Taxes

Just curious, where are you coming from? What nationality are you?

I'm American, and never had any visa forms to fill out. Besides the little tourist card they give you on the plane - some folks call that a visa - so I was wondering where you were coming from that required a visa to visit the DR. I didn't think Brits were required to get a visa here either, for 90 days or less anyway. But I am sure someone from Great Britain will chime in and answer that.

Tom (aka XR)

Agree that it reads like what you got was a tourist card. It should be self-explanatory, or if not just wait till you arrive for help to fill it out. Unless you were coming for business, as a student or for an extended stay, you would not be issued a visa.

Tourist Card and Customs Card are Different

XanaduRanch said:

I'm American, and never had any visa forms to fill out. Besides the little tourist card they give you on the plane - some folks call that a visa - so I was wondering where you were coming from that required a visa to visit the DR.

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Other than a few charters they don't give you the tourist card on the plane. They give out an embarkation card for people on DR passports/residents of the DR and the customs card for all passengers. You get the tourist card which is of course not free ($10 US ) at the airport or occasionally in advance.

Better in advance since the lineups are sometimes bothersome, both to get the card then the line that forms while you are filling it out. I always but 2 at a time so I am able to cover a couple of trips and then if there is not line I grab another blank one to replenish.

Yes you fill out the top and bottom all at once ( try to play spot the differences) and they keep the big top one, you keep the bottom and don't lose it as you have to have it to leave the DR.

That's right Rick. I get confused sometimes. The first couple of times down here were booked on cahrter flights so the card came on the plane. Last few times I got the card, filled it out, and paid for it right at the terminal in Miami. I also remember just about every flight to Asia, be it Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, etc. They woke you up and handed you the tourist/visa card an hour or so before landing and those weren't charter flights either. I guess every airline handles it differently since it's their repsonsibility that you have proper documentation to enter the country, or they are on the hook for paying to fly you back.

Still, entry here from most 1st world countries is a snap. Not like the reverse, and that's why I was a bit puzzled as to ryfool's intended embarcation point.

Tom (aka XR)

Usualy difference is the cost

XanaduRanch said:

That's right Rick. I get confused sometimes. The first couple of times down here were booked on cahrter flights so the card came on the plane. Last few times I got the card, filled it out, and paid for it right at the terminal in Miami. I also remember just about every flight to Asia, be it Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, etc. They woke you up and handed you the tourist/visa card an hour or so before landing and those weren't charter flights either.

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When they are free, they hand them out ( like Chile if you have paid your "we're pissed off you charge Chileans to appply for visa" fee already) on the flight since they are just a piece of paper.

I asked at the Admirals Club in MIA last trip and they told me AA is not selling the DR ones at all in the terminal any more. They used to at the club and at the Caribbean checkin counter in the terminal. Must be a pain in the ass for them but it was helpful for me.