Since 2020, the Dominican Republic requires every passenger on a commercial flight to complete an E-Ticket — an electronic arrival card — before checking in at the airport counter. This free digital form replaces three former paper documents and applies to all nationalities without exception, both on entry to and exit from Dominican territory. It is not a visa: the vast majority of Western travellers do not need a visa for a 30-day tourist stay, but the E-Ticket remains mandatory for everyone.
01 · The essentials
The Dominican Republic requires every commercial flight passenger to complete an electronic form (E-Ticket) before boarding, replacing the three paper forms previously distributed on board.
The obligation applies without exception to all nationalities, including Dominican nationals themselves.
A separate form must be completed for each journey: one for the outbound flight, another for the return flight.
The Dominican Republic E-Ticket is a mandatory electronic form established by Dominican laws 285-04, 115-17, 72-02 and 226-06. It consolidates into a single digital document three forms previously distributed on board aircraft, managed respectively by three separate authorities: the Dirección General de Migración (DGM) for the immigration section, the Dirección General de Aduanas for the customs declaration, and the Ministerio de Salud Pública for the health section.
Once the form is submitted and validated online, a unique QR code is generated. This QR code will be scanned at your airline's check-in counter, then at immigration control at the arrival airport. You can keep it on your phone or print it — both formats are accepted.
Important note: the E-Ticket is required for each journey, whether you are arriving or departing from the Dominican Republic. A separate form must be completed for the outbound flight and another for the return flight.
02 · Who is affected
The obligation to complete the E-Ticket applies to absolutely all passengers on commercial flights to or from the Dominican Republic, regardless of their nationality. Those affected include:
A single form can group up to 7 members of the same family (the main declarant plus 6 additional people). A single QR code is then generated for the entire family group.
Passengers boarding private flights are not subject to the E-Ticket. They use paper forms provided on board the aircraft.
Passengers on cruise ships or ferries are also exempt. Physical forms provided on board remain in force for these modes of transport.
The customs section (declaration of goods and currency) is mandatory only for passengers aged 18 and over. Minors are exempt.
A single application is sufficient for the whole family: the main declarant can include up to 6 additional members in the same form, with a shared QR code.
03 · The procedure
The E-Ticket form is structured in several sections corresponding to the requirements of the three Dominican authorities. Before you begin, gather the following information:
Once the form is submitted, the QR code is sent by email. Keep it accessible on your phone or print it.
Valid passport, confirmed flight number and accommodation address in the Dominican Republic. For travellers aged 18 and over, also prepare a list of goods and currency to declare.
Go to the official website of the Dirección General de Migración. The form is available in several languages including English. Make sure you are on the correct site (eticket.gov.do) to avoid fraudulent sites.
Fill in the identity, flight, accommodation, customs (if 18 and over) and health sections in turn. The form is intuitive and guided. Check each piece of information before submitting: corrections after submission may require a new application.
After validation, the form generates a unique QR code, sent to your email address. Save it on your phone or print it. If you are travelling as a family group, a single QR code is generated for the entire group.
At your airline's check-in counter, present your QR code. Without this document, you may be denied boarding. The same QR code will also be scanned at immigration control on arrival.
Do not forget: the E-Ticket is mandatory for each journey. Before your return flight, you will need to complete a new form for departure from Dominican territory.
04 · Cost and taxes
The E-Ticket form issued by the Dirección General de Migración (DGM) is completely free. No fee is charged to complete or submit the form on the official portal. If a website asks you for payment for the E-Ticket, it is very likely an unofficial or fraudulent service.
In addition to the E-Ticket, the Dominican Republic levies a tourist tax of 10 USD, called the Tarjeta de Turista, administered by the Dirección General de Impuestos Internos (DGII). Since 25 April 2018, this tax has been automatically included in the price of airline tickets issued abroad. If you are travelling by air with a ticket purchased outside the Dominican Republic, you have no additional steps to take and no amount to pay on arrival.
Exception: travellers arriving by land or sea must purchase the Tarjeta de Turista at DGII sales points located at border crossings and ports. This tax does not apply via the E-Ticket form (which concerns commercial flights only).
05 · Entry requirements
The general rule requires a passport valid for at least 6 months after the date of entry into Dominican territory. However, an exceptional temporary measure is in force from 1 December 2025 to 31 December 2026: for nationals of the following countries, it is sufficient for the passport to simply be currently valid (with no 6-month residual validity requirement):
Source: Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic.
The vast majority of Western nationalities do not need a visa for a tourist stay of up to 30 days. Those exempt from a visa include:
On the other hand, nationals of around sixty countries — including China, India, Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela and Nigeria — must obtain a consular visa before travelling. Check Visamundi's Check-Visa tool to verify your eligibility according to your nationality.
Since 28 April 2023, all foreign passengers must hold a return airline ticket to be admitted to Dominican territory. Dominican nationals and residents are exempt from this requirement.
The Dominican Republic replaces the three paper forms distributed on board aircraft with a single electronic form.
The 10 USD tourist tax is automatically integrated into the price of airline tickets issued abroad. No separate steps are required for air travellers.
All foreign passengers must now present a return ticket on arrival in the Dominican Republic.
For nationals of the EU, UK, Canada, the United States, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia and Ecuador: a passport that is simply currently valid is sufficient (no 6-month residual validity requirement).
06 · Before you leave
The customs section of the E-Ticket asks you to declare your goods on entry. Here are the allowances permitted by Dominican customs:
Beyond these allowances, goods are subject to Dominican customs duties. Always declare honestly what you are carrying: a false declaration may result in penalties on arrival.
| Category | Permitted allowance |
|---|---|
| Tobacco | 20 packs of cigarettes, 25 cigars or 200 g of tobacco |
| Alcohol | 3 litres in total (wine, beer, rum, whisky or other spirits) |
| Gifts | Up to 500 USD every 3 months |
| Medicines | Personal use only (prescription for controlled substances) |
Customs allowances applied on entry to the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican E-Ticket is simple, free and completed entirely online in a few minutes. Its main distinctive feature is that it is required twice per trip: once on the way out and once on the return. The majority of French, European, North American and Australian travellers do not need a visa to stay for up to 30 days in the Dominican Republic, but the E-Ticket remains essential for everyone. Start the process as soon as you book your flights to travel with complete peace of mind.
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