Getting Married
in the Dominican Republic

The process is simple except all documents need to be translated into Spanish before your arrive

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Dominican Republic
Marriage Requirements

Residency

None.

Marriage License

None required. (Something of a first!) Instead, you need to register with the Oficial de Estado Civil (City Clerk) and pay a RD$50 fee.

Required Documents

The following needs to be submitted to the City Clerk in the locality of the marriage. Legal transcripts of the birth certificates, single status affidavit and divorce act need to be prepared at the Dominican consulate in the country where the documents were issued.

a) passport
b) birth certificate
c) Single status affidavit translated into Spanish by an official translator
d) Divorce certificate, where necessary, translated into Spanish by an official translator

Two witnesses are needed for the ceremony. Foreign witnesses will need passports for ID.

Following the marriage, a document is provided stating the ceremony took place. A marriage certificate needs to be requested from the ?Oficial de Estado Civil? (City Clerk) that married you.

These steps are quite simple but resort wedding consultants can often reduce the work to zero.

For Roman Catholic religious ceremonies:

1. An authorization from an archbishop in the couple's country of residence to the local archdiocese, if the couple wishes to marry in the Roman Catholic Church.

2. Pre-marriage Certificate.

3. Civil marriage certificate legalized by the Dominican Consulate, if the couple has already contracted a civil marriage in their country.

4. Baptismal certificates for both bride and groom.

5. Confirmation certificates for the couple and church certificate of annulment (if applicable).

Roman Catholic churches performing weddings for foreign couples:

- Iglesia de San Estanislao [St. Stanislas Church] in Altos de Chavón (La Romana)

- Basilica de Higüey [Higüey Basilica] or Nuestra Señora de Altagracia [Our Lady of Altagracia] (Higüey).

- Catedral de San Felipe [St. Philip's Cathedral] in Puerto Plata (Puerto Plata).

- Catedral Primada de Santo Domingo [Santo Domingo Primada Cathedral]

- Catedral de Santiago Apóstol [Apostle James Cathedral] (Santiago).

Synagogue:

- Synagogue of Sosúa (Puerto Plata)

To Marriage Laws, All Islands

To Dominican Republic Homepage

(GTCV.com is not responsible or liable for any changes in requirements or errors or omissions. It is your responsibility to take charge of your own wedding.)