Guatemala Arrival Card — Electronic Traveler's Declaration (DJRV) in English
Complete your Electronic Traveler's Declaration (DJRV) for Guatemala in English with our online form. Submit your application up to 15 days before your trip: we check your details and file your declaration.
Welcome to Guatemala
The colonial streets of Antigua, the volcanoes around Lake Atitlán, the Mayan temples of Tikal: before discovering Guatemala, travellers must complete an electronic customs declaration, the DJRV. Run by the SAT, Guatemala's tax and customs administration, it has replaced the paper form since July 2023. It is required for all travellers entering or leaving Guatemala by air or by sea. It is free, can be completed up to 15 days in advance and is valid only on the date entered.
Who must complete the DJRV?
The DJRV applies to all travellers entering or leaving Guatemala by air or by sea, Guatemalan nationals and foreigners alike. It does not replace a visa: check the entry requirements that apply to your nationality.
Foreign travellers
Tourists, business travellers, residents: all foreigners complete the DJRV, including those who do not need a visa.
Guatemalan nationals
Guatemalans complete it too, and also give their passport booklet number.
Spouses and minor children
One declaration can cover spouses and their minor children. Grandparents, adult children and other relatives complete their own.
Cruise and sea passengers
Arrivals and departures by sea are concerned, at Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomás de Castilla and Livingston.
Sports teams
When a team travels with minors, each member completes their own declaration.
A date-bound declaration
A declaration valid on one date only
The DJRV is required for all travellers entering or leaving Guatemala by air or by sea. Each declaration is tied to the date of travel entered in the form.
The date decides: the form asks for your date of travel, and the declaration expires on that day. If it is not used, a new one must be completed with the updated date.
Change of plans: if your flight is moved or your cruise changes its schedule, complete a new declaration. If you correct a declaration, the system keeps the latest one.
The ArrivalCards solution: submit your application once your dates are final. We prepare and check your declaration, file it, then send you the confirmation.
Key takeaway
The DJRV can be completed up to 15 days in advance and is valid only on the date entered: choose that date carefully.
Documents to complete the DJRV
Gather these items for each traveller before you start: every detail must match your travel document.
- Passport or travel document (number, nationality, date of birth)
- Passport booklet number, for Guatemalan nationals
- Airline and flight number, or vessel name and voyage number
- Date of entry or exit, country of departure and country of destination
- Address of your hotel or accommodation in Guatemala
- Number of pieces of luggage travelling with you and, if any, unaccompanied
- Details of your spouse and minor children, if they travel with you
- Valid personal email address
Required Information Table
| INFORMATION TO PROVIDE | PERSONAL DATA |
|---|---|
| IDENTITY | Given names, Surnames, Sex, Date of birth, Nationality, Country of residence |
| TRAVEL DOCUMENT | Document type (passport or other), Document number, Passport booklet number for Guatemalans |
| TRIP | Type (entry or exit), Means of transport (air or sea), Customs office, Airline and flight number or vessel and voyage number, Date of entry or exit |
| STAY | Country of departure, Country of destination, Address in Guatemala, Reason for travel (tourism, official, business, residence, transit, other) |
| LUGGAGE | Pieces travelling with you (hand and checked), Unaccompanied luggage |
| FAMILY | Spouse and minor children travelling with you |
| CUSTOMS | Chemicals and medicines, Weapons, Cash of USD 10,000 or more, Animals, plants and food, Goods other than luggage, Recent tax exemption |
| CONTACT DETAILS | Personal email address (the confirmation is sent there) |
The customs section
What to declare when entering or leaving Guatemala
The DJRV ends with a series of yes-or-no customs questions and a sworn statement. A false or incomplete declaration can lead to fines, seizure of your belongings and criminal prosecution.
Cash: you can carry any amount of cash, but you must declare USD 10,000 or more. Failing to declare it is a criminal offence.
Duty-free allowances: personal effects in reasonable quantities (clothing, toiletries, jewellery, medicines), 2 kg of sweets, one laptop, one calculator and one musical instrument. Adults may also bring 500 g of tobacco and 5 litres of alcoholic beverages. Goods other than luggage are exempt up to USD 500 if you stayed abroad for at least 72 hours.
