Residency and citizenship in the Dominican Republic

Paths to residency in the Dominican Republic

The General Migration Law No. 285-04 and its regulations establish the residency categories, administered by the Dirección General de Migración. The starting point is the residency visa issued by the Dominican consulate in the country of origin; with it, temporary residency is requested, which after five years may become permanent residency and, after two years of residence as a resident, naturalization.

Law 171-07 on Special Incentives for Pensioners and Rentiers of Foreign Source, together with the residency by investment program, offers an expedited path to those who prove a pension, a stable income from foreign sources or a registered investment in the country, with tax exemptions on the import of household goods and other benefits.

• Residency by investment for those who register their investment with ProDominicana
• Residency for pensioners and persons of independent means under Law 171-07
• Ordinary temporary and permanent residency, and renewals
• Family reunification: spouses, children and dependents
• Dominican naturalization and dual citizenship
• Work visas, work permits and regularization of foreign employees
• Immigration counsel toward the United States through VSP Law, PLLC

How we work a file

An immigration file is approved or delayed according to its preparation. We gather and review the documents from the country of origin (birth, marriage and criminal record certificates, apostilled and translated), coordinate the consular visa, file the application with Migración, accompany the client to the medical and filing appointments, and follow through until the residency card and the identity card are delivered. For clients not yet living in the country, we handle what can be done remotely and concentrate the in person appointments into a single trip.

Citizenship and dual nationality

The Dominican Constitution allows dual nationality, and the United States does not require renouncing U.S. citizenship upon naturalizing elsewhere. Many of our clients obtain Dominican nationality after permanent residency, or recover it by descent from a Dominican parent. We prepare both types of file.

Content reviewed by M. Yorleny Villar R., partner at VSP Consultores Legales. Updated September 22, 2026.