As checked on September 5, 2026, eligible tourists can also use a temporary passport-validity exception running through December 31, 2026. Your passport must still cover your stay and departure. The e-Ticket records your journey and declarations; it does not grant a visa or guarantee admission.
Do you need a visa for the Dominican Republic?
Start with the nationality and type of passport you will use, then consider any qualifying foreign visa or permanent residence. Flying from London or Miami does not, by itself, change your visa requirements.
| Your situation | Tourist entry route | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary passport from a visa-exempt country, including the US, Canada, UK or an EU member state | No advance tourist visa for an eligible short visit | Passport validity, permitted stay and supporting documents |
| Another nationality, with qualifying permanent residence or a valid multiple-entry visa for the US, Canada, UK or Schengen area | A tourist-entry exemption may apply | The exact document category, validity and your passport requirements |
| Passport requiring a visa, with no applicable exemption | Apply through the responsible Dominican embassy or consulate before travelling | Application documents, processing time and the conditions of the issued visa |
These examples do not cover every nationality. Use the official MIREX entry-requirements checker for your country and passport type, including passports not shown in the table.
Entering with another country's visa or residence permit
The Dominican foreign ministry's published rule specifies permanent residence or a valid multiple-entry visa for the qualifying destinations. Do not assume a temporary residence permit, single-entry visa or electronic travel authorization meets that description.
If you intend to use this exemption, carry the qualifying document alongside your passport. Resolve an unusual document format or immigration status with the Dominican consulate responsible for your place of residence before booking around the exemption.
Applying for a tourist visa
The MIREX visa service directs applicants to their responsible embassy or consulate. Its tourist-visa requirements include a completed application, photograph, original passport with at least six months' validity, evidence of financial means and additional documents where applicable.
MIREX publishes an indicative response time of 10–20 working days. Confirm the current appointment process, fee and document requirements with your consulate, and leave time for additional requests. Follow the conditions on your issued visa and admission record rather than assuming that every tourist enters under the same permission.
Passport validity: the exception through December 2026
The general tourist-entry requirement is a passport with at least six months' validity. However, the Dominican immigration authority's temporary exception allows eligible visitors travelling exclusively for tourism to enter with a passport valid throughout their stay and departure.
The named groups include nationals of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, EU member states, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador. The extension runs from December 1, 2025, through December 31, 2026.
Consider an eligible tourist visiting in October 2026 whose passport expires fewer than six months later. The exception may cover that trip, provided the passport remains valid through departure.
The announcement also refers to other foreign nationals with documentation allowing entry to the named countries. Because that wording does not fully explain every qualifying document, confirm your specific case before relying on it.
Trips continuing into 2027 need a fresh check. Do not assume the exception will be renewed or that it removes the six-month passport requirement for a consular visa application. Temporary passports and emergency travel documents also need separate confirmation.
Complete the free Dominican Republic e-Ticket
Foreign and Dominican passengers travelling on commercial flights must complete the electronic entry and exit form. Use the official e-Ticket portal; the government form is free.
The Ministry of Tourism's current entry guidance says you can complete it you have your flight information, even months ahead. There is no need to wait until 72 hours before departure. Finish it before reaching the airline counter.
Prepare your passport, flight details and accommodation address, then:
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Enter your personal and passport information carefully.
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Add the correct flight and Dominican accommodation details.
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Complete the required immigration, customs and health declarations.
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Finish the request and save the confirmation QR code.
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Complete the departure form before reaching the airline counter for your flight out of the Dominican Republic. You can do this later in your trip or prepare both forms ahead your flight details are known.
Save the application code as well as the QR codes so you can retrieve the request and correct details if your flight changes. Printed copies and screenshots are useful backups when your phone has no connection.
Families, children and return flights
Family members travelling together can be included on form, with up to seven people in total: the person completing it and six additional relatives. Larger families need another form for the remaining travellers. Children must be included, although the customs section is completed by adults.
Entry and departure require separate confirmations. Keeping the arrival QR code alone does not complete your return-flight paperwork. Each new trip also requires a new request.
The customs questions are part of this form, but permission to enter and permission to import particular goods are different matters. Check the detailed Dominican Republic customs rules before packing alcohol, vapes, medicines or other restricted items.
