Dominican Republic Civil Documents · Updated May 2026
Dominican Police Certificate (Certificación de Buena Conducta) for U.S. Immigration
One of the easier Dominican documents to gather: you can order it online from anywhere, often the same day.
Summary
The Dominican police certificate is the Certificación de Buena Conducta, issued by the Procuraduría General (Attorney General). You can order it fully online from anywhere at the PGR portal with your cédula, usually same-day. No apostille is required for the Santo Domingo interview. Each applicant 18 or older who lived in the DR for 6+ months needs one. Whether a record is clear, and what any entry means, is a question for an immigration attorney, not this guide.
At a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Document name | Certificación de Buena Conducta (Certificate of Good Conduct), also called the no-antecedentes-penales certificate. |
| Issuing authority | Procuraduría General de la República (Attorney General), through the Centros de Atención al Ciudadano (CAC) and the online portal. |
| Who needs it | Each visa applicant age 18 or older who has lived in the Dominican Republic for 6 months or more. Applicants under 18 are not required to submit one. |
| Cost | RD$800 Dominican pesos in-country as of 2026 (raised from RD$500 in January 2026). Verify before paying. |
| How long it stays current | No fixed expiry, but issue it close to your interview. Consular and immigration reviewers generally expect a certificate issued within the last few months. |
| Apostille / legalization | Not required for the immigrant visa at Santo Domingo. The State Department confirms Dominican civil documents need no legalization for visa purposes. |
What it is and who needs one
The Certificación de Buena Conducta is the Dominican Republic’s police clearance, issued by the Procuraduría General de la República. Unlike the birth and marriage actas, it does not come from the JCE civil registry, and it is not in the unified acta format.
Each visa applicant age 18 or older who has lived in the Dominican Republic for six months or more needs one. Applicants under 18 are not required to submit one. Separately, the consulate expects a police certificate from every country where you lived long enough, so the Dominican certificate may be one of several you gather.
How to order it
The police certificate is the one Dominican document you can fully obtain online from outside the country, which makes it simpler than the JCE actas. Pick one of the first two ways to order (online or in person), not both, then decide whether you need a signed copy.
Step 1: Order online from anywhere (fastest)
Apply through the Attorney General's portal at portal.servicios.pgr.gob.do with your Dominican cédula (national ID) and clear photos of both sides. You do not need to travel or mail your passport, so this works from inside the U.S. The certificate is usually ready the same day.
Step 2: Or apply in person at a CAC
Apply at any Centro de Atención al Ciudadano. Bring your cédula plus a photocopy of both sides and proof of payment (paid through the PGR portal or at Banco de Reservas). In-person certificates are signed by the issuing center; the online version arrives without a handwritten signature.
Step 3: Decide whether you need the signed in-person copy
For the immigrant visa at Santo Domingo, no legalization is required, so the standard certificate is accepted. If another U.S. agency or use later asks for a signed or apostilled copy, request it in person at a CAC, because the online copy is unsigned.
Do you need an apostille?
No. The State Department reciprocity page states that legalization of Dominican civil documents is not required for visa purposes. The standard certificate is accepted at the Santo Domingo interview. Do not pay for an apostille unless a specific U.S. agency asks for one in writing.
If your record is not clear
This page explains how to obtain the certificate. What a record shows, and what any entry on it means for your case, is a legal question, not a document-ordering one. Anything on a criminal record can affect admissibility, and the right next step is to talk to a licensed immigration attorney before you file rather than relying on a general guide. When a marriage green card needs a lawyer walks through when professional help is worth it.
What applicants report
Aggregated from the Procuraduría General portal guidance, the U.S. State Department reciprocity page, and r/USCIS green-card threads (2025–2026). Real applicant reports, not legal advice; your case may differ.
Tips from the community
The online portal really is same-day for most people
Applicants report the PGR online certificate coming back the same day once payment clears, with no passport mailing. That makes it one of the easier Dominican documents to gather for an NVC checklist, especially from the U.S.
Procuraduría General portal guidance; r/USCIS reports, 2025–2026
You may need a DR certificate even if you never held a cédula
A consulate can ask for a Dominican police report from anyone who spent enough time in the country, not only residents. One K-1 applicant who lived in the DR for a few months without ever being a resident or cédula holder was still asked for a Dominican police report.
r/USCIS, April 2026
Time it close to the interview, not months ahead
There is no official expiry, but reviewers expect a recent certificate. Ordering it too early in a long NVC timeline can mean redoing it. Because the online copy is same-day, you can wait until your interview is in sight.
State Department reciprocity page; community timing reports
Get certificates for every country you lived in, not just the DR
The Dominican certificate covers your time in the DR. If you lived elsewhere long enough, the consulate will also want that country's police certificate. Map out every country of residence before your interview so nothing is missing on the day.
U.S. State Department civil-document instructions
In their words
A reminder that the requirement can reach people who never lived in the DR full-time:
“They requested a police report from the Dominican Republic because he lived there a few months last year, even though he was never a resident or cédula holder. He received the apostilled police report from there and has sent it to the embassy.”
Common problems and fixes
| Issue | Fix |
|---|---|
| Brought the online (unsigned) copy where a signed one was expected | For the Santo Domingo immigrant visa the standard copy is fine. If a signed/apostilled copy is requested for another use, get it in person at a CAC. |
| Certificate issued too early in the process | Order it close to the interview; the online copy is same-day, so there is no need to get it months ahead. |
| Only got the DR certificate when other countries applied | Provide a police certificate from every country where you lived long enough, per the consulate's instructions. |
| Applicant under 18 obtained one unnecessarily | Applicants under 18 are not required to submit a Dominican police certificate. |
Sources
- U.S. Department of State: Dominican Republic