Did you know that many North Americans go to the Dominican Republic to enjoy their retirement? We’re facing a part of the second largest island in the entire Caribbean and allows you to enjoy some beaches, a climate and an authentic paradise. For all this, it’s a very popular destination.
Considering your cost of living, who wouldn’t want to spend their retirement in the Dominican Republic?
It’s an incredible country for its beaches, its people, its great offer of leisure and, of course, the little that things cost us in proportion; especially for retirees, who can do much more with their pension.
But, what are the legal requirements to enjoy retirement in the Dominican Republic?
Retirement in the Dominican Republic: legal requirements
First, we must distinguish between what is considered in this country as a resident and non-resident foreigner:
- Non-residents are those people who are going to stay in the country for a short time (days or months) for vacation or business, as an example.
- In the case of residents in the Dominican Republic are those who have applied for a residence permit. In other words, those who have asked the Dominican State to allow them to live in the country.
Within the residence permit, the Dominican Constitution contemplates two subjects, the provisional resident and the permanent resident. The difference between the two is the time lived in the country. To be a permanent resident you must give credit that you have spent more than 5 years as a provisional resident.
Although it may be interesting for you to live with your pension in this country, you must pay attention to the legal requirements that you must fulfill so that everything is in order.
To enjoy your retirement in the Dominican Republic, you must have a visa with a validity of use of 60 days, valid for a single entry.
Once inside the country, the beneficiary must go to the General Directorate of Immigration to formalize the procedures and take out their temporary residence, with the requirements it demands.
The first requirement is to have a visa or retirement visa in the Dominican Republic. What else is required?
Dominican Republic residency requirements step by step
Receive the Dominican visa
To receive a visa in the Dominican Republic, you will need the following:
- A form that expressly requests the request.
- A consent request with additional information.
- Two copies of the birth certificate.
- Document that proves the absence of a criminal record.
- Valid passport with two photocopies of it.
- Certificate from the Dominican Migration Department indicating when the first entry into the country was made.
- If you’re married, you must provide a copy with a notarized deed and in Spanish of said item.
- A letter of request to the Consulate indicating name, nationality, place of residence and occupation (retired, in this case), as well as the reason for staying in the country.
All this process, in addition, will require the payment of $ 125 USD for the procedures.
Apply for residence permit
After all these steps, it’s time to go to the General Directorate of Migration. There, they will request the following:
- A completed Temporary Residency form, signed by the applicant.
- Valid passport and two photocopies of it.
- Residence visa certificate, stamped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Medical certificate authorized by the health authorities of your country.
- A document proving that the issuing State will be responsible for medical expenses and repatriation, if necessary.
- 4 passport-size photos of your portrait, with a white background.
So to boat soon, they’re all the requirements that you must meet to enjoy retirement in the Dominican Republic with all the guarantees and residence permit. It may seem complex; however, they’re a series of simple procedures. In addition, today there are many agencies that are responsible for carrying out all these efforts for you.
The documentation they require is easy to get. We recommend that you have both the originals and the copies, as they will want to see both. In addition, you must show them in Spanish so that there is no problem.
It’s simply a mere procedure that you will have to follow to finish establishing retirement in the Dominican Republic.
Did you know that many North Americans go to the Dominican Republic to enjoy their retirement? We’re facing a part of the second largest island in the entire Caribbean and allows you to enjoy some beaches, a climate and an authentic paradise. For all this, it’s a very popular destination.