Tourist Card?

Unless someone has been living under a rock, any visiter to the D.R. must know that the government wants you to pay the $10.00 in U.S. Since the government needs the U.S. greenbacks and since most people who visit the D.R. are treated with the utmost respect by Dominicans,surely the least we can do as guests is respect the contry enough to hang onto $10.00U.S. to pay the departure tax. In my humble opinion, not to do so is disrespectful.

But the D.R. legal money is the Dominican peso. Plus, the D.R. Supreme Court ruled on it was illegal to obligate to pay in other money than the Dominican peso.

Many passengers don't start with US Dollars, so for them, it is not a matter of "hanging on" to US$10.

I'm not sure who in the government you feel "wants" the tax paid in dollars. From the history, it was the old administration that wanted it in US Dollars and the new administration that struck down the decree.

The Dominican Supreme Court declared it against the law to require it by ruling that Decree 295-94 violates the rights of Dominicans. Resolution 5088 was then ruled by the Airport Commission that Dominicans can pay in departure tax in US currency or the equiavlant amount in Dominican Pesos (ref: http://www.dr1.com/daily/news052599.shtml).

The Direccion General de Impuestos Internos also ruled the same, effective June 27, 1999. It was the Monetary Junta that upheld the 1994 decree by then President Balaguer in 1994 that the tax be paid in US Dollars and Melanio Paredes, Director of the Airport Department, that ordered the money be collected in US Dollars, despite court rulings (ref: http://www.dr1.com/daily/news052899.shtml, http://www.dr1.com/daily/news052099.shtml, and http://www.dr1.com/daily/news061899.shtml). Finally, the Presidency ruled that Dominicans can pay in Dominican pesos (ref: http://www.dr1.com/daily/news070699.shtml).

While the ruling states that this applies only to Dominican residents, I found that in practice, they are not verifying citizenship when collecting the tax. It became a big issue. I don't think it would have become an issue unless there was some pressure to allow it to be paid in pesos.

I personally have paid in pesos, without a problem. The vast majority of passengers still pay in US Dollars, so if you plan on paying in pesos, you may need exact change.

Jim Hinsch JimHinsch@CSI.COM

I just returned from Sosua and my tourist card was included in my ticket with Canada 3000.I was there for a month and when I was leaving everyone told me I needed 10US dollars for departure tax.My rep told me it was once again included in my ticket and it was.

Last time I was in DR (Sept 99) I didnt have to pay $10 to leave. Hmm maybe it was included in my plane ticket