$20US "Departure Tax"

Reidy620

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Mar 30, 2008
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Hi all - I'm picking your expert brains again...
Having flown from Puerto Plata airport a number of times, what is the reason for the $20US departure tax which has to be paid air-side before they will let you board your plane - you have to have the back of your boarding pass stamped before they will let you through the gate.

Obviously everybody is fully aware of the entrance visa which can be bought at the airport upon arrival or in advance from the Dominican Republic's consulate/embassy in the departing country, something we have always done to save time.

( Dominican Republic Embassy United Kingdom )

Is it the airlines being greedy or is there an actual tourist tax to leave the country?

I appreciate that an "overstay" will attract a penalty, http://www.dr1.com/forums/north-coast/78070-airport-departure-fee.html, is it really cheaper to overstay by 3 months and pay 300 pesos or leave on time and pay 680 pesos?

If it is a recognised tourist tax, you wonder why is it not mentioned on the consulate's website?

When we were on holiday this July a very good friend from Cabarete said that they had stopped the charge but we were still charged anyway.

I have no objection to paying it I just wonder why it is not more widely publicised.

Any ideas?
 

Tamborista

hasta la tambora
Apr 4, 2005
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The "Dominican Republic Departure Tax" is included in your ticket purchase price on all US airlines. It is NOT included on certain charter airlines or flights originating outside the US. Everybody pays it, some before and others after. The airline is not charging these taxes, The Dominican Gov't is!

What is your opinion on the Dominican Republic Airport Authority Fee and Dominican Republic Airport Infrastructure fee?

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=eTicketContentBold vAlign=top align=left colSpan=5>Fare Breakdown </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>Airfare:</TD><TD align=right width=80>288.00</TD><TD align=left width=10>USD</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>U.S. Immigration User Fee: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>7.00 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>U.S. APHIS User Fee: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>5.00 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>U.S. Federal Transportation Tax: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>29.00 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>U.S. Security Service Fee: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>2.50 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>Dominican Republic Departure Tax: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>20.00 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>Dom. Republic Airport Authority Fee: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>25.00 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>Dom. Republic Airport Infrastructure Fee: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>25.00 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>U.S. Passenger Facility Charge: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>4.50 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR id=fareInfo_PerPersonTotalSection vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent vAlign=top align=left width=190>Per Person Total: </TD><TD vAlign=top align=right width=80>406.00


</TD><TD vAlign=top align=left width=10>USD


</TD></TR><TR><TD style="HEIGHT: 10px" colSpan=3></TD></TR><TR id=fareInfo_FareSection vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContentBold width=190>eTicket Total: </TD><TD align=right width=80>406.00


</TD><TD align=left width=10>USD</TD></TR><TR><TD style="HEIGHT: 10px" colSpan=3></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

sylindr

New member
Nov 29, 2007
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departure tax

many airports have departure tax, it is just embedded into most tickets.
 

Reidy620

Bronze
Mar 30, 2008
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www.casaellie.com
Hi, thx for the prompt reply - I see it's a charge on your E ticket but, (and I thought taxes were bad in the UK), I can only comment on the departure tax as I've only ever flown from the UK and have only encountered this one.

It would still be interesting to see whether it's a charge levied on the airlines and passed onto us as a means of off-setting their costs or an official DR tax.

If it is an official tax then would it not make more sense to be able to buy and entry & exit visa at the same time and advertise this?

Cheers
Reidy

The "Dominican Republic Departure Tax" is included in your ticket purchase price on all US airlines. It is NOT included on certain charter airlines or flights originating outside the US. Everybody pays it, some before and others after. The airline is not charging these taxes, The Dominican Gov't is!

What is your opinion on the Dominican Republic Airport Authority Fee and Dominican Republic Airport Infrastructure fee?

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=eTicketContentBold vAlign=top align=left colSpan=5>Fare Breakdown </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>Airfare:</TD><TD align=right width=80>288.00</TD><TD align=left width=10>USD</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>U.S. Immigration User Fee: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>7.00 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>U.S. APHIS User Fee: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>5.00 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>U.S. Federal Transportation Tax: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>29.00 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>U.S. Security Service Fee: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>2.50 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>Dominican Republic Departure Tax: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>20.00 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>Dom. Republic Airport Authority Fee: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>25.00 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>Dom. Republic Airport Infrastructure Fee: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>25.00 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent align=left width=190>U.S. Passenger Facility Charge: </TD><TD class=eTicketContent align=right width=80>4.50 </TD><TD style="WIDTH: 10px"></TD></TR><TR id=fareInfo_PerPersonTotalSection vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContent vAlign=top align=left width=190>Per Person Total: </TD><TD vAlign=top align=right width=80>406.00


</TD><TD vAlign=top align=left width=10>USD


</TD></TR><TR><TD style="HEIGHT: 10px" colSpan=3></TD></TR><TR id=fareInfo_FareSection vAlign=top><TD class=eTicketContentBold width=190>eTicket Total: </TD><TD align=right width=80>406.00


</TD><TD align=left width=10>USD</TD></TR><TR><TD style="HEIGHT: 10px" colSpan=3></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 

Lambada

Gold
Mar 4, 2004
9,478
410
0
80
www.ginniebedggood.com
It would still be interesting to see whether it's a charge levied on the airlines and passed onto us as a means of off-setting their costs or an official DR tax. Reidy

It's an official Government tax. If you consult the tax news on Dr. Guzman's website for August 2003 you will find:

Departure tax raised to US$20

'The departure tax to leave the Dominican Republic is now US$20 or its equivalent in pesos, up from US$10. The government doubled the departure tax to help pay for the present economic crisis. The measure is part of the new taxes and charges the government is levying to have access to a package of about US$1 billion in fresh funds from multilateral institutions, including the International Monetary Fund.'

The Dominican Republic Law Firm: Guzman Ariza, Attorneys at Law.