E-Tickets (again)

[MariaRubia]

Just a quick cautionary message to remind everyone that you must have an e-ticket before you travel to DR, airlines are now getting very strict about checking these. I was talking to a French lady who was denied boarding, along with 10 others, as they didn't have e-tickets, she missed her flight and had to spend thousands on new flights. She said they all tried to complete online but were struggling and the check-in closed. I know that a number of European airlines are very strictly enforcing the need to see e-tickets, I've also heard of people who were not allowed to check-in online for British Airways and Iberia because their e-tickets had to be checked. Arajet is also very strict evidently and have turned people away from check-in who don't have an e-ticket.

Important points:

- You can now get an e-ticket at any time before arrival, it used to be 3 days but now you can get it any time.

- There are a lot of scam sites which are charging US$ 100 or so to get the e-ticket. The e-ticket is complete free of charge. The official government site to apply is here: https://eticket.migracion.gob.do/

- If coming to stay in Santo Domingo downtown / Colonial Zone, DON'T SELECT SANTO DOMINGO in the list of provinces where you are staying. Instead, choose Distrito Nacional. If you're staying in Santo Domingo Este, then you choose Santo Domingo as the province. (Seriously confusing)

- You can apply for the outbound and return flights at the same time. The system will produce two QR codes, you will need each one to check-in.

- It's a good idea to print off the QR codes as well as have them on your phone. Just in case your phone battery dies, or heaven forbid your phone is lost / stolen.

I remember a discussion on here where a lot of people said this would never be enforced. Top marks for those of us who said it would be!

 

[aarhus]

But it doesn’t take long to fill out on your phone. I just did it the other day flying from Miami to SD with AA. With travel no matter what it’s always good to get early to the airport. I keep forgetting filling out the e-ticket but always been able to do it on my phone or solve it some other way.

 

[Fulano2]

My wife and daughter flew last week from Brussels. Even before queue up for checking in they were asked to show the QR.

 

[CG]

If coming to stay in Santo Domingo downtown / Colonial Zone, DON'T SELECT SANTO DOMINGO in the list of provinces where you are staying. Instead, choose Distrito Nacional. If you're staying in Santo Domingo Este, then you choose Santo Domingo as the province. (Seriously confusing)

SERIOUSLY CONFUSING is putting it mildly - Good grief, no wonder the gate closes before people get the damn thing completed..
So Dominican but hey, that's why we all live here right, we just love constantly scratching our heads in disbelief.

 

[MariaRubia]

In addition, for people who have never done it before, there are about 20 sites which all charge fees, and which don't issue the e-ticket immediately (they are basically scams) so if you mistakenly apply with one of them, you will definitely miss your flight. The official government site is buried in the results, quite low down, if you search on Google. The government seriously needs to get those other sites taken down.

 

[Billp16]

In addition, for people who have never done it before, there are about 20 sites which all charge fees, and which don't issue the e-ticket immediately (they are basically scams) so if you mistakenly apply with one of them, you will definitely miss your flight. The official government site is buried in the results, quite low down, if you search on Google. The government seriously needs to get those other sites taken down.

Been to quite a number of countries that require, in one form or another, an "e-ticket" for entry. Every one has the government website as well as many other sites that charge a fee to do the work for you. Yeah, some look like the government site but even a bit of research quickly shows which is real. Looking at the URL is usually an easy way to check if you are on the actual government site.

 

[MariaRubia]

Been to quite a number of countries that require, in one form or another, an "e-ticket" for entry. Every one has the government website as well as many other sites that charge a fee to do the work for you. Yeah, some look like the government site but even a bit of research quickly shows which is real. Looking at the URL is usually an easy way to check if you are on the actual government site.

Agreed but if you rock up at check in and don't have a long time to spare and someone says you will be denied boarding without this you will be in panic and won't make good decisions.

 

[JimW]

The whole roll-out of the "eTicket" system is a classic example of how not to do things. I recall when it was first being tested publicly in (2016?-ish) it was so terribly programmed that they put the deployment on hold for almost a full year. Then when they finally went live, the system was so riddled with bugs there were stories here and on DominicanToday of people missing flights and 3-4 hour queues due to problems with the system.

The whole site smacks of "cheap programming" and they didn't do any quality testing which is one of the most basic things you do in software development.

