Basic Questions about becoming a Dominican citizen if one of my parents is Dominican

[InterestedSugoya]

If one of my parents is Dominican, do I still need to live in the DR as a Resident first before being able to apply for Citizenshp? I'd be looking for dual citizenship to go along with my USA citizenship.

I found this article from an Expat website, and it leads me to believe that I may have to be a "Resident" for 2 years before I can consider applying for citizenship, but it wasn't clearly stated. Article is from 2018: https://www.expat.com/en/guide/cent...93-citizenship-in-the-dominican-republic.html

I'm in my 30s and don't plan on living in the DR right now, but it's just an option that I'm exploring. Knowledge is power after all🤔



My apologies for this potentially silly Bonus question about something from the article (copy-and-pasted below):

Secondly, if you are a dual citizen and you get into trouble in the Dominican Republic, your home embassy won't help you. If you end up in jail in the Dominican Republic for whatever reason, you will be considered a Dominican citizen. Also if you are not in your home country, nor the DR, you will be assumed to be a citizen of the closest country. So if you go to Haiti and need help, you will have to go to the Dominican embassy, and not the embassy of your home country. But if you are in Canada and you have American/Dominican citizenship then you will be considered to be an American whilst in Canada.

I don't plan on getting into any legal trouble. Almost nothing is more valuable to me than my freedom. Thst being said, man makes plans, but God/Nature/etc. can destroy them at anytime. Would it be as simple as looking at a map of the world and just noticing what countries are technically closer to the US than to DR, or do other factors go into it? I ask, because if I ever did end up in a jam, I wouldn't want to be forced to rely on the Dominican Embassy when I also have an option of relying on the US Embassy.

 

[AlterEgo]

Our daughter just applied at the Philadelphia consulate. She needed her birth certificate (apostille) to apply, and a copy of her father’s Dominican cedula. Some minor fees involved. She’s expecting to be called back soon. She’s already begun process for her two sons, both minors, they’ll get theirs through her.

 

[InterestedSugoya]

@AlterEgo Appreciate your reply. I assume that your daughter didn't have to live there as a Resident for any length of time then.

I can just go to the consulate in New York and ask for what the specific requirements are.

Will your daughter have to visit DR anytime soon, or is she getting the citizenship "just to get it"?

 

[AlterEgo]

@AlterEgo Appreciate your reply. I assume that your daughter didn't have to live there as a Resident for any length of time then.

I can just go to the consulate in New York and ask for what the specific requirements are.

Will your daughter have to visit DR anytime soon, or is she getting the citizenship "just to get it"?

No she doesn’t have to go to DR even for a visit. She’s just getting it.

 

[SD Este]

Not to hijack your thread and mods if there is a more appropriate thread please do your thing.

Is the process similar to residency or citizenship fast track for gringos married to Dominicans?

 

[AlterEgo]

Not to hijack your thread and mods if there is a more appropriate thread please do your thing.

Is the process similar to residency or citizenship fast track for gringos married to Dominicans?

No, not even close. A child of a Dominican is entitled to citizenship automatically, just a matter of fairly easy paperwork.

Lots of other threads for foreigners getting DR residency

 

[Riva_31]

If one of my parents is Dominican, do I still need to live in the DR as a Resident first before being able to apply for Citizenshp? I'd be looking for dual citizenship to go along with my USA citizenship.

I found this article from an Expat website, and it leads me to believe that I may have to be a "Resident" for 2 years before I can consider applying for citizenship, but it wasn't clearly stated. Article is from 2018: https://www.expat.com/en/guide/cent...93-citizenship-in-the-dominican-republic.html

I'm in my 30s and don't plan on living in the DR right now, but it's just an option that I'm exploring. Knowledge is power after all🤔



My apologies for this potentially silly Bonus question about something from the article (copy-and-pasted below):

Secondly, if you are a dual citizen and you get into trouble in the Dominican Republic, your home embassy won't help you. If you end up in jail in the Dominican Republic for whatever reason, you will be considered a Dominican citizen. Also if you are not in your home country, nor the DR, you will be assumed to be a citizen of the closest country. So if you go to Haiti and need help, you will have to go to the Dominican embassy, and not the embassy of your home country. But if you are in Canada and you have American/Dominican citizenship then you will be considered to be an American whilst in Canada.

I don't plan on getting into any legal trouble. Almost nothing is more valuable to me than my freedom. Thst being said, man makes plans, but God/Nature/etc. can destroy them at anytime. Would it be as simple as looking at a map of the world and just noticing what countries are technically closer to the US than to DR, or do other factors go into it? I ask, because if I ever did end up in a jam, I wouldn't want to be forced to rely on the Dominican Embassy when I also have an option of relying on the US Embassy.

My cousin get the Dominican citizenship for her son last year, check the information here, now you start the process by email, check the info here http://yosoydominicano.org/

 

[NALs]

If one of my parents is Dominican, do I still need to live in the DR as a Resident first before being able to apply for Citizenshp? I'd be looking for dual citizenship to go along with my USA citizenship.

