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For anyone thinking about traveling to Santo Domingo for an H-1B visa stamp -- avoid it unless you're a Dominican citizen. While the consular officers at the US embassy are helpful, efficient and competent, the entire process up until the interview is controlled and managed by pre-programmed local staff who speak minimal English and are unequipped to deal with (1) anyone other than Dominicans and (2) any situation outside of the user manual requiring pro-activeness and creative thinking.
Fully processing the application fee payment, which you can only do by depositing cash at a local bank, can take up to a week, even though the embassy website indicates it should take no longer than one day. The local staff won't schedule an interview unless the fee has hit the embassy's account. Any additional administrative step you take (like requesting expedited processing) takes a 48 hour cycle to be initiated, another 48 hour cycle to be processed another one or two 48 hour cycles to be completed.
In short -- go anywhere but to Santo Domingo for a visa stamp.
Fully processing the application fee payment, which you can only do by depositing cash at a local bank, can take up to a week, even though the embassy website indicates it should take no longer than one day. The local staff won't schedule an interview unless the fee has hit the embassy's account. Any additional administrative step you take (like requesting expedited processing) takes a 48 hour cycle to be initiated, another 48 hour cycle to be processed another one or two 48 hour cycles to be completed.
In short -- go anywhere but to Santo Domingo for a visa stamp.
