Marriage Green Card · Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic Marriage Green Card: Country-Specific Guides

Dominican nationals applying for a marriage green card go through Consular Processing at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, the only U.S. post in the country. Two things make the Dominican path distinctive: civil documents need no apostille for the visa, and as of July 1, 2025 the JCE issues every acta in one unified format. These guides cover the documents, the medical exam, the interview trip, and what to do if you receive a 221(g).

Embassy

U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo (only post)

Civil documents

JCE Acta Inextensa (no apostille needed)

Panel physicians

Only two, both in Santo Domingo

Format change

Unified acta format since July 1, 2025

Start here: your path, in order

1
Confirm your path. If you are already married, you are on the CR-1/IR-1 consular route through Santo Domingo. If you plan to marry in the DR first, start with the marriage guide.
2
The U.S. citizen or LPR files Form I-130, the petition that starts the case.
3
Gather your civil documents: the Acta Inextensa birth certificate, marriage certificate, any prior divorce decrees, and the police certificate.
4
After I-130 approval, the National Visa Center reviews your documents and you pay the fees.
5
Your interview is scheduled at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo; plan the trip and what to bring.
6
Do the medical exam 2 to 3 weeks before the interview, at one of the two accredited panel physicians.
7
Attend the interview. On approval, your spouse gets a CR-1/IR-1 visa and enters the U.S. as a permanent resident.
8
If you receive a 221(g) at the interview, identify which of the three tracks you are on and respond accordingly.

What makes this pathway different

One Embassy: Santo Domingo

There is a single U.S. consular post in the Dominican Republic. Every immigrant visa interview happens at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo (Av. República de Colombia 57), so all logistics point to one city.

No Legalization Required

Unlike many countries, Dominican civil documents need no apostille or legalization for the U.S. visa. The State Department reciprocity page says so plainly, which saves a step and a fee that applicants often pay by mistake.

The July 2025 Unified Format

On July 1, 2025 the JCE unified all civil documents into one QR-coded format and dropped the 'extracto' and 'inextensa' labels. For older records you still need the Acta Inextensa long-form, never the short extracto.

Only Two Panel Physicians

Just two clinics in Santo Domingo are accredited for the immigrant visa medical exam. An exam from any other doctor is rejected, and a missing or wrong-doctor medical is a common 221(g) hold.

Guides for Dominican Republic applicants

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 Card

You 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 Trip

Logistics 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 Physicians

The 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 Domingo

A 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 Republic

What 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.

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