Haiti has embarked on a significant digital transformation of its border control operations with the official launch of the “iKat” digital embarkation and disembarkation system. The pilot project was unveiled on December 4th, 2025, at Port-au-Prince’s El Rancho Hotel in a ceremony presided over by Prime Minister Fils-Aimé and organized by the Directorate of Immigration and Emigration (DIE).
The high-profile event gathered representatives from multiple government sectors including the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT), the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of the Interior, and Tourism Minister John Herrick Dessources. Also in attendance were Ms. J.E. Kathia Verdier, Minister for Haitians Living Abroad, alongside technical partners, financial stakeholders, airline representatives, and travel industry executives.
Developed through a collaborative effort with the Haitian Institute of Statistics and Informatics (IHSI), the iKat system represents a strategic modernization initiative aimed at revolutionizing migration management. This digital platform will progressively replace conventional paper-based forms with an advanced electronic registration process. Travelers will be able to complete required documentation through online pre-registration up to 72 hours before their journey.
The innovative system is designed to achieve multiple operational objectives: enhancing traveler facilitation through streamlined processes, strengthening migration control via digitized and centralized information systems, enabling authorities to conduct comprehensive pre-arrival and post-entry monitoring, and generating accurate statistical data for policy development.
A critical feature of iKat is its capacity to establish a consolidated national database that will significantly improve oversight of foreign visitors exceeding the standard 90-day permitted stay. The platform will equip immigration officials with advanced authentication and analytical capabilities through interconnected data systems that can be securely shared with partner institutions, marking a substantial leap forward in border security technology.