Government of Canada services and information in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Refer to International adoption.

CONANI (Consejo Nacional para la Niñez y la Adolescencia) is the government entity responsible for the welfare of children in the Dominican Republic as well as all adoptions.

The Embassy of Canada to the Dominican Republic recommends hiring a lawyer to assist you with the details.

Refer to Children born outside of Canada.

If your child is born outside of Canada, you do not need to register the birth in Canada.

Children born in the Dominican Republic do not automatically receive Dominican citizenship. One or both parents must be legal residents of the Dominican Republic in order for the child to be Dominican. In order to obtain a Dominican birth certificate (for Dominicans and legal or illegal resident foreigners), the parents must declare their child’s birth to local authorities at the “Oficialía del Estado Civil” (Spanish only) soon after.

See our Citizenship services section to learn how to apply for your child’s Canadian citizenship once you have obtained the Dominican birth certificate.

Refer to Canadian citizenship.

Apply for Canadian proof of citizenship.

Complete your citizenship application before booking an appointment by email at sdmgo.consul@international.gc.ca to present your documents in person. Bring your online payment receipt to your appointment. Any documents not in English or French must be accompanied by a legal English or French translation.

Pay your application fees online before you apply for citizenship services.

Check application processing times.

Refer to Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Criminal record checks.

Refer to Death abroad.

Refer to Marriage outside Canada.

Marriages legally performed in compliance with the laws of the Dominican Republic are recognized in Canada. Canadians wishing to marry in the Dominican Republic should verify with the Dominican authorities in Canada to ensure they have the following required documents for both parties prior to arriving in the Dominican Republic:

Proof of identity

• a valid Canadian passport
• a birth certificate that includes the names of the parents
• the tourist card received upon entry into the country

Statement of single status

• This document must be submitted in the Spanish language and legally certified. This can be done prior to leaving Canada by visiting the Embassy or one of the Consulates of the Dominican Republic. You may also visit a notary public in Canada to make this declaration, then have the document translated into Spanish and legalized by the Embassy or Consulates of the Dominican Republic.

Divorce papers

• If you are divorced, you must also submit original copies of your divorce papers, along with a Spanish-language translation of the documents. The translation must be legalized by the Embassy or one of the consulates of the Dominican Republic in Canada. Please note that under Dominican law, women who have recently been divorced must wait a minimum of 9 months after the finalization of their divorce before they can remarry. This regulation applies as well to Canadian women wishing to be married in the Dominican Republic.

Death certificate

• If you are widowed, you will need to present an original copy of the death certificate of your deceased spouse, translated into Spanish and legalized by the Embassy or consulates of the Dominican Republic.

Change of name

• If you have legally changed your name, you must submit original documents to the Embassy or consulates of the Dominican Republic for legalization.

Prior to departure, all above documents must be translated into Spanish, legally certified by a professional, and legalized by the Embassy or one of the consulates of the Dominican Republic in Canada.

For further information, please contact the Embassy or consulates of the Dominican Republic.

Acquisition of Canadian citizenship through marriage

Canadian citizenship cannot be acquired through marriage. The Dominican spouse will have to obtain a landed immigrant visa and will only be able to apply for Canadian citizenship after having met the residence requirements in Canada. More information can be obtained from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada or you can submit an enquiry using the IRCC web form to contact a visa office.

Consular officials do not provide any legal advice or represent a person in court. The office provides the following notarial services, by appointment only, to Canadian citizens and, in limited cases, to non-Canadian citizens if the documents are intended for use in Canada.

Note: Documents must be in English or French, or accompanied by an official translation in English or French.

Authentication/Attestation (certify the document signature, the position of an official and the seal are genuine):

• Documents issued in Canada must be authenticated by Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa before the office will certify the documents (fees apply).
• Witness a signature on a Statement in lieu of certificate of non-impediment to marriage abroad form (fees apply).
• Clients requiring information about authenticating documents while outside of Canada, refer to Authentication of documents.

Certified copy (certify the document is a true copy of the original):

• Documents presented by a Canadian citizen or a non-Canadian citizen for use in Canada; exceptions apply (fees apply).
• Government-issued identification requiring a certified true copy (fees apply).

Note: Complete all documents before booking an appointment. Sign all documents in front of the consular officer.

Refer to Canadian passports and travel documents.

You can pay online for all your passport services before completing your passport application.

Book an appointment by email at sdmgo.consul@international.gc.ca to present your documents in person. Bring your online payment receipt to your appointment.

• Report a lost or stolen passport

Refer to Benefits for Canadians living abroad and Retiring abroad.

Same-sex marriages are not recognized in the Dominican Republic.

Refer to Studying abroad and EduCanada.

Refer to Travel documents – Visas.

• Apply to travel, study, work or immigrate to Canada.
• Find a visa application centre (VAC) to book an appointment to give your biometrics (fingerprints and photo).
• Submit an enquiry using the IRCC web form to contact a visa office.

Permanent residents of Canada: Find out how to apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD).

Refer to Voting in an election while outside Canada.