Passive income — Caribbean

🇩🇴Dominican Republic

Pensionado / Rentista (Fast-Track PR)

Last verified · 19 July 2026

Fast-track direct PR with one of the world's shortest naturalisation timelines for investors.

Duration

Direct permanent residency (some describe a ~1-year provisional card first); PR card renewable

Threshold

Pensionado: $1,500/mo pension +$250/dependent. Rentista: $2,000/mo passive income (5-year history). Investor alternative: $200,000 (CD, company or property via company).

Application fee

$1,000–2,500 typical legal fee; consular and cedula fees additional

Path to PR

Immediate PR; citizenship at 2 years for pensionado/rentista, 6 MONTHS via the investor route (Law 1683). Dual citizenship recognised.

Tax treatment

Law 171-07 grants tax incentives to pensioners and rentistas; foreign-source income effectively untaxed.

Family

Spouse and dependents in a single application (+$250/mo per dependent).

Required documents

·Pension letter or notarised proof of recurring passive income (5-year history for rentista)
·Apostilled criminal record and birth/marriage certificates
·Medical certificate issued in the Dominican Republic

Things to know

·Salary or active income disqualifies both categories — pension or passive income only.
·Processing 2–4 months with local counsel.
·No dedicated nomad visa exists as of early 2026 — rentista functions as the de facto route.

Apostille & legalization

Apostille route

Apostille only — both United States and Dominican Republic are parties to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.

Documents that must be apostilled

·Notarised power of attorney
·Marriage certificate
·Police / criminal-record clearance
·Document explicitly flagged for legalisation
·Medical certificate

Bank statements, employment contracts, photos, passport copies and the application form itself do not need an apostille.

Obtain originals or certified copies of each civil/criminal record (birth certificate, marriage certificate, police clearance, diploma, etc.).
Have each document apostilled by the competent authority in United States (U.S. Department of State — Office of Authentications).
Translate the apostilled document into the official language of Dominican Republic — the apostille itself is also translated.
Submit the apostilled + translated bundle directly to the Dominican Republic immigration authority or consulate; no further consular stamp is required.

Translation: Most documents must be translated into the local language by a certified translator. Agency translations are usually accepted.

Issuing authority in United States: U.S. Department of State — Office of Authentications

Documents older than 3–6 months are often rejected. Plan to obtain fresh originals shortly before your visa application.

Official immigration portal

Last verified 19 July 2026 — reconfirm on the official portal before applying.