Documents to have ready before you fly
Keep the documents supporting your visit accessible during check-in and arrival:
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Passport: meeting the rule that applies to your nationality, document type and travel dates.
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Visa or qualifying foreign document: if your entry route depends on.
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Return travel: a confirmed booking showing when you will leave the country.
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Accommodation details: the hotel name and address, or your host's complete address.
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Financial evidence: showing you can cover the planned visit.
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e-Ticket: your arrival confirmation before the airline counter for your flight to the Dominican Republic; your departure confirmation before the counter for your flight out of the country.
Dominican guidance requires a return ticket for foreign visitors arriving by air, with exemptions including Dominican nationals and foreign residents of the Dominican Republic. If you are continuing to another country rather than returning home, confirm that your booking satisfies the airline's document check before travelling.
Holiday-rental guests should ask their host for the province, municipality and sector as well as the street address. That makes the e-Ticket easier to complete accurately.
Does your route require a vaccination certificate?
Your route and recent travel can trigger a yellow-fever certificate requirement. The Dominican Ministry of Tourism's published health-entry rules identify these situations:
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Arrivals from Brazil: passengers arriving from Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo must present an international vaccination certificate showing yellow-fever vaccination at least 10 days before arrival, unless an exemption applies.
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Arrivals from Venezuela: vaccination proof is required under the published rule, which also covers arrival through another country and anyone who has been in Venezuela during the previous 14 days, subject to the applicable age rules.
Age, airport-transit, pregnancy and medical exemptions differ by route. If an infant is travelling, you are pregnant, vaccination is medically contraindicated or your itinerary involves airport transit, confirm the applicable exemptions and supporting documents with the Dominican consulate and a travel-health professional before departure. Your passport nationality alone does not determine this requirement.
Tourist cards, 30-day stays and extensions
The tourist card is separate from both a consular visa and the free e-Ticket. Under the Dominican tax authority's tourist-card rules, the standard charge is US$10 and is included in the airline ticket for arrivals by air. Exemptions exist, so it is not an extra cash payment every passenger must make at immigration.
Eligible visitors using the tourist-card route normally receive a 30-day stay. Purchasing a longer hotel booking or entering later departure dates on an e-Ticket does not extend that permission.
Staying beyond 30 days
The immigration authority offers a tourist stay-extension service for visits extending up to 120 days. Apply before your existing permission expires; approval and payment are separate steps.
The published requirements include your passport's identity page, the latest entry stamp, return-travel evidence, proof of financial means and a medical certificate. Follow the current application instructions and retain the decision confirming your authorized stay.
Extension charges depend on the requested period. Check the current amount through the official service rather than relying on an old fee table or assuming the dollar symbol means US dollars.
Do not plan an overstay around paying a charge at departure. Payment alone is not the same as obtaining an approved extension, and it does not guarantee future admission.
Cruises, land arrivals and connecting flights
Commercial-flight e-Ticket instructions should not be applied automatically to every border crossing. Dominican tourism guidance accepts physical customs and embarkation/disembarkation forms for passengers arriving on private flights, ferries, cruise ships and other specified non-commercial transport.
Confirm the process with your operator, especially if you fly into the country to join a cruise: the flight still has its own entry formalities.
Haiti requires particular attention. As checked in September 2026, Canada's travel advice reports the land and sea borders with Haiti closed to travellers. Do not build an overland itinerary around general tourist-card information without confirming current access with Dominican authorities.
During an airport connection, ask the airline whether you will remain in international transit or must pass immigration to collect baggage or check in again. If the connection requires entry, establish your Dominican entry eligibility before departure. Also check the transit rules of any other country on your route.
Your final departure checklist
Before leaving home, compare the passport number, travel dates and accommodation details across your bookings and e-Ticket. Keep the originals of any qualifying visa or residence documents with your passport, and download the confirmations you may need offline.
Save your host's contact details and decide how you will reach your accommodation. The guide to airport transfers and transport options covers that next step.
If you want mobile data for contacting your driver or opening maps after arrival, compare Dominican Republic eSIM options before departure. Keep your saved documents accessible without a connection too.
Once the entry paperwork is ready, review the local laws for visitors relevant to your planned activities. Finally, put your authorized departure date in your calendar and check that your departure e-Ticket matches the flight you will actually take.

