adhered to their passport.

With 78.30% southwesternPedernales province posted the highest number of IDs and stamps retrieved bythe foreigners thus far, followed by Barahona at 74.20%; Puerto Plata 72.60%;Constanza 70.70%; Santiago 66.10%; La Vega 63.60%; National District 61.60%; Bani61% and Sanchez Ramirez 53.50%.

Gonzalez said of thetotal IDs delivered 34.28% are women and 65.72% men; 98.04% are adults and1.96% are minors, adding 97.88% of the immigrantswho regularized their status are of Haitian nationality.