If outdoor activities, playing golf, and spending time on the beach are things you are passionate about, the Dominican Republic must be on your travel list. But, before traveling to this wonderful country for the first time, you need to see if you need a Dominican Republic visa. If you are a foreign citizen that does not need a visa, you can enter the Dominican Republic with only a valid passport.
Who Needs a Visa for the Dominican Republic?
If you are a foreign citizen from one of the countries listed below, you do not need a visa to enter the Dominican Republic:
| All EU citizens | Iceland | Qatar |
| Albania | Israel | Russia |
| Andorra | Jamaica | Saint Kitts and Nevis |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Japan | Saint Lucia |
| Argentina | Kazakhstan | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
| Australia | Kiribati | San Marino |
| Bahamas | Kuwait | Serbia |
| Bahrain | Lichenstein | Seychelles |
| Barbados | Macau | Singapore |
| Belize | Malaysia | Solomon Islands |
| Bolivia | Marshall Islands | South Africa |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Mauritius | South Korea |
| Botswana | Mexico | Suriname |
| Brazil | Micronesia | Switzerland |
| Brunei | Monaco | Taiwan |
| Canada | Montenegro | Thailand |
| Chile | Morocco | Tonga |
| Columbia | Namibia | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Costa Rica | Nauru | Turkey |
| Ecuador | New Zeland | Tuvalu |
| El Salvador | Nicaragua | Ukraine |
| Fiji | North Macedonia | The United Arab Emirates |
| Grenada | Norway | The United Kingdom |
| Guatemala | Panama | The United States |
| Guyana | Papua New Guinea | Uruguay |
| Honduras | Paraguay | Vanuatu |
| Hong Kong | Peru | Vatican City |
How to Apply for the Dominican Republic Visa?
Make sure you follow these instructions when applying for a Dominican Republic visa:
- Book an appointment at the nearest embassy or consulate of the Dominican Republic in your country. By contacting the embassy to schedule a visa appointment, you will have a quicker application procedure.
- Fill out the Dominican Republic application form. You can fill out the Dominican Republic application form online, print a hard copy, and sign it at the end.
- Gather and submit the required documents at the nearest embassy or consulate of the Dominican Republic in your country. See ‘The Dominican Republic Visa Requirements’ for more information regarding the requested documents.
- Wait for a response. You will receive an email or SMS from the embassy/consulate to which you have submitted the documents. They will inform you of your visa result within 10 to 15 working days.
The Dominican Republic Visa Requirements
When applying for a Dominican Republic visa, you must submit the documents listed below at the nearest embassy/consulate of the Dominican Republic in your home country:
- A valid passport. Your passport must be valid and in good condition.
- Application form. Make sure you fully complete the Dominican Republic application form. Do not leave any blank spaces.
- One passport-sized photo. Make sure you have recently taken your photos (at least within the last six months) and that it is in color.
- Health insurance. You may be asked to provide a travel health insurance policy that’s valid in the Dominican Republic.
- Accommodation proof. Make sure you prove that you have a place to stay while in the Dominican Republic. For example, accommodation proof could be a rental agreement document, a hotel reservation, a letter of invitation, etc.
- Letter of invitation. The letter of invitation is a letter issued from a friend or relative and it must prove that you have a place to stay while in the country.
- Criminal record. The criminal record is a document issued by the police authorities of your home country. This document needs to prove that you are not a threat to the Dominican Republic.
- Flight itinerary. The flight itinerary is a document that must describe your flight process, including date and flight time, the airplane airline name, your return flight ticket, etc.
- Civil status documents. Your civil status document is a document that depends on your current status. A marriage certificate (if married), a birth certificate (if you have a child), a rental agreement or a joint bank account (if you are living with your partner), etc.
Duration of a Dominican Republic Visa
The duration of a Dominican Republic visa depends on the type of visa you apply for:
- A short-stay visa allows you to stay in the Dominican Republic for three months. With a short-stay visa, you can not apply for a residence permit.
- A long-stay visa allows you to stay in the Dominican Republic for one year. If you want to stay longer than one year in Dominica, you can apply for a residence permit.
Dominican Republic Visa Fees
You can finish the Dominican visa fee at the embassy/consulate of the Dominican Republic in your country. The Dominican Republic visa application fee is USD$150. After finishing the payment at the embassy/consulate make sure you attach the receipt of the payment to your visa application.
Note: The fees are subject to change depending on the specific embassy, the visa type, and currency depending on whether or not you need to apply by post or in person.
Long-Stay Visas for the Dominican Republic
If you want to stay longer than three months in the country, you need to apply for a long-stay visa. A long-stay visa will allow you to stay in the Dominican Republic for one year. You can apply for a long-stay visa at the nearest embassy/consulate of the Dominican Republic in your home country. In addition, there are different types of long-stay visas that you can choose depending on the purpose of your stay, such as:
- Work.
- Study.
- Investment.
- Retirement.
- Family reunion.
Residence Permit for the Dominican Republic
If you want to stay longer than one year in the Dominican Republic, you need to apply for a temporary residence permit at the Migration Directorate of the Dominican Republic. The temporary residence permit is issued for work, study, investment, retirement, and family reunion.
The Dominican Republic Retirement Visa
The Dominican Republic issues retirement visas for pensioners or retired foreigners who receive a minimum monthly pension or retirement of $1,500 and want to move to the Dominican Republic. To retire in the Dominican Republic, you need to obtain a Pensionado Visa (Retirement Visa). The Pensionado Visa is issued for a period of two years and allows you to bring your dependents (spouse, children) with you to the Dominican Republic territory.
Why Should You Visit the Dominican Republic?
Here are some reasons why the wonderful Dominican Republic island country should be on your to-do list:
- There is a wonderful waterpark called ‘Ocean World Adventure Park.’
- You can go swimming in Lake Enriquillo.
- You can meet the whales.
- There are 27 falls and rock pools in Puerto Plata, that you should absolutely visit.
- There are different kinds of music bars that you can enjoy.
- You can go whale watching. If you visit the Dominican Republic between December and March you can go see the whales who come to the area of Samana to mate near the coast.
- You have wonderful places where you can play golf.