Dominican Republic Civil Documents · Updated August 2026
The Civil Documents You Need From the Dominican Republic for a U.S. Marriage Green Card
Everything a Dominican spouse needs to gather for a U.S. marriage green card: your acta de nacimiento, a police certificate from the Procuraduría, and your marriage record, all from the JCE.
Quick answer
For a U.S. marriage green card, the Dominican spouse generally needs the Birth Certificate, Police Certificate, and Marriage Certificate. An apostille is generally not required by USCIS for a filing inside the U.S. Non-English documents need a certified English translation, which you can self-certify.
- 3 core documents
- Birth Certificate
- Police Certificate
- Marriage Certificate
- No apostille needed
For a filing inside the U.S., USCIS accepts a certified copy plus an English translation.
- Translate it yourself
Any bilingual person can certify the English translation. No licensed translator required.
The documents you actually need
Start with these core records in order. Each one lists who issues it, what it costs, how long it takes, and exactly what USCIS wants.
Birth Certificate
What USCIS needs: For records issued before July 1, 2025, USCIS and the Santo Domingo embassy want the full-form Acta Inextensa (not the short extracto), because it lists parents and full registration detail. As of July 1, 2025 the JCE moved to a single unified format, so newer actas no longer carry the inextensa/extracto label and are accepted as issued.
How to get it: Request it at any JCE service center, the local Oficialía del Estado Civil where the birth was registered, or online at jce.gob.do. Bring your cédula. If the record is only on paper in the original oficialía, it may need to be transcribed into the digital system first.
- Issued by
- Junta Central Electoral (JCE)
- Cost
- Approx RD$600 (about US$10); a priority copy costs roughly RD$500 extra
- Timing
- Same day to a few days if your record is already digitized; longer if the older paper record must be located and transcribed
Police Certificate
What USCIS needs: Required for consular processing if you are 16 or older. For adjustment of status inside the U.S., USCIS does not routinely ask Dominican applicants for a home-country police certificate, but many gather one anyway in case it is requested.
How to get it: Register and apply online at pgr.gob.do, or in person at a Centro de Atención al Ciudadano. You need a copy of your cédula (or passport for non-citizens). Pay the fee at Banco de Reservas or online through the PGR portal.
- Issued by
- Procuraduría General de la República
- Cost
- Approx RD$800 (about US$14), increased from RD$600 in January 2026
- Timing
- Often issued within a few business days; about five business days for foreign nationals applying in person with a passport
Marriage Certificate
What USCIS needs: The marriage certificate is the core evidence for Form I-130. For records issued before July 1, 2025, request the full-form Acta Inextensa de Matrimonio rather than the short extract, because it shows the complete registration detail USCIS expects.
How to get it: If you married in the Dominican Republic, request the acta de matrimonio from the JCE (the Oficina Central de Registro Civil in Santo Domingo or a JCE service center) or online at jce.gob.do. If you have not married yet and need to marry there, an unmarried person provides a single-status affidavit (declaración jurada de soltería).
- Issued by
- Junta Central Electoral (JCE)
- Cost
- Approx RD$600 (about US$10) for a certified copy
- Timing
- Same day to a few days once the record is in the JCE system
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At a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Apostille status | The Dominican Republic joined the Hague Apostille Convention, in force since August 30, 2009. Apostilles are issued by MIREX (Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores). For USCIS purposes an apostille is generally NOT required: the State Department notes legalization of Dominican civil documents is not needed for visa applications, and USCIS accepts the JCE-issued original with a certified English translation. |
| How records are kept | Civil records sit with the JCE through local Oficialías del Estado Civil. Older records may only exist on paper in the original oficialía and can require transcription into the JCE digital system before a certified copy issues. Since July 1, 2025 records use one unified national format. |
| Typical time to gather | Most JCE actas issue same-day to a few days when digitized; a police certificate takes a few business days. Budget extra time if an older record must be located and transcribed. |
| Translation | Spanish-language documents need a certified English translation for USCIS. USCIS allows a competent bilingual person to translate and self-certify accuracy, so you do not have to pay a professional translation service. |
Source: U.S. State Dept Reciprocity Schedule: Dominican Republic. Verified August 2026. Need to translate a document? See our certified translation guide.