The coordination of the whole process was maligned as well. They originally said passengers could fill it out at the airport using the airport's WiFi but Las Americas didn't have public WiFi at the time!!!

Then (and today) the system still is slow.

Here's just a couple examples of issues or how the system shows how cheaply it was produced;


1. The site still suffers from "automated translation syndrome". This is where a software developer cuts corners translating a site into different languages and instead of using a human to provide natural language translation, they use tools, like Google Translate, which do an approximation. Notice how the system went live with and still labels Gender as "Masculine" and "Feminine" instead of the colloquial English, "Male" and 'Female".

Also as a side note, the label text in the screenshot below, "You must put the passport number that appears in the passport with which you are going to travel" was added a while after the initial roll-out. It's another example of where they failed to consider all the potential scenarios. It only came to light when people were held up when doing through immigration because they used a different passport on their ticket than showing to immigration (mostly Dominicans holding dual citizenship using the Dominican one when purchasing the ticket (to be eligible for the refund on the tourist tax later) )

2. And the site is still riddled with inconsistent issues which are normally resolved in basic QA/Software Testing. Note how when you choose a language, you will still get some screens that revert to Spanish. This is software development 101 basics.

It's sad because this was one of the first major attempts at digitizing a visitor/tourist-facing process and would (or could have) shown technical prowess. Instead it was done so poorly that it's still being talked about (in the way I'm sure they hoped it wouldn't be) 8 years later

 

[MariaRubia]

The whole roll-out of the "eTicket" system is a classic example of how not to do things. I recall when it was first being tested publicly in (2016?-ish) it was so terribly programmed that they put the deployment on hold for almost a full year. Then when they finally went live, the system was so riddled with bugs there were stories here and on DominicanToday of people missing flights and 3-4 hour queues due to problems with the system.

The whole site smacks of "cheap programming" and they didn't do any quality testing which is one of the most basic things you do in software development.

The coordination of the whole process was maligned as well. They originally said passengers could fill it out at the airport using the airport's WiFi but Las Americas didn't have public WiFi at the time!!!

Then (and today) the system still is slow.

Here's just a couple examples of issues or how the system shows how cheaply it was produced;


1. The site still suffers from "automated translation syndrome". This is where a software developer cuts corners translating a site into different languages and instead of using a human to provide natural language translation, they use tools, like Google Translate, which do an approximation. Notice how the system went live with and still labels Gender as "Masculine" and "Feminine" instead of the colloquial English, "Male" and 'Female".

Also as a side note, the label text in the screenshot below, "You must put the passport number that appears in the passport with which you are going to travel" was added a while after the initial roll-out. It's another example of where they failed to consider all the potential scenarios. It only came to light when people were held up when doing through immigration because they used a different passport on their ticket than showing to immigration (mostly Dominicans holding dual citizenship using the Dominican one when purchasing the ticket (to be eligible for the refund on the tourist tax later) )

View attachment 8719


2. And the site is still riddled with inconsistent issues which are normally resolved in basic QA/Software Testing. Note how when you choose a language, you will still get some screens that revert to Spanish. This is software development 101 basics.

View attachment 8720


It's sad because this was one of the first major attempts at digitizing a visitor/tourist-facing process and would (or could have) shown technical prowess. Instead it was done so poorly that it's still being talked about (in the way I'm sure they hoped it wouldn't be) 8 years later

Yes you are absolutely correct. So many Dominican websites are equally atrocious and seemingly untested. For a nation who are constantly glued to their cellphones, I am amazed nobody road-tests these websites.

It would equally be possible to remove these scam websites which are charging a fee. There's certainly enough dollars in tourism here and enough will to protect the tourists, they need some red-hot lawyers and red-hot IT specialists to threaten these companies and to put them out of business.

 

[josh2203]

The whole roll-out of the "eTicket" system is a classic example of how not to do things. I recall when it was first being tested publicly in (2016?-ish) it was so terribly programmed that they put the deployment on hold for almost a full year. Then when they finally went live, the system was so riddled with bugs there were stories here and on DominicanToday of people missing flights and 3-4 hour queues due to problems with the system.

The whole site smacks of "cheap programming" and they didn't do any quality testing which is one of the most basic things you do in software development.

The coordination of the whole process was maligned as well. They originally said passengers could fill it out at the airport using the airport's WiFi but Las Americas didn't have public WiFi at the time!!!

