In order to enter the Dominican Republic, you will first need to obtain a tourist visa, unless you are a resident of the United Kingdom (UK) or currently hold a visa for entry into the United States (US), Canada or any country in the European Union (EU). There are other types of visa available, but standard working visas and permits do not exist.
In order to work in the country, you simply need to hold a residence permit, either a temporary or a permanent one. Your temporary permit entitles you to live and work in the Dominican Republic for up to a year, at the end of which you are eligible to reapply. Once you have repeated this process for five years, you are able to apply for a permanent residence permit.
Visas
There are four types of entry visa available for the Dominican Republic: tourist, business, volunteer and student. However, as stated above, UK citizens (anyone with a British passport) are not required to obtain a tourist visa prior to entering the country, provided they fulfil certain requirements. You will usually be granted a 30-day stay upon arrival in the Dominican Republic, which can be extended to 60 days upon payment of a fee. All foreign nationals are required to give fingerprints and have a photograph taken in order to enter the country.
You must carry a photocopy of your passport, a copy of your entry stamp, and proof of return or onward travel with you at all times, in case you are asked to produce them for authorities such as the police. You may be refused entry if you cannot provide proof of onward or return travel upon entering the Dominican Republic.
As a UK citizen, if you intend to stay longer than 60 days, you can initially apply for a temporary residence permit. To do this, you will need to visit the Department of Migration and fill in the required paperwork. Once granted, the temporary residence permit enables you to live and work freely in the Dominican Republic.
For those travelling to the Dominican Republic from outside the UK, EU, US or Canada, there are four visa options:
Tourist Visa
A tourist visa is for anyone travelling for short-term leisure purposes. In order to apply for a tourist visa, you will need to visit your nearest Dominican Consulate and provide the following:
• your completed visa form (must be legible)
• one photograph
• your original passport, which must be valid for at least six months
• proof of economic solvency, for example, a current or savings account statement
• a copy of your National ID card, residence card or other identification that proves your nationality and residence status
• a copy of your hotel reservation in the Dominican Republic
• a copy of your return flight reservation with dates clearly visible
• the £200 fee (payable in cash or by postal order; cheques are not accepted)
Once your tourist visa is granted, it is valid for 30 days.
Business Visa
A business visa is for individuals intending to remain in the Dominican Republic on a long-term basis for business purposes. To apply for a one-year business visa, each person applying will need to provide the following:
• a valid passport
• one photograph
• contract or letter from the Dominican company you will be working for
• birth certificate
• proof of university degree and CV
• Certificate of Labour from the Ministry of Labour of the Dominican Republic, including the Resolution No. 135 (this document will be supplied by the local company you are contracted to work for)
• Certificate of Good Conduct
• Letter of Guarantee from a Dominican citizen or company
• a letter from your GP stating that you are healthy
• a recent bank statement, as proof of capital
• application form
• the £450 visa fee (non-refundable and payable at time of application)
All documents must be in Spanish. If you require help with translating your documents into Spanish, your local embassy should offer a translation service, though the fee for this is around £40 per document.
Volunteer Or Religious Work Visa
This visa is suitable for anyone who has already secured voluntary or religious work in the Dominican Republic. To apply for a year-long visa, each applicant must supply the following:
• a valid passport
• one photograph
• a contract or letter from the Dominican company or religious organisation they will be working for
• birth certificate
• certificate of good conduct
• a letter from your GP stating that you are healthy
• recent bank statement, as proof of capital
• application form
• the £450 visa fee (non-refundable and payable at time of application)
Although this visa is valid for 12 months, it is based upon the idea of the bearer travelling in and out of the country and only staying for two consecutive months at a time. If you intend to stay for the whole year-long period, you need to speak to the Migration Directorate in Santo Domingo, who will grant you permission to do so.
Student Visa
This option is for students who have been accepted onto a course at a local school or university in the Dominican Republic. To apply for a 12-month student visa, you must provide:
• your valid passport
• one photograph
• a letter of acceptance from a registered school, institute or university
• Certificate of Good Conduct
• a letter from your GP stating that you are in good health
• a recent bank statement, as proof of funds
• application form
• the £300 visa fee (non-refundable and payable at time of application)
Residency
Foreign nationals in the Dominican Republic are categorised as either non-resident or resident. Non-residents are individuals who are visiting the country for a short period and with a specific intention, such as to take a holiday. Residents are foreign nationals who are living in the country for an extended period, and have sought legal residency status and obtained an identification card (Cedula de Identidad Personal).
Anyone over the age of 18 may apply for Dominican residency. Initially, you must apply for temporary residency. Once granted, this is valid for 12 months, during which time you may freely live and work in the country. At the end of this period, you can renew your temporary permit for another year.
After five years as a temporary resident, you will be entitled to apply for permanent residency. This visa can take up to six months to be issued, so it is important to apply well in advance of your most recent temporary visa expiring. Your first step is to send a letter of application to the Minister of Foreign Relations. This should contain your personal details, including your full name, nationality and place of residence. You should also explain your connection to the country; this could be by origin, marriage or employment.
Further to your application letter, you will need to provide:
• the visa application form
• your valid passport, plus two copies
• birth certificate, plus one copy
• a medical certificate
• a police certificate, including a criminal record check
• your employment contract
• marriage certificate, if the application includes a spouse
• birth certificates of any children (under the age of 18) included in • the application
• three photographs (2 x 2 inches, with a white background)
If the application includes a child who will not be residing in the country with both parents, it is required that the parent who is remaining outside the Dominican Republic authorises the other parent to move permanently to the country with the child.
Once the visa is granted, you must report to the Department of Immigration within 30 days, taking with you the following:
• medical examination results
• a police certificate
• character references from two independent witnesses
• your residence card
• four recent passport-style photographs
At this stage, you will be asked to sign papers and have your fingerprints taken.
Permanent residents must renew their residency card after 12 months, initially, and then once every four years. After 10 years, permanent residents will be issued a non-renewable residency card.
Citizenship
You must live in the Dominican Republic on a temporary residency for five years before you are eligible for permanent residency. You must then wait a further two years before you can apply for citizenship.
You can apply to the Department of Interior for citizenship. The procedure includes an interview, which will be undertaken in Spanish, alongside the paper application process. Within five months of passing the interview, you will be summoned to take an oath. Within a further two months, you will be issued a Dominican birth certificate and be eligible to obtain a Dominican identification card. Once these steps have been taken, you will be able to apply for a Dominican passport.