​

​

Benefits Re: Dominican Republic Residency

For a foreign national planning an extended stay in the country, obtaining legal Dominican Republic residency is possible.
Once you acquire your residency status, a range of attractive benefits become accessible.

​

• A more advantageous tax structure

• The ability to enter the Dominican Republic without the $10 tourist visa requirement upon arrival.

• Avoidance of the 50% surcharge on estate taxes.

• An exemption on tax for importing household items such as kitchen appliances, furniture, etc.

• No import tax imposed on a vehicle you bring in.

• Freedom to travel without needing a round-trip ticket

• Eligibility to obtain a full Dominican driver’s license (foreign driver’s licenses are only valid for 90 days). With a full DR license, you’ll be covered by your insurance plan in the event of a traffic accident.

• Option to attend any Dominican school or university and pay in pesos rather than dollars (International students are charged tuition fees in dollars).

• Permission to work and conduct business in the Dominican Republic

• Ability to facilitate many business transactions in the Dominican Republic, such as securing bank loans and applying for credit.

 

Accelerate Your Dominican Republic Residency Status as a Foreign Investor

 

Qualifying as a foreign investor allows you to bypass the temporary residency stage and apply directly for permanent residency.
This eliminates the standard five-year wait period!

So, what makes a foreign investor?

The Dominican Republic targets three types of investors:

• Pensioner or Retiree: An individual with a fixed monthly retirement income, pension or annuity of at least $1,500 monthly. For each additional applicant per family, an additional US$250 is needed.

• Independent Rental Investor: Anyone generating at least US$2,000 of monthly income from any investment abroad or non-salaried source abroad (like bank account interest, brokerage accounts, rental income, royalties, etc.).

• Lump Sum Investor: Proving you’ve invested at least US$200,000 in local financial instruments, real estate, business enterprises, etc. within the Dominican Republic.

​

Path to Acquiring Your Dominican Republic Residency Status

Step 1: Secure Your Temporary Dominican Republic Residency

 

Generally, the first step is applying for a temporary Dominican Republic residency status. After some initial paperwork, your status will be granted in 6 to 8 months.
With temporary residency status, you’re legally permitted to live and work in the Dominican Republic. As an added perk, you’re exempt from purchasing a tourist card to enter the country.

Once granted, your temporary residency is valid for a year.

​

Step 2: Renew Your Dominican Republic Temporary Residency Annually for Up to 5 Years

After a year, you can renew your temporary permit for another year. The process is simpler this time than for the initial application.

​

Step 3: Transition to Dominican Republic Permanent Residency

After five years as a temporary resident, you’re eligible to upgrade your status to permanent.

​

Step 4: Apply for Naturalization

After 2 years as a permanent resident, you can apply for naturalization. The naturalization process can take less than a year.

​

Maintaining Your Dominican Republic Residency Status

If you’ve obtained permanent residency status, you’ll need to return to the Dominican Republic every 4 years for renewal.
For temporary residency, annual renewals are necessary for the first four years. Late renewals are still possible but will incur a fine.