Then (and today) the system still is slow.

Here's just a couple examples of issues or how the system shows how cheaply it was produced;


1. The site still suffers from "automated translation syndrome". This is where a software developer cuts corners translating a site into different languages and instead of using a human to provide natural language translation, they use tools, like Google Translate, which do an approximation. Notice how the system went live with and still labels Gender as "Masculine" and "Feminine" instead of the colloquial English, "Male" and 'Female".

Also as a side note, the label text in the screenshot below, "You must put the passport number that appears in the passport with which you are going to travel" was added a while after the initial roll-out. It's another example of where they failed to consider all the potential scenarios. It only came to light when people were held up when doing through immigration because they used a different passport on their ticket than showing to immigration (mostly Dominicans holding dual citizenship using the Dominican one when purchasing the ticket (to be eligible for the refund on the tourist tax later) )

View attachment 8719


2. And the site is still riddled with inconsistent issues which are normally resolved in basic QA/Software Testing. Note how when you choose a language, you will still get some screens that revert to Spanish. This is software development 101 basics.

View attachment 8720


It's sad because this was one of the first major attempts at digitizing a visitor/tourist-facing process and would (or could have) shown technical prowess. Instead it was done so poorly that it's still being talked about (in the way I'm sure they hoped it wouldn't be) 8 years later

I work in IT... Don't get me started on DR websites in general as well...

Yes, everything you write is absolutely correct. As with almost any website I have seen in the DR, the looks/graphics usually pay a much more important role than any function there is...

A couple of examples from my side: DGII/marbete renovation, it was widely announced that you can purchase the marbete from the website or via the app, only if they would work... migracion.gob.do: Default language is English which is fine, even though Spanish is the official language, but as I don't trust info from the DR govt in any other language than Spanish, I have tried to put it in Spanish, even by manipulating the URL, only that it does not work...

Many of the gob.do websites look very nice, but I have yet to see one that actually works. Back home it's the opposite, the graphics do not have to be flashy but you should normally be able to do what you need to do with the govt agency in question.

 

[Liberator]

Last month; Departure from Amsterdam; British Airways, American Airlines from Miami, both airlines, no check or questions.
Departure from Las Americas with AA, question and check on e-ticket

 

[SKY]

What has been happening in PUJ a lot, not always is if you are arriving without the E Ticket Customs will make you fill it out before letting you through. Happened to a friend of mine flying from FLL....

 

[NanSanPedro]

What has been happening in PUJ a lot, not always is if you are arriving without the E Ticket Customs will make you fill it out before letting you through. Happened to a friend of mine flying from FLL....

I'm kind of surprised your friend was allowed on the airplane.

 

[banzai]

I've have NOT been able to pick the actual place I was staying, both north coast and south, since the establishment was not in the sticky field. And, there is/was no ability to type in the hotel. I just picked a place close by and never had a problem but I wonder if this has been changed?

 

[2020]

on our most recent trip back to the DR, American Airlines asked if I had the e-Tickets but never checked. DR authorities at SDQ did not request to see the e-Ticket as well.

Then, leaving, we did not get asked either.

It's a joke!

 

[XTraveller]

I've have NOT been able to pick the actual place I was staying, both north coast and south, since the establishment was not in the sticky field. And, there is/was no ability to type in the hotel. I just picked a place close by and never had a problem but I wonder if this has been changed?

Same, did not change.

 

[SKY]

Anything you punch on from the pull down menu will work..............

 

[MariaRubia]

I've have NOT been able to pick the actual place I was staying, both north coast and south, since the establishment was not in the sticky field. And, there is/was no ability to type in the hotel. I just picked a place close by and never had a problem but I wonder if this has been changed?

That's because it doesn't have a hotel licence. Anywhere licensed by MITUR appears in the list

 

[banzai]

That's because it doesn't have a hotel licence. Anywhere licensed by MITUR appears in the list

So, are these establishments scamming the government? They charge the itbis but pocket? Unbelievable! Jjj

 

[cavok]

on our most recent trip back to the DR, American Airlines asked if I had the e-Tickets but never checked. DR authorities at SDQ did not request to see the e-Ticket as well.

Then, leaving, we did not get asked either.

It's a joke!

The way I understand it works, when immigration swipes your passport, they see whether or not you have filled out an e-Ticket(?).