For the children of Dominicans, who were born abroad, but with the hope of getting a Dominican passport, the process is basic and straightforward if you have your information straight, and your documents in order. If you are not the child of Dominicans, you should consult a lawyer, but I would believe the process is just as easy.
The process is much simpler than in previous years and the hassles are mostly gone. Like I said, if you know what you are doing and where to go you can get the process done in a day, including having your passport in your hand. Look to spend between RD$2,000 and RD$3,000 on the process, depending which option you choose. Remember prices change without notice, so this post is not meant to be set in stone.
Steps:
- Get a cedula (Without this you are S.O.L.)
- Get a copy of your cedula.
- For naturalized Dominican citizens, you must get a new copy of your birth certificate. Go to the office were your birth has been registered, or Circunscripcion. This is where your birth certificate is located. If I am not mistaken, this costs RD$200. Within 30 minutes you will get an "Extracto de Acta de Nacimiento." Make sure you let the people at this office know that the birth certificate is for a passport.
- Once you have this, get this document legalized. There is a small office, Legalizaciones, at "La Feria," (Centro de los Heroes). You go in, pay the impuesto, which is about RD$200. Wait in line and within 15-20 minutes your document is legalized and stamped. If a person outside of the office, a Buscon, tries to offer a fee to do this for you, refuse them. You can do this yourself and will be cheaper.
- Once you have this, get THREE passport photos, standard size (2x2). Make sure it is on a white background and you are not smiling in the pics. Also, make sure not to have glasses, jewelry or earrings in the photo and women should make sure they have their shoulders covered in the picture.
- Once you have all of this, go to any BanReservas and pay the impuestos, which is basically the cost of the passport. There are two options, with two costs:
A) Normal: 7-day delivery, and costs RD$1,253
B) VIP: Same day delivery and costs RD$2,238
*Note: If you choose for same day delivery, you must hand in your documents before 12pm otherwise you can hand in your documents before 3pm.
Also remember NOT to go to any BanReservas near La Feria. These are usually packed, slow and hectic. Go to one that is in a residential or commercial area, where you know the service is good. This way you can avoid headaches.
- Once you have all your documents (legalized birth certificate, copy of your cedula, your original cedula, impuestos from BanReservas, your THREE photos and a photocopy of everything), take this to the Direccion General de Pasaportes, also located at la Feria, right across the street from IMPOSDOM and the Maunaloa nightclub. The people at the front desk will check everything for you and make sure you are squared away.
Note: If you were born in the DR, you will proceed as normal, and stand in line like the others. BUT if you were born outside the DR and are a naturalized Dominican citizen make sure you speak up and let this be known. They will then send you to a special place called "Naturalizacion," (Naturalization). This is a special area for those who are foreign born "Dominicans."
You go here, hand in the documents, have your fingerprints taken, and they will return a sheet to you. This sheet is your receipt. Bring this back a week later, with your original cedula, to retrieve your passport.
And that's the process. Like I stated, previously, if you know what you are doing, you can get this done in one day. If not, start on a Monday and hand in your stuff by Tuesday.
Any questions, call: *GOB and have the government operators help you. They might not speak English, but at least they pick up the phone.
And one final though, if you had previously started the process and already have a new birth certificate (with the new format) be mindful that the birth certificate for passports DOES NOT expire. Previously government documents "expired" after three months, but this was just a ploy to get you to pay again. This document DOES NOT expire. Be aware of this in case a buscon or a hustler tries to tell you otherwise.
Mr. Lu
The process is much simpler than in previous years and the hassles are mostly gone. Like I said, if you know what you are doing and where to go you can get the process done in a day, including having your passport in your hand. Look to spend between RD$2,000 and RD$3,000 on the process, depending which option you choose. Remember prices change without notice, so this post is not meant to be set in stone.
Steps:
- Get a cedula (Without this you are S.O.L.)
- Get a copy of your cedula.
- For naturalized Dominican citizens, you must get a new copy of your birth certificate. Go to the office were your birth has been registered, or Circunscripcion. This is where your birth certificate is located. If I am not mistaken, this costs RD$200. Within 30 minutes you will get an "Extracto de Acta de Nacimiento." Make sure you let the people at this office know that the birth certificate is for a passport.
- Once you have this, get this document legalized. There is a small office, Legalizaciones, at "La Feria," (Centro de los Heroes). You go in, pay the impuesto, which is about RD$200. Wait in line and within 15-20 minutes your document is legalized and stamped. If a person outside of the office, a Buscon, tries to offer a fee to do this for you, refuse them. You can do this yourself and will be cheaper.
- Once you have this, get THREE passport photos, standard size (2x2). Make sure it is on a white background and you are not smiling in the pics. Also, make sure not to have glasses, jewelry or earrings in the photo and women should make sure they have their shoulders covered in the picture.
- Once you have all of this, go to any BanReservas and pay the impuestos, which is basically the cost of the passport. There are two options, with two costs:
A) Normal: 7-day delivery, and costs RD$1,253
B) VIP: Same day delivery and costs RD$2,238
*Note: If you choose for same day delivery, you must hand in your documents before 12pm otherwise you can hand in your documents before 3pm.
Also remember NOT to go to any BanReservas near La Feria. These are usually packed, slow and hectic. Go to one that is in a residential or commercial area, where you know the service is good. This way you can avoid headaches.
- Once you have all your documents (legalized birth certificate, copy of your cedula, your original cedula, impuestos from BanReservas, your THREE photos and a photocopy of everything), take this to the Direccion General de Pasaportes, also located at la Feria, right across the street from IMPOSDOM and the Maunaloa nightclub. The people at the front desk will check everything for you and make sure you are squared away.
Note: If you were born in the DR, you will proceed as normal, and stand in line like the others. BUT if you were born outside the DR and are a naturalized Dominican citizen make sure you speak up and let this be known. They will then send you to a special place called "Naturalizacion," (Naturalization). This is a special area for those who are foreign born "Dominicans."
You go here, hand in the documents, have your fingerprints taken, and they will return a sheet to you. This sheet is your receipt. Bring this back a week later, with your original cedula, to retrieve your passport.
And that's the process. Like I stated, previously, if you know what you are doing, you can get this done in one day. If not, start on a Monday and hand in your stuff by Tuesday.
Any questions, call: *GOB and have the government operators help you. They might not speak English, but at least they pick up the phone.
And one final though, if you had previously started the process and already have a new birth certificate (with the new format) be mindful that the birth certificate for passports DOES NOT expire. Previously government documents "expired" after three months, but this was just a ploy to get you to pay again. This document DOES NOT expire. Be aware of this in case a buscon or a hustler tries to tell you otherwise.
Mr. Lu