TORONTO — Travellers to the Dominican Republic will be required to complete a new online entry and exit form, effective Nov. 29.

The electronic form – a joint initiative between the Ministry of Tourism, Public Health and the Customs and Immigration services – is designed to improve the efficiency of immigration, customs and public health processes.

Accessible at https://eticket.migracion.gob.do/, the form must be completed before going through Immigration; once completed, they will receive a generated QR code that will be scanned by authorities at the port of entry.

The form can be filled out at any time, from the purchase of an air ticket to before going through Immigration. Dominican airports offer free Internet access so that passengers who do not fill it out before flying can do so when they arrive in the country.

To provide further clarity, the Ministry of Tourism has created a travellers’ page, https://viajerodigital.mitur.gob.do/, with a video tutorial on how to complete the form as well as a list of frequently asked questions.

In addition, to accommodate travellers during this transition, between Nov. 29, 2020 and Jan. 1, 2021, Dominican authorities will accept either the current paper form or the new digital form to enter the country. As of January 2021, the physical form can no longer be used, and the online form will be mandatory and considered the only acceptable form.

The agreement that resulted in the launch of the new form was signed last Thursday by Sanz Lovatón, Minister of Public Health Plutarco Arias, Director of Immigration Enrique García, and Minister of Tourism David Collado. According to Collado, the new form essentially condenses three forms into one: International boarding and disembarking card, Customs declaration form, and Affidavit of health of the traveller.

“The implementation of a one-digital registration form to enter and leave the country is the result of the collaboration between different government entities to help streamline the immigration procedure, condensing three forms into one and using contactless technology,” said Collado. “It also allows the Dominican authorities to have real-time information on the arrivals and departures of passengers to our country.”