Dominican Republic (DO)

Valid for at least 6 months beyond planned stay. Bring the original plus 3 certified copies. Required for all immigration, banking, and government procedures.

Required for residency applications, marriage registration, school enrollment, and citizenship. Must be apostilled and translated into Spanish by a certified translator.

Required for family residency applications, name changes, property transfers, and inheritance claims. Apostille + Spanish translation required.

Required for school enrollment, residency as dependants, and social security registration (TSS). Apostille + Spanish translation required.

Required for residency applications. Must come from every country you have lived in for the past 5 years. Apostilled + translated into Spanish.

Required for residency: HIV test result, chest X-ray, and general health certificate from a Dominican-approved clinic. Cost: approximately RD$3,000–5,000.

Bank statements (6 months), pension award letters, investment income documentation. Required for Rentista and Pensionado residency categories. Minimum: USD 2,000/month (Rentista) or USD 1,500/month (Pensionado).

Degree certificates and transcripts. Required for professional licence recognition at MESCyT (Ministerio de Educación Superior, Ciencia y Tecnología). Apostille + Spanish translation required.

Required for work permit applications. Must be from a registered Dominican employer (with valid payroll registration at Ministry of Labour).

Bring your original licence. Foreign licences are valid for 30 days from entry. After that, you must obtain a Dominican driver's licence at the INTRANT office.

Foreigners with residency or who conduct business need a Registro Nacional del Contribuyente para Extranjeros (RNCE). Issued by DGII (tax authority). Required for banking, property, and business.

Health certificate from a licensed vet, rabies vaccination certificate (valid, not within 30 days), microchip certificate. Required by DIGEGA (animal health authority). See petRelocationInfo for full requirements.

Two personal references (notarised) required for residency applications. Can be from Dominican residents or from reputable persons in your home country (apostilled + Spanish translation required if not in Spanish).

Private health insurance is recommended for expats during the period before TSS (Tesorería de la Seguridad Social) public health coverage is active. Employed workers are enrolled in the SFS (Seguro Familiar de Salud) through their employer contributions. For Pensionado and Rentista residents, international insurance with hospital evacuation coverage is advisable.