The Dominican Republic is an attractive destination not only for tourists, but also for those looking to settle in a country with rich cultural traditions, beautiful landscapes, and an enviable climate. Obtaining residency in this paradisiacal Caribbean country involves following a structured process and meeting certain requirements, depending on the type of residency you wish to obtain.
There are mainly two types of residency in the Dominican Republic: temporary and permanent. Temporary residency is granted for one year, renewable, and is aimed at those who wish to stay in the country for a limited period. To apply you will need:
- Valid passport
- Passport-style photos
- Certificate of good conduct from the country of origin or residence
- Medical examination
- Other documents
On the other hand, permanent residency is intended for those who wish to settle indefinitely in the Dominican Republic. To obtain it, it is necessary to have been a temporary resident for at least five years, although there are exceptions that allow this process to be accelerated, such as investing in real estate or making a significant investment in the country.
The process to obtain residency begins with the submission of the application to the General Directorate of Migration, accompanied by all the required documents, which must be duly apostilled and translated into Spanish, if necessary. Once the application is submitted, the application is evaluated, including a local medical examination and background checks. When the application is approved, the residency is issued, which must be renewed according to the type of residency granted. It is important to note that the process may vary slightly depending on the applicant’s country of origin, so it is advisable to consult with the corresponding Dominican embassy or consulate or with a lawyer specializing in Dominican immigration.
Residency Steps
General residency must be initiated in your home country by means of a residency visa. You must prove that you are in good health, solvent, and able to maintain yourself and have a clean police record. What do you need?
Proof that you have a pension or income of approximately $2,000 US dollars per month (or equivalent) or that you own real estate in the DR or have a local job.
The application must be initiated in your home country at the Dominican consulate. Please start 2-3 months before you want to come to the country. The consulate will ask you to provide a list of documents that will need to be apostilled (the process of certifying a document in order for it to be accepted in a foreign jurisdiction):
– Proof of income or ownership
– Police Records
– Medical report
– Birth Certificate
– Marriage certificate (if applying with your spouse).
You will receive a Temporary Resident Visa stamped in your passport. Then, you will have 60 days to come to the Dominican Republic and complete the process that requires a court date in the capital of Santo Domingo. The process in the Dominican Republic can be handled by a reputable law firm; This is much easier and eliminates the need to know Spanish. Fees vary by company, but between 1200 and 2000 US dollars per person is a general figure.
For the first 5 years, the residency must be renewed every year. After this period, you can renew for 4 years and then for 10 years at a time. After 3 years, you can apply for citizenship.
Fast Track Residency
The following applicants can apply for permanent residency without going through the temporary process:
- Investors of at least 200,000 USD in local businesses (including free zones and government contracts) or in local financial instruments.
- Retirees with a monthly pension of at least 1,500 USD (plus 250 USD per dependent).
- Applicants with monthly income of at least 2,000 USD for five years or more (rentistas).
- Applicants related to Dominicans or to foreigners with permanent residency status in DR (spouses and children). The application process is essentially the same for both temporary and permanent residency, except for some additional documents required in permanent residency applications.
The entire process usually takes 4 months.
In short, obtaining residency in the Dominican Republic is a process that requires patience and attention to detail, from preparing documentation to tracking the status of the application. However, the result of being able to reside in a country with such a vast natural and cultural wealth makes the effort worthwhile.
