Someone recently posted a question asking if there was an "exit tax" to leave France (there isn't), and I recently saw a reference to exit taxes in Budget Travel magazine, but no mention as to which countries charge them. Can someone enlighten me? Thanks!
Posted by
Ardmore, PA, US
225 posts
Costa Rica does for one, but that's the only place I have had to pay one. Very interesting actually. Only cash accepted at departure and only one working ATM in the entire airport.
Posted by
Portland, OR, USA
805 posts
A lot of developing nations charge an exit tax. I know Vietnam charges one, for example, payable only in Vietnamese Dong, on at least some flights. Some individual airports also charge a tax of sorts. For example, passengers departing Vancouver, BC's airport are required to pay a small airport improvement fee in many cases.
Posted by
Denver, CO, USA
1556 posts
Most Central and South American countries charge one. I have had to pay this in Peru and Ecuador and Argentina. Each of these were around $25 except for Argentina which was probably a little less(3-4 years ago) and applied when flying out of the country .
Recently, Guatemala had a very small tax.
Thailand has always had a 500 baht tax when leaving though it now seems to be included in the ticket.
2 weeks ago, I had to pay 5 JD when leaving Jordan by road and crossing into Israel.
Most countries now include this in the air tickets so most people don't notice them. However, there are some countries that also charge one when crossing the land borders.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23267 posts
Costa Rica accepts VISA
Posted by
Nottingham, UK
658 posts
A lot of countries charge both an arrivals tax and a departure tax. Or one, or the other.
Also individual airports are allowed to place either an entry or exit surcharge, or both, onto an airline and that airline passes it onto the passengers.
All of this happens within Europe and especially the EU.
The big difference is that these charges are taken at the time the ticket is issued.
Most of you will have come across the situation when you are booking a flight and the booking agent says ‘The TOTAL cost including all taxes is ………………….. blah blah blah’
An additional cash charge to exit from an airport used to be quite common in under-developed countries. Thankfully it is becoming rarer. The odd thing is that quite often they want payment in either US Dollars or Euros and not local currency. Barbados discontinued this practice just before the West Indies hosted the World Cup Cricket ( 15 months ago ).
Posted by
Raleigh, NC
100 posts
Nothing to do with France, but I know Bonaire in the Netherlands Antilles charges one, and last time I was there it was cash only.
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
When I touristed in Australia they had a $20 exit tax.