Urgent question regarding tourist cards

lefgirl · #1 05-27-2004, 04:38 AM

I have just received my blank tourist card from the Embassy in the UK. Do I fill it in myself or do they complete it when I arrive at Puerto Plata?

tired_boy · #2 05-27-2004, 05:10 AM

I have always completed my visa card in the airport when you arrive, this is the case for maybe 95% of people flying in from the Uk.
Don't worry about it until you get there, however if you fill it in beforehand then fair enough.........you can go straight to the front of the queue.

Have a good time!

MrMike · #3 05-27-2004, 08:53 AM

I have entered and left the country many times and have never filled it out once. Nobody cares what you write on it anyway.

tired_boy · #4 05-27-2004, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrMike

I have entered and left the country many times and have never filled it out once. Nobody cares what you write on it anyway.

Coming from the Uk as 'holiday-makers' we must fill one in and pay for the visa, it is checked in the airport that we have completed one and paid.

MrMike · #5 05-27-2004, 09:26 AM

oh. we buy them when we get here, all they want to see from us is the 10 bucks.

ricktoronto · #6 05-27-2004, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lefgirl

I have just received my blank tourist card from the Embassy in the UK. Do I fill it in myself or do they complete it when I arrive at Puerto Plata?

The directions are in both English and Spanish because they expect you to do it yourself. And notwithstanding the other posts you can't get in if you don't have one or you "leave it blank" . Unless you have a visa and even then you fill out an embarkation/debarkation card which is more or less the same info anyway only it is free since you paid for a visa already.

On the flight you will also get a customs card (free) which is also filled out by you and which is given to the customs guy when you leave the luggage area which is after the immigration/passport control area where the tourist card is dealt with. Unless you dodge customs entirely like I do in which case you then throw it away.

tired_boy · #7 05-27-2004, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricktoronto

On the flight you will also get a customs card (free) which is also filled out by you and which is given to the customs guy when you leave the luggage area.

I believe this might only be done on US and Canadian flights, in the past 6 years nothing has ever been handed out on the plane.