For Gringos the process is taking a very long time, by design. Website and Minsterio employees all say 15 working days to get a license but on average it is taking 8 months+ for gringos and 6 months+ for Dominicans to get a new license. Renewals are not taking as long but still it's not a two week time frame like it is supposed to be these days. You will not have a hard time finding armerias outside of the capital that no longer sell to foreigners because of the delays and poor response time from the Minesterio.
You must have a valid residency. You need lots of time before having to renew your residency. If that expires before the license is issued, you will be asked to start the process over. If the process takes more than a year due to a paperwork error or some other delay, that you may not even know about, you will need to start the process over.
You must have a valid cedula and get it certified by JCE.
You must be over 18,
You must have a clean DR criminal record and interpol check.
You need to be evaluated by the local pay me and you're fine physiologist, usually at the same place you take your drug screening test.
You will need to show that you know how to use a firearm by firing one shot from a shotgun and one shot from a pistol at a range. Usually at the same place where you do your drug screening. If buying a gun from an armeria, they will arrange these tests for you, for a fee.
Fill out paperwork, pay taxes and fees at Banreserva.
Pistols require a ballistics check at the lab in SD every year, more money, time and inconvenience. Shotguns licensed forever and no ballistics check.
Completed application and firearm turned into the Mineterio in SD and the waiting begins.
It's not a quick process, so you need lots of time, patience and a real desire to go through all this. Like every other process here it can be stressful and getting information on the status of your application is difficult. Contacts with access to the Ministerio are a big help. VIP service is a money grab and results in no tangible benefits that I have heard of. No one will contact you to tell you there is a problem with a license application and they will not contact you to tell you that your license has been issued and is ready to be picked up at the bank. Locals must have good ESP skills to know when to go collect the license. The website has a status inquiry but it hasn't work in a long time, not sure if it is still broken, probably.
Pistol ownership is insanely expensive here. Due to the import ban, there are very few new pistols available for purchase and even older pistols command a high price. Eg. A Gen3 Glock 9mm with license, and service inducements to get the license quicker for a Dominican totaled close to $6000.00 USD. 6 months ago. Ammo for a pistol is somewhere between 1800 - 3500 $RD for a box of 50.
New Remington/Winchester shotguns are over $2000 USD private sales can be cheaper but you then do not get the assistance from the armeria in filing your license application. Sometimes, this can be a blessing. The armeria just wants your money. After you pay and the application is filed (correctly or incorrectly), you should not be surprised to find that the follow up service by the armeria leaves a lot to be desired, thus the reason that so many no longer sell to foreigners.
http://www.mip.gob.do/index.php/requisitos-armas