Visas, Residence, Immigration and Documentation

Foreigners can obtain the right to reside in the Dominican Republic acquiring, in a first stage, a residence visa issued by the Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs, and later on a residence card, (first provisional, then definitive), issued by the Department of Migration.

Visa classification

Type / Symbol / Number of entries / Validity

Diplomatic / DM / Multiple Entries / 60 days
Official / OM / Multiple Entries / 1 year

Courtesy / CM/ Multiple Entries / 1 year
CS / Single Entry / 60 days
CM / Multiple Entries / 60 days

Business / NS / Simple business (Single entry) / 60 days
NM / Multiple businesses (Multiple entries) / 1 year

Dependency / DPM / Multiple Entries / 60 days
DPM / Multiple Entries / 1 year

Tourism / TS / Single Entry / 60 days

Residency / RS / Single Entry / 60 days

Student / E / Multiple Entries / 1 year

These visas are issued by the Service by the Consular Service of the Dominican Republic or by the Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs.
The nationals of some countries are exempt from the visa formality thanks to the existence of visa waiver agreements, when the object of the trip is contemplated in an international agreement. In these cases, their nationals will be able to enter Dominican territory for a period of sixty (60) days, with the acquisition of the denominated ¨tarjeta de turista¨. This card can be acquired by the sum of U.S. $10,00 at the airport of arrival in the Dominican Republic.
The visas will be issued on valid passports or other suitable travel documents to eligible foreign nationals.

Provisional and Definitive Residency permits
In order to obtain the provisional or definitive residency permit, it is indispensable to have entered Dominican territory legally and to fulfill a series of requirements asked for by the Department of Migration, such as: to have a clean criminal record in the country, (German citizens who must also bring a certificate clean of criminal record from their country of origin), demonstrate economic solvency or have a stable job in the Dominican Republic. Both the provisional and definitive residency permits are issued by the Department of Migration.
The whole process may take about three and a half months, but when it is over, a foreigner who obtains the provisional or definitive residence has the right to work and to create a company in the same conditions and rights as a Dominican citizen.

Naturalization procedure
The Dominican constitution establishes the requirements to obtain Dominican nationality. These are:
By birth.- Those born in Dominican territory, they are Dominican. It is necessary to clarify in this regard, that the children of foreigners who are on leave, that is to say, tourists, or are in diplomatic missions, or that have entered the country illegally, cannot opt in this way for the Dominican nationality.
By origin.- Those with Dominican father or mother, they can opt for the Dominican nationality.
By law.- Those that nowadays have the Dominican nationality by virtue of previous constitutions and laws are Dominican.
By naturalization.- Those that fulfill the legal requirements to obtain it:
Having resided in the country for at least six months after having obtained legal domicile (permanent residence card).
Justify an uninterrupted residence of two (2) years at least;
Justify an uninterrupted residence of at least six (6) months, if they have founded or maintained industries, or if they are proprietors of buildings in the country;
Having resided in the country for six (6) months, if they have married a Dominican citizen;
Those that have obtained authorization of the president, whenever they justify to have a plot of land cultivated in the country;
Those that have served the Armed Forces;
Those that have participated in the agricultural colonies of the State;
Those who have obtained a special concession from the President which may be granted for having served the DR with merit..