Visa, Residency, Naturalization and documents.

Visas and entry formalities

When coming to Dominican Republic on vacation, most nationalities do not require a visa, only a valid passport and the purchase at the arrival airport of the $10 Tourist Card, valid for 15 days.

Business or official trips require different kinds of visa. Here below you can find a brief description:

Visa Diplomática - diplomatic visa (DM) valid for multiple entries, up to 60 days
Visa Oficial - official visa (OM) multiple entries, up to 1 year
Visa de Cortesía - courtesy visa CS: single entry, 60 days, CM: multiple entries, up to 1 year
Negocio NS Negocio simple -simple business visa (single entry) 60 days
NM Negocios Múltiples - multiple business visa (multiple entries) 1 year
Dependencia - dependency (DPM) multiple entries, up to 60 days
Turismo - tourism TS single entry, 60 days (for those countries that require it)
Residencia - residency RS single entry, 60 days
Estudiante - student E multiple entries, 1 year

These visas are issued by the Consular Service (Servicio Consular Exterior de la República Dominicana) or the Secretary of State (Secretaria de Estado de Relaciones Exteriores).

Every document of foreign origin must be legalized by the consular Dominican representant in the country of origin. All documents must be presented as original plus four copies. If necessary, they will be translated into Spanish by an authorizd translator and legalized in the Procuraduría General de la República.

As the list of requirements is long, and can be subject to frequent changes, it is advisable to get in touch with the Dominican consulate in the country of origin, in order to get an up-to-date list of requirements.

Residency in Dominican Republic

According to the law, foreigners can obtain the right to reside in the Dominican Republic acquiring, in a first stage, a residency visa from the Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs (Secretaria de Estado de Relaciones Exteriores), and later on a Residency Card, which is obtained from the Directorate of Migration (Dirección General de Migración). In practice, the prerequisite of obtaining a residency visa before entering the country is not necessary, as it is perfectly possible and legal to enter the country as a tourist and once in it, apply for the residency card.

Provisional and Definitive Residency Permits

In order be eligible for provisional or definitive residence cards, it is compulsory to have entered legally into Dominican territory and comply with the following: not having a criminal record in the country (for some countries, such as Germany, it is also necessary a clean criminal record in the country of origin: check at your consulate), economic solvency or a job in Dominican territory, among others.

Both provisional or definitive residence cards are issued by the Directorate of Migrations ( Dirección General de Migración). Usually, completion of the whole procedure takes up to four months.

Any foreigner with a provisional or definitive residence card has the right to work and/or create a company with the same rights and duties of a Dominican citizen.


Naturalization procedure

The Dominican Constitution establishes the following requisites to obtain Dominican nationality:

a) By birth.- Those born on Dominican territory, are elligible to become Dominican citizens. This excludes children of people who were in the Dominican Republic as tourists or ilegal residents.

b) By origin.- Children of Dominican mother or father may opt for Dominican citizenship.
c) By law.- Those who acquired Dominican citizenship by consequence of any previous law, even if it is nor valid anymore, remain Dominican citizens.
d) By naturalization.- Those who comply with legal requirements to apply for it:
- Foreigners who have established their domicile in the Dominican Republic six months before application;
- Those who can justify an uninterrupted period of residence in the country for at least two years;
- Those who can justify an uninterrupted period of residence in the country of at leasts six months, if they have set up companies or are owners of a home in the country;
- Those who can justify an uninterrupted period of residence in the country of at leasts six months, if they have married a Dominican;
- Those with a Presidential authorisation, provided they have a cultivated plot of land in the country;
- Those who served in the Dominican Army;
- AThose who have participated in the national agricultural colonies;
-Those with a special presidential concession, awarded to those who have served the Dominican Republic with merit.