Dominican Certificates company (for criminal background check)

Hey all,

I was working as an English teacher last year in Hato Mayor. Now I'm back stateside, and need to get a Dominican criminal background check as part of a European work visa application. I've found a company that will do it for me for $200, called Dominican Certificates.

www.dominicancertificates.com

They look legit from their website. However, if I learned anything from living down there last year, it's that looks can be deceiving (especially when it comes to your money!). Any expats in this forum that have any previous experience with the company and can vouch for them? I'm a little uneasy about sending my money to anyone in the DR I don't know, company or otherwise, but my only other option would be to fly back down and do it in person, which would cost me $500-$700 total.

Thanks,
-D

Don't have a lawyer (Dominican nor American).

Never had a cedula while working there (though that's not a problem as all you need is a picture of your passport).

Already familiar with the costs and the procedure if I were to fly back down and do it myself. RD $500 for the background check at the Procuradia at Malecon Center (5 business days processing time), then RD$300 at the Cancilleria (1 hour processing time) to get the Apostille (an internationally recognized notarization). But between the round trip plain ticket, the hotel, the food it would prob cost me $500-$700 USD to get this done. Hence my interest in possibly paying this company $200 USD to do it for me, assuming no one comes forward advising me not to because of their reputation as a company.

Matilda said:

You can do it on line here https://servicios.mp.gob.do/servicios_en_linea/inicio/consultar_solicitud
You just need to get someone in the DR to go to the Bank and pay the fee and give you the number on the receipt which you enter along with your passport number if you do not have a cedula,

Matilda

Click to expand...

Matilda, when I called the Procuradia, the one part I wasn't really sure about was that part about the bank and the payment.

Can one pay this fee at one of the banks without actually having a bank account? I could maybe wire some money for one of my ex-students to do it for me, but I know almost for a fact that none has a bank account.