Special permits: weapons, ammunition, some chemicals, fresh food, live animals and plants require a permit.
- Chemicals, pharmaceuticals, toxic substances or waste
- Weapons, ammunition or explosives
- Cash, monetary instruments, securities or precious metals of USD 10,000 or more
- Live animals, plants, food or derived products
- Goods other than your luggage
- A tax exemption granted in the last 6 months
When should you complete the DJRV?
The DJRV can be completed up to 15 days before travel. As it is valid only on the date entered, complete it once your dates are final.
Earliest
15 days before the date of entry or exit
Optimal
A few days before departure, once your flight number is known (airlines usually give it about 3 days before)
Latest
Before your flight or cruise, so that you have your QR code on arrival
Arriving in Guatemala with the DJRV
At La Aurora, Mundo Maya or in port, clearance is smoother if your declaration is ready before departure.
- 1
Before departure
Download each traveller's declaration number and QR code, keep them on your phone and/or print them.
- 2
At customs
Keep your QR code at hand and show it whenever the authorities ask for it.
- 3
During your stay
Keep the confirmation email: it contains your declaration number and QR code.
- 4
If your dates change
The declaration is valid only on the date entered: if your trip is moved, complete a new one with the updated date.
Common mistakes with the DJRV
A few oversights can complicate your arrival or your departure: here are the most frequent ones.
Confusing the DJRV with a visa
The DJRV is a customs declaration: it does not replace a visa if your nationality requires one.
A wrong date
The declaration is valid only on the date entered. If your flight or cruise is moved, complete a new one.
Grouping the whole family
Only spouses and their minor children can share a declaration. Adult children and other relatives complete their own.
Not declaring cash
From USD 10,000, cash and monetary instruments must be declared. Failing to do so is a criminal offence.
An invalid email address
The confirmation and QR code are sent by email: enter a valid personal address that you can access while travelling.
Validity of the DJRV
Each declaration is tied to one traveller, or one family, and to a specific date.
Duration
Valid only on the date of entry or exit entered
Entries
Single use, on the date entered
Extension
Cannot be extended: complete a new declaration if your date changes
Places to visit in Guatemala
Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala, the former colonial capital listed by UNESCO, lines up cobbled streets, baroque churches and convent ruins at the foot of the Volcán de Agua.
Lake Atitlán, ringed by three volcanoes, is explored by boat from village to village, from Panajachel to San Pedro La Laguna and San Juan La Laguna.
Tikal, deep in the Petén jungle, reveals the temples and pyramids of one of the great cities of the Mayan world, also listed by UNESCO.
Flores, a small island town on Lake Petén Itzá, with its colourful houses, is the classic base for visiting Tikal.
Chichicastenango hosts one of the most colourful markets in Central America, with textiles, masks and crafts from the highlands.
Information about the Guatemala arrival card
What is the DJRV?
The DJRV (Declaración Jurada Regional de Viajero) is Guatemala's electronic traveller's declaration, run by the SAT (Superintendencia de Administración Tributaria), the country's tax and customs administration. It is a customs declaration, not a visa. It covers your identity and travel document, the type of trip (entry or exit), your means of transport and flight or voyage number, your address in Guatemala, the reason for your trip, your luggage, the family members travelling with you and a series of customs questions. Once it is submitted, you receive a declaration number and a QR code, to download and also sent by email.
Which nationalities are concerned?
All travellers entering or leaving Guatemala by air or by sea, Guatemalan nationals and foreigners alike. No nationality is exempt, and travellers who do not need a visa must complete it too. The DJRV does not replace a visa: check the entry requirements that apply to your nationality before departure. One declaration can cover spouses and their minor children; other relatives, including adult children, complete their own.
Which points of entry are concerned?
The electronic DJRV applies to arrivals and departures by air and by sea. By air: La Aurora airport in Guatemala City (GUA, Aduana Central de Aviación) and Mundo Maya airport in Flores, Petén (FRS, Aduana Tikal). By sea: Puerto Quetzal on the Pacific coast, Santo Tomás de Castilla and Livingston on the Caribbean coast.
