Dominican Republic Travel Guide

Passports

Country	Passport Required	Visa Required	Return Ticket Required
British	Yes	2/3	Yes
Other EU	Yes	1/2/3	Yes
USA	Yes	2/3	Yes
Canadian	Yes	2/3	Yes
Australian	Yes	2/3	Yes

Passport valid for twice as long as intended stay required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Visas

Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for tourist purposes:

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements.

Visa Note

2. Nationals referred to in the chart above will need to apply for a tourist card to enter the Dominican Republic. Tourist cards are valid for up to 30 days from date of entry; applications cost £10 and take three or four days to process. Cards are available from www.dominicanembassy.org.uk
3. All nationals referred to in the chart above will require a visa for business purposes. Applicants should contact the relevant embassy.
4. Minors entering and leaving the country with the same parent/guardian do not need special travel documents.

Types of Visa and Cost

Tourist (single-entry): £100. Business (single-entry): £200; (multiple-entry) £250.

Validity

Tourist visas and single-entry business visas are valid for 60 days. Multiple-entry business visas are valid for up to one year.

Applications to:

Consulate (or consular section at embassy).

Application Requirements

Multiple-entry visas can only be applied for once in the Dominican Republic.

Working Days Required

Tourist cards take seven days to be issued.

Travel Warnings

There have been 279 confirmed cases of cholera, including four deaths, in the Dominican Republic since an outbreak of the disease was confirmed in neighboring Haiti in October 2010. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises visitors to eat and drink only well-prepared and properly stored food and bottled water. Personal hygiene is paramounnt, including regular washing of hands before meals.

Most visits to the Dominican Republic are trouble-free, but there are incidents of crime and violence. These tend to occur within the local community but can sometimes affect tourists and residents. There have been occasional incidents of serious attacks on foreign visitors, as well as more opportunist crime including burglaries, breaking into cars and pick pocketing. By remaining alert to the threat you can reduce the risk of becoming a victim.

Arrests of British nationals for attempting to traffic drugs have increased markedly. Penalties for possession, distribution or manufacture of drugs are severe and can lead to imprisonment.

Credit card cloning and fraud are common. It is safer to use cash.

The hurricane season in the Dominican Republic normally runs from June to November.

There is a low threat from terrorism in Dominican Republic. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travelers.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organizations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel

Health Care

Health insurance (to include emergency repatriation) is strongly recommended. Medical care is limited and variable in quality. An emergency service is available in Santo Domingo.

Vaccinations

Vaccination	Special Precaution
Diphtheria	Yes
Hepatitis A	Yes
Malaria	Sometimes*
Rabies	Sometimes
Tetanus	Yes
Typhoid	Yes
Yellow Fever	No

Special Notes

* Malaria risk exists throughout the year, especially in the western provinces and in La Altagracia province. Risk in other areas is low to negligible.