Most foreign nationals do not need a visa to visit Haiti for stays of up to 90 days, so long as they carry a passport valid for at least six months, proof of onward travel, and $10 in U.S. cash for the arrival fee. The main Haiti visa requirements to know are these: citizens of nine specific countries must apply for a visa in advance, every traveler must complete an online entry form called the iKat before arrival, and the U.S. State Department currently rates Haiti at Level 4: Do Not Travel.
Do You Need a Visa
Visa-free entry is the default. Tourists from most countries can enter Haiti without a visa for up to 90 days, provided their passport is valid for at least six months beyond the date of entry.1Embassy of Haiti. Tourist Visa
Citizens of nine countries must obtain a visa before traveling: the Dominican Republic, Panama, Colombia, Cuba, Syria, Libya, Iran, Vietnam, and Yemen. Nationals of these countries should apply at a Haitian embassy or consulate at least one month before departure.1Embassy of Haiti. Tourist Visa
What Every Traveler Needs at the Border
Whether you need a visa or not, three things are required to enter Haiti:
- A passport valid for at least six months beyond your entry date.
- Proof of a round-trip or onward ticket.
- A completed iKat digital entry form.1Embassy of Haiti. Tourist Visa
The iKat Digital Entry Form
All travelers entering or leaving Haiti must complete the iKat, an electronic entry and exit form filed through the Haitian immigration portal. Authorities instruct travelers to submit it at least 72 hours before arrival or departure. If you don’t, you’ll have to complete it at the control point itself, which slows processing and can complicate your entry.2Immigration and Emigration Department. Digital Arrival Form for Haiti
Arrival Fee and Departure Tax
At the port of entry, all foreign passport holders pay a $10 tourist fee in cash before passing through immigration. Bring exact change in U.S. dollars.1Embassy of Haiti. Tourist Visa The immigration officer will stamp your passport with the authorized length of stay, which for visa-exempt tourists is up to 90 days.3GOV.UK. Haiti Travel Advice – Entry Requirements
On the way out, expect a departure tax of $55. Some airlines build it into the ticket, some don’t. Confirm with your carrier before you fly.3GOV.UK. Haiti Travel Advice – Entry Requirements
How to Apply If You Do Need a Visa
For the nine nationalities that require one, the tourist visa is the standard category for leisure travel and family visits and permits a stay of up to 90 days. Separate categories exist for business travel, diplomatic and official purposes, and long-term residence, and each carries its own requirements handled through Haitian immigration authorities.
The application package submitted to a Haitian embassy or consulate typically includes:1Embassy of Haiti. Tourist Visa
- A completed and signed application form, available through the embassy or consulate website for your country of residence.4Embassy of Haiti – United Kingdom. Visa Processing Times
- Two recent passport-size color photos.
- A passport valid for at least six months from the travel date.
- A letter explaining the purpose and duration of your visit, with the name, address, and phone number of your hotel or host in Haiti.
- A photocopy of your round-trip airline reservation or ticket.
- A letter from your current employer.
The Haitian embassy website doesn’t publish a set visa fee, so confirm the amount directly with the consulate handling your application. Payment is by money order, certified check, or cashier’s check payable to the embassy. Cash is generally not accepted.1Embassy of Haiti. Tourist Visa
Contact the office before submitting to find out whether you need to appear in person or can send documents by mail. The embassy in the United Kingdom estimates processing at roughly four weeks, though times vary by location and season.4Embassy of Haiti – United Kingdom. Visa Processing Times One month before departure is the minimum recommendation from Haitian authorities; building in more time is wise, since missing or incomplete documents are the most common cause of delay.
Health Requirements and Recommendations
Haiti does not require any vaccinations for travelers arriving directly from the United States. If you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission, proof of yellow fever vaccination is required for anyone age one or older.5Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Haiti – Traveler View
The CDC recommends, though does not require, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and an up-to-date measles-mumps-rubella series. It also recommends prescription antimalarial medication because malaria risk exists in Haiti, and suggests considering a cholera vaccination depending on your itinerary.5Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Haiti – Traveler View
Health care facilities in Haiti are extremely limited. Travelers with chronic conditions should bring a full supply of medications and not assume pharmacies or hospitals will be accessible.
Length of Stay and Overstays
The 90 days stamped in your passport are a hard limit. To stay longer, you must apply for a residence permit through Haitian immigration authorities before your authorized stay expires. Overstaying can lead to fines, detention, or deportation, and may complicate future entries to Haiti or to other countries that ask about immigration violations.
Specific overstay penalty amounts aren’t published in a readily accessible schedule, so overstayers are left to the discretion of immigration officials. The safest approach is to leave before the 90 days run out or begin an extension well in advance.
A Safety Warning Before You Book
The U.S. Department of State advises against all travel to Haiti, citing kidnapping, violent crime, civil unrest, and the presence of armed groups designated as terrorist organizations. U.S. citizens have been kidnapped, with ransom demands reaching tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Haiti has been under a state of emergency since March 2024, and violent crime involving firearms, including robbery, carjacking, and sexual assault, is common throughout the country.6U.S. Department of State. Haiti Travel Advisory
The Federal Aviation Administration has prohibited U.S. commercial air carrier flights to and from Port-au-Prince. Exchanges of gunfire involving criminal gangs have occurred just outside the international airport, and travelers have been followed and attacked shortly after leaving the terminal. The State Department also warns against crossing the Haiti–Dominican Republic border by land because of kidnapping risk along the route.6U.S. Department of State. Haiti Travel Advisory
Anyone who still chooses to travel should enroll in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), keep a plan to leave the country on short notice, and store copies of travel documents separately from the originals.