Passport/Visa Requirements: A valid passport is required to enter the Dominican Republic. No visa is required for U.S., Canadian, U.K. or Australian citizens. A tourist card valid for 30 days may be purchased in advance at a Dominican consulate or—much more conveniently—issued upon arrival at any airport. Carry US$10 in cash to buy the card (payment is accepted in U.S. dollars only). Buy the card in an airport booth before waiting in the immigration line, and keep it to present upon departure from the country.
Travelers may also be asked to present proof of onward passage and sufficient funds for their stay. A US$20 departure tax is also charged upon leaving the country, although this is often included in the price of a plane ticket (charter flights may also include the price of the tourist card). The Dominican Embassy Web.site (http://www.domrep.org) lists the latest requirements.
All U.S. citizens must now have a passport when traveling by air to or from Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean (except for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Central and South America and Mexico. Citizens of Canada, Mexico and the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda also must have a passport or other designated secure document to enter the U.S.
Beginning 1 June 2009, passports are required for land crossings at the Canadian and Mexican borders with the U.S. and for cruise passengers returning to the U.S. from Mexico, the Caribbean, Canada or Bermuda. Reconfirm travel-document requirements with your carrier prior to departure.
Population: 9,507,133.
Languages: Spanish, English.
Predominant Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic), Evangelical.
Time Zone: 4 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (-4 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is not observed.
Voltage Requirements: 110 volts. Carry surge protection for voltage irregularities.
Telephone Codes: 809, countrywide area code; 829,a new area code being phased in primarily for cell phone and fax numbers, as well as new landline numbers;
For More Information
Tourist OfficesDominican Republic: Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism, Avenida Mexico at Avenida 30 de Marzo, Government Building D, Santo Domingo. Phone 809-221-4660. Fax 809-682-3806.
Canada: Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism, 2080 Rue Crescent, Montreal, QC H3G 2B8. Phone 514-499-1918. Toll-free 800-563-1611. Fax 514-499-1918.
U.K.: Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism, 18-21 Hand Court, High Holborn, London, England WC1V 6JF. Phone 20-7242-7778. Fax 20-7405-4202.
U.S.: Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism, 136 E. 57th St., Suite 803, New York, NY 10022. Phone 212-588-1012. Toll-free 888-374-6361. Fax 212-588-1015.
The Dominican Republic does not have a tourist office in Australia.
Dominican Republic Embassies
Canada: Embassy of the Dominican Republic, 130 Albert St., Suite 418, Ottawa, ON K1P 5GA. Phone 613-569-9893. Fax 613-569-8673.
U.K.: Embassy of the Dominican Republic, 139 Inverness Terrace, Bayswater, London, England W2 6JF. Phone 09065 508945. Fax 20-7727-3693.
U.S.: Embassy of the Dominican Republic, 1715 22nd St. N.W., Washington, DC 20008. Phone 202-332-6280. Fax 202-265-8057.
The Dominican Republic does not have diplomatic representation in Australia.
Foreign Embassies serving the Dominican Republic
Australia: Australia is represented by its high commission in Trinidad and Tobago, 18 Herbert St., St. Clair, Port of Spain (mail address: P.O. Box 4640, St. James, Port of Spain). Phone 868-628-0695. Fax 828-622-0659.
Canada: Canadian Embassy, 39 Capitan Eugenio de Marchena, La Esperilla, Santo Domingo (mail address: P.O. Box 2054, Santo Domingo 1, Dominican Republic). Phone 809-685-1136. Fax 809-682-2691.
U.K.: British Embassy, Edificio Corominas Pepin, Ave. 27 de Febrero, No. 233, Santo Domingo. Phone 809-472-7111. Fax 809-472-7574 or 809-472-7190.
U.S.: U.S. Embassy, Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo. Phone 809-731-4294 or 809-221-2171. Fax 809-689-6142. The consular section is located at Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson at Maximo Gomez.
Additional Reading
In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez (Algonquin Books). A blend of fact and fiction that examines the true story of three sisters who were murdered in 1960 after plotting to overthrow the Dominican Republic's infamous dictator, Rafael Trujillo.
Trujillo: The Death of the Dictator by Bernard Diederich (Markus Wiener Publishers). A fascinating historical account of the life and times of the Dominican Republic's brutal dictator, with a focus on his assassination and legacy.
Drown by Junot Diaz (Riverhead Books). Born in Santo Domingo and raised in New Jersey, Diaz offers a distinctive view of how Dominicans sometimes see their own country as foreigners.
The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa (Farrar, Straus & Giroux). This novel weaves together a compelling account of the events and people surrounding the Trujillo assassination.