What officers watch for
Full document reference
Every civil record from the Dominican Republic that can come up in a marriage green card case, with the issuing authority, cost, and how to obtain it.
| Document | Issuing authority | Cost | How to obtain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth Certificate | Junta Central Electoral (JCE) | Approx RD$600 (~US$10) | JCE service center or jce.gob.do; ask for the Acta Inextensa if issued before July 2025 |
| Marriage Certificate | Junta Central Electoral (JCE) | Approx RD$600 (~US$10) | JCE Oficina Central de Registro Civil or jce.gob.do; request the full-form acta de matrimonio |
| Divorce Decree | Junta Central Electoral (JCE) / court | Approx RD$600 (~US$10) | Registered divorces are recorded with the JCE; request the acta de divorcio |
| Death Certificate | Junta Central Electoral (JCE) | Approx RD$600 (~US$10) | Request the acta de defunción from the JCE where the death was registered |
| Police Certificate | Procuraduría General de la República | Approx RD$800 (~US$14) | Apply online at pgr.gob.do or in person with cédula or passport |
Go deeper: detailed Dominican Republic guides
Step-by-step guides for the specific documents and steps in a the Dominican Republic marriage green card case.
- Dominican Birth Certificate (Acta de Nacimiento)U.S. immigration needs the Acta Inextensa long-form, or a post-July-1-2025 unified acta, never the extracto. Covers the 2025 format change, why no apostille is needed, the AOS vs Santo Domingo translation split, and ordering from the JCE or the U.S.
- Dominican Marriage Certificate (Acta de Matrimonio)The Acta Inextensa de Matrimonio for your I-130 and NVC, the prior-divorce documents NVC requires (including the petitioner's), the 2025 format change, and why no apostille is required.
- Dominican Police Certificate (Buena Conducta)The Certificación de Buena Conducta from the Procuraduría General, orderable online from anywhere, usually same-day. Who needs one, the signed-vs-unsigned copy question, the 2026 fee, and why no apostille is required.
- The Dominican Cédula and Your Green CardYou do not submit the cédula, but a valid one is what lets you order the documents you do submit, and the DS-260 asks for the number. Covers the 2026 nationwide new-cédula rollout.
- Santo Domingo Interview TripLogistics for the U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo interview: the medical exam timing, the originals to bring, document deposit at the VAC in Sambil, where to stay, and how the passport is returned by courier.
- Santo Domingo Panel PhysiciansThe only two accredited clinics, Consultorios de Visa and Servicios Médicos Consulares, with addresses, hours, and what to bring. Plus exam timing and how results reach the embassy.
- Common 221(g) Refusals at Santo DomingoA 221(g) is a pause, not a denial. The three tracks (document deficiency, administrative processing, possible ineligibility), the 2025 rise to ~19%, timeframes, and how to submit documents.
- Getting Married in the Dominican RepublicWhat a U.S. citizen needs to marry in the DR, the reversed apostille direction for your U.S. documents, and how marrying first leads to the CR-1/IR-1 path through Santo Domingo.
What applicants report
“The most common Dominican filing mistake in the community is submitting the short extracto acta instead of the full-form Acta Inextensa. For any record issued before July 2025, filers report you must specifically ask the JCE for the inextensa version, and bringing the original (not just a copy) to the Santo Domingo interview is strongly advised.”
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See how it worksFrequently asked questions
Do I need the Acta Inextensa or the regular birth certificate?
If your record was issued before July 1, 2025, get the full-form Acta Inextensa, which USCIS and the Santo Domingo embassy prefer because it shows complete registration detail. As of July 1, 2025 the JCE uses a single unified format, so newer actas no longer carry the inextensa or extracto label and are accepted as issued.
Do my Dominican documents need an apostille for USCIS?
Generally no. The State Department notes that legalization of Dominican civil documents is not required for visa purposes, and USCIS accepts the original JCE-issued acta with a certified English translation. The Dominican Republic can issue apostilles through MIREX if a specific process ever requires one.
Where do I get a Dominican police certificate and what does it cost?
Request the Certificación de No Antecedentes Penales from the Procuraduría General, online at pgr.gob.do or in person at a Centro de Atención al Ciudadano. The fee is approximately RD$800 (about US$14) as of 2026, and foreign nationals applying in person typically wait about five business days.
Do my Spanish documents need to be translated?
Yes. Any Spanish-language document filed with USCIS needs a full English translation. USCIS lets a competent bilingual person translate it and sign a short certification of accuracy, so you do not have to hire a professional translation service.
What if we married in the United States instead of the Dominican Republic?
Then you use your U.S. state marriage certificate as the marriage evidence. You only need the Dominican acta de matrimonio if the wedding actually took place in the Dominican Republic.
Key takeaways
- ✓
The core documents most Dominican applicants need are the Birth Certificate, Police Certificate, Marriage Certificate.
- ✓
Dominican Republic is a Hague Apostille Convention member, but USCIS generally does not require an apostille for a marriage green card filed inside the U.S.
- ✓
You do not need a licensed translator: any competent bilingual person can translate a document and self-certify it for USCIS.
- ✓
A home-country police certificate is generally needed only for consular processing abroad, not for adjustment of status inside the U.S.
- ✓
Order fresh certified copies directly from the official issuer and keep the originals; documents from Dominican Republic draw closer scrutiny.
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