Dominican Republic tourist visa and visa-free entry

Law 875 of 1978 requires a visa from foreigners except nationals of countries with which the Dominican Republic has a visa waiver agreement. MIREX's official consultation tool, queried by nationality and passport type, states whether a visitor may enter without a visa; for some nationalities, for example, it cites Decree 690-07 of 18 December 2007, which allows entry for tourism exclusively. Separately, Decree 691-07 allows foreigners with permanent residence or a valid multiple-entry visa from the United States, the Schengen area, Canada or the United Kingdom to enter for tourism with a valid passport and a tourist card.

Nationals who need a visa present one 2 x 2 inch photo with a white background, an original passport valid for at least six months, a copy of their residence card if they live in a third country, parental or guardian authorisation for minors when the applicant is not the parent, birth or marriage certificates of accompanying family where relevant, current or expired Dominican and other visas, and proof of solvency such as an employment letter and bank statements for the last three months.

Contact the Dominican embassy or consulate nearest to your residence or designated for your jurisdiction, fill in the visa application form and submit the requirements. The service is provided in person and by email, and MIREX's Visa Division gives a response time of 10 to 20 working days. Meeting the requirements does not guarantee approval: the consulate evaluates the file and sends it to MIREX, which takes the final decision.

Visa-free entry is for tourism exclusively. Business trips, studies, work and residence require the corresponding visa from the Dominican consulate with jurisdiction, which MIREX's tool names for each country. Plan these visas before travelling, since residence and work procedures start with a visa issued abroad.