Government mulls extending temporary immigrant visas one year

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican government mulls granting aone-year extension so the foreigners who applied for temporary visas can renewtheir permits, but have yet to submit all required documents .

If approved the measure will benefit 143,000 foreigners whowere granted a one-year permit, which expire this year.

This figure is more than 50% of those who applied for the permits,while another group which completed the requirements obtained two-year stay.

"We’re studying together with Immigration and thePresidency a project to see if we extend those same cards one year at no costto them (foreigners)," said Interior and Police minister Jose Ramon Fadulon Thursday.

The official noted however that the government will announcea final decision in the coming days.

"Now those people are regularized and had their biometricdata taken," Fadul said, adding that despite that the process concluded morethan a year, around 20,000 beneficiaries have yet to retrieve their permit at Interiorand Police offices.