Frequently Asked Questions — Guatemala
What is the Guatemala DJRV?
The Declaración Jurada Regional de Viajero (DJRV) is the electronic customs declaration that every traveller completes when entering or leaving Guatemala by air or by sea. It is run by the SAT, Guatemala's tax and customs administration. It is not a visa.
What information does the DJRV ask for?
Your identity and travel document, your flight or voyage number, your date of travel, your address in Guatemala, the reason for your trip, your luggage, the spouse and minor children travelling with you, and a series of yes-or-no customs questions, followed by a sworn statement.
Who must complete the DJRV?
All travellers entering or leaving Guatemala by air or by sea, Guatemalan nationals and foreigners, whatever their nationality. Cruise passengers are concerned too.
I do not need a visa for Guatemala. Do I still need the DJRV?
Yes. The DJRV is a customs declaration, independent of the visa: travellers exempt from a visa must complete it too. Conversely, it does not replace a visa if your nationality requires one.
How long before my trip can I complete the DJRV?
Up to 15 days in advance. The declaration is valid only on the date of entry or exit you enter: if your trip is moved, a new declaration must be completed with the updated date. On ArrivalCards, submit your application as soon as your flight is known.
How much does the DJRV cost?
The declaration is free on the official SAT portal. On ArrivalCards, the service fee is €29 incl. VAT per declaration issued, excluding any consular fees. This fee includes the guided English-language form, verification of your details, submission and support from our team.
Can I declare my family on the same DJRV?
Only spouses and their minor children can be grouped on one declaration. Other relatives, such as grandparents or adult children, complete their own. In a sports team travelling with minors, each member completes their own declaration.
What do I receive, and do I need to print it?
At the end of the form, you get a declaration number and a QR code, which you can download and which are also sent to you by email. Keep them on your phone and/or print them, and show them whenever the authorities ask.
I am leaving Guatemala for a few days and coming back. What should I do?
Each new entry into Guatemala by air or by sea needs a new declaration, completed with the date of your return.
I made a mistake on my DJRV. What should I do?
Complete a new declaration with the correct information: the system keeps the latest one. On ArrivalCards, our team checks your details before submission.
Document Timeline
History and evolution of the document.
Before July 2023
Travellers fill in the Declaración Jurada Regional de Viajero (DJRV) on paper and hand it to customs.
Before July 2023
Travellers fill in the Declaración Jurada Regional de Viajero (DJRV) on paper and hand it to customs.
24 July 2023
The SAT switches the DJRV to an electronic version (Resolution SAT-DSI-1049-2023), for travellers entering and leaving Guatemala by air or by sea.
24 July 2023
The SAT switches the DJRV to an electronic version (Resolution SAT-DSI-1049-2023), for travellers entering and leaving Guatemala by air or by sea.
July–August 2023
During a one-month transition, the paper form is still accepted at the Aduana Central de Aviación, at La Aurora airport.
July–August 2023
During a one-month transition, the paper form is still accepted at the Aduana Central de Aviación, at La Aurora airport.
Since then
The paper form is only used as a fallback, when the IT systems are down.
Since then
The paper form is only used as a fallback, when the IT systems are down.
Today
The DJRV is completed up to 15 days before travel and is valid only on the date entered. ArrivalCards prepares, checks and files your declaration for you.
Today
The DJRV is completed up to 15 days before travel and is valid only on the date entered. ArrivalCards prepares, checks and files your declaration for you.
How It Works
Simple, fast, and stress-free.
Fill in the online form
Complete our secure form with your personal information and travel details
Receive your arrival card by email
We process your application and send your electronic arrival card directly to your inbox
Present your card upon arrival
Upon arrival, simply present your electronic card to immigration authorities
A reliable and secure service.
Processing Time
Your arrival card is typically processed within 24 hours. We recommend applying at least 3 days before your travel date.
Requirements
Valid passport with at least 6 months validity, recent passport photo, travel itinerary, and accommodation details.
Fees
The service fee is €29 incl. tax per arrival card issued, excluding any consular fees. This covers form translation, application verification, and customer support.