If you are considering moving to the Dominican Republic, it is no surprise. With luxury resorts, pristine beaches, and a low cost of living, the country already attracts expats from all over the world. In addition, approximately 450,000 people live on the island nation who were born elsewhere, making up 4.5% of the total population.
If you are considering moving there, you must ensure you have gathered all the necessary information. This article will help you answer all the most important questions.
1. Facts About the Dominican Republic
Here are some interesting facts about the Dominican Republic:
| Area | 18.619 km2 |
| Population | 10,8 million |
| Capital | Santo Domingo |
| Official language | Spanish |
| Currency | Peso Dominica (DOP) |
| Political system | Unitary presidential republic |
| Major religion | Christianity |
| Demographics | 73% mixed race, 16% white, 11% black |
| Foreign-born population | Around 4.5% |
2. How Can I Move to the Dominican Republic?
If you are a citizen of the country that requires applying for a visa to enter the Dominican Republic to move there, you must apply for a long-stay visa. A long-stay visa will allow you to stay for a year, and if you want to stay longer, you must apply for a residence permit.
Moving to the Dominican Republic for Work
Moving to the Dominican Republic for work requires applying for a work (business) visa. The Dominican Republic offers two types of work visas ‘Visa de Negocios’ (business visa) and Visa de Negocios con Fines Laborales (business visa for employment purposes). To move there, you must apply for the Visa de Negocios con Fines Laborales (business visa for employment purposes), valid for one year.
In addition, you must apply for a temporary residence permit (Visa de Residencia). You must apply in advance to a consulate of the Dominican Republic. You can also apply for a residence permit within the country at the General Directorate of Migration (Dirección General de Migración).
Moving to the Dominican Republic to Study
If you have been accepted into a Dominican Republic educational program, you can move there to study. Firstly, you must apply for a student visa. The visa is issued based on the duration of your study program. As long as you meet the requirements, you can extend the visa.
Furthermore, you are required to apply for a temporary residence permit at the General Directorate of Migration of the Dominican Republic. The permit is usually issued for a year, and you can extend it.
Moving to the Dominican Republic for Family Reunification
If you are a partner/spouse or a child under 18 years of age of a Dominican citizen or a foreigner with a permanent residence permit, you can move to the Dominican Republic for family reunification. However, you must apply for a family reunification visa to reunite with your family.
To qualify for a family reunification visa, your family members — who’re joining must have lived in the Dominican Republic for a minimum of a year under a temporary residence permit.
Moving to the Dominican Republic for Retirement
To retire in the Dominican Republic, you must apply for a retirement visa (pensionado visa). To be eligible for the visa, you must receive a minimum monthly pension or retirement of $1,500 ($1,750 for couples). You can also enter the country on another visa and apply for a retirement visa at the General Directorate of Migration.
Retirement visas are issued for two years in the Dominican Republic. Upon arriving in the country, you will have 30 days to submit your Provisional Residency Application at the General Directorate of Migration.
3. How Can I Become a Permanent Resident in the Dominican Republic?
After legally residing in the Dominican Republic with a temporary residence permit for five years, you can become a permanent resident. The application process for the permanent residence permit takes six months; you must apply in advance before your temporary residence permit expires. The application takes place at the Migration Directorate of the Dominican Republic.
As a permanent resident, you must renew your residence card every 12 months, then once in four years. Finally, you will be issued a non-renewable residence card after ten years.
4. How Can I Become a Dominican Republic Citizen?
You can become a Dominican Republic citizen after two years of possessing a permanent residence permit. After that, you can apply for citizenship at the Department of Interior.
Then you will undergo an interview in Spanish. Finally, after five months, you will be summoned to take an oath of citizenship granted by the President of the country.
5. Does the Dominican Republic Allow Dual Citizenship?
The Dominican Republic allows dual citizenship. Moreover, you are not required to renounce citizenship of your country to win Dominican citizenship. However, you must ensure that your country of origin allows dual citizenship before applying.

