Pathway

Dominican Republic Ordinary Residence

Updated October 8, 2026

Pathway overview

At a glance

If you plan to settle in the Dominican Republic, you can apply for ordinary temporary residence, currently called RT-9. This status lasts one year. You need a residence visa, the required local financial evidence, and the documents and medical checks requested by the immigration authority.

Who qualifies: Foreign nationals with an RS visa and accepted Dominican financial evidence
Documents: Identity, financial, and immigration records
Health requirements: A guarantee policy and medical examination from providers accepted by immigration

Summary

The Dominican Republic’s ordinary temporary-residence category, RT-9, offers a renewable stay supported by a residence visa, accepted Dominican financial evidence, and annual immigration checks. The application includes the required medical and guarantee-policy records.

Confirm a planned job under the appropriate labor and immigration rules instead of assuming ordinary residence authorizes it. Older references to RT-4 can be misleading: the current immigration service uses that code for the religious category.

The residence visa precedes the annual RT-9 process

Confirm the ordinary residence category Check that RT-9 fits the proposed settlement and activities.
Prepare the residence visa and supporting file Document the required local finances and personal records.
Complete the immigration and medical checks Follow the annual permission and renewal requirements if approved.

RT-9 is not a student permit or automatic authorization to work; employment may require separate approval.

Eligibility

Residence visa and entry

The RT-9 checklist requires an RS residence visa and the subsequent entry stamp. A tourist stay alone does not satisfy this requirement.

Evidence of your finances in the Dominican Republic

The current checklist calls for Dominican financial or property evidence. Bank records normally need DOP 300,000; the stated minimum is DOP 150,000 when married to a Dominican citizen. Property evidence requires its legal-status certification.

Required guarantee policy and medical examination

Use an insurer and medical institution accepted by DGM. These are separate from showing that you can support yourself.

Documents for your application

Provide the passport, legalized birth and relationship records, police certificates, photographs, and any naturalization or name-change records applicable to you.

What This Route Allows

RT-9 provides one year of ordinary temporary residence, subject to renewal. Keep copies of the first card and each renewal because they matter to a later status change.

What This Route Is Not

RT-9 is not a student permit or an automatic work authorization. Confirm the correct residence and labor category for a planned job. Older pages sometimes use RT-4 for ordinary residence; DGM’s current service uses RT-9 and labels the religious category RT-4.

Next Steps

Start with the consular RS visa requirements and the current RT-9 checklist. Secure the Dominican financial evidence, and keep the online application active while completing the required steps.

Sources

Official requirements