I found this article from an Expat website, and it leads me to believe that I may have to be a "Resident" for 2 years before I can consider applying for citizenship, but it wasn't clearly stated. Article is from 2018: https://www.expat.com/en/guide/cent...93-citizenship-in-the-dominican-republic.html

I'm in my 30s and don't plan on living in the DR right now, but it's just an option that I'm exploring. Knowledge is power after all🤔

That's for naturalization and it applies to non-Dominican citizens of another country that want to gain Dominican citizenship. Since you are the son/daughter of a Dominican, you're a Dominican national from birth. All that you will be doing is claiming your Dominican citizenship and for that no naturalization process is required.

In short, you can't apply for Dominican citizenship, you simply claim it. A copy of your birth certificate and of a cédula (front and back) of one of your parents is all paperwork that is needed and it will be used to prove that at least one of your parents is a Dominican citizen. It's a very simple and straight forward procedure, nothing like naturalization.

The process doesn't affect at all your US citizenship, because the DR and the USA have an agreement recognizing dual citizenship between the two.

 

[Aguaita29]

If one of my parents is Dominican, do I still need to live in the DR as a Resident first before being able to apply for Citizenship? I'd be looking for dual citizenship to go along with my USA citizenship.

k, because if I ever did end up in a jam, I wouldn't want to be forced to rely on the Dominican Embassy when I also have an option of relying on the US Embassy.

You don't need to comply with any residence requirements because you are entitled to Dominican citizenship by blood (Jus Sanguinis), as provided by the Dominican constitution.
The process is called "transcripcion de actas". The first thing you'll need is to get your birth certificate translated into Spanish and apostilled.

Check the link for more info:
TRANSCRIPCION DE ACTAS INSTRUMENTADAS EN EL EXTRANJERO

 

[NALs]

No need to translate the official copy of the birth certificate. The consulate takes care of that for you and part of the fee that you pay goes to the translation. You really don't have to do much at the consulate

Also, when you arrive at the consulate you don't have to get in line along with everybody else, just go straight to the Dominican Citizenship office and you're attended almost immediately. There should be an information guy right at the entrance of the consulate, simply ask him where is the Dominican Citizenship office abd go directly where he says.

 

[InterestedSugoya]

Appreciate all of the answers.

I'll do more research as to whether there any negatives that would arise from me claiming my Dominican citizenship. For example, tax-related things may not affect me since I currently don't make enough per year, but I'm not really sure how that works.

Also, I will probably eventually inherit my father's home (that is fully payed off) and will have to find out if anything that I'd have to pay "tax-wise" will be more or less expensive depending on whether I have claimed Citizenship status, or if I remain with Citizenship status unclaimed.

 

[Riva_31]

Appreciate all of the answers.

I'll do more research as to whether there any negatives that would arise from me claiming my Dominican citizenship. For example, tax-related things may not affect me since I currently don't make enough per year, but I'm not really sure how that works.

Also, I will probably eventually inherit my father's home (that is fully payed off) and will have to find out if anything that I'd have to pay "tax-wise" will be more or less expensive depending on whether I have claimed Citizenship status, or if I remain with Citizenship status unclaimed.

Check the website http://yosoydominicano.org/ that was create it to make easier path to dominicans aboards to claim the citizenship, also the fees were dropped. I sent that link to my cousin, she fallows the steps and she said was easy the process, her son visitted DR this year using his Dominican passport. The program also include passport and Dominican Cedula.

 

[AlterEgo]

No need to translate the official copy of the birth certificate. The consulate takes care of that for you and part of the fee that you pay goes to the translation. You really don't have to do much at the consulate

Also, when you arrive at the consulate you don't have to get in line along with everybody else, just go straight to the Dominican Citizenship office and you're attended almost immediately. There should be an information guy right at the entrance of the consulate, simply ask him where is the Dominican Citizenship office abd go directly where ge says.

Yes, very easy. And depending on the Consulate location, simple once you enter. Philadelphia location is small.

 

[NALs]

Appreciate all of the answers.

I'll do more research as to whether there any negatives that would arise from me claiming my Dominican citizenship. For example, tax-related things may not affect me since I currently don't make enough per year, but I'm not really sure how that works.

Also, I will probably eventually inherit my father's home (that is fully payed off) and will have to find out if anything that I'd have to pay "tax-wise" will be more or less expensive depending on whether I have claimed Citizenship status, or if I remain with Citizenship status unclaimed.

The Dominican government only tax Dominican citizens living in the DR (after a threshold, otherwise it's income tax free). In this case, the Dominican government taxes DR made income and income from offshore. The US government tax all US citizens living in the US (minus a small group) and all US citizens living abroad after a certain income threshold. Why the US tax its citizens abroad is another mistery. The only country to do this.

 

[bob saunders]

The Dominican government only tax Dominican citizens living in the DR (after a threshold, otherwise it's income tax free). In this case, the Dominican government taxes DR made income and income from offshore. The US government tax all US citizens living in the US (minus a small group) and all US citizens living abroad after a certain income threshold. Why the US tax its citizens abroad is another mistery. The only country to do this.

Not true, Canada also taxes it's citizens on world income, as long as they remain legal residents of Canada. Legal can be just holding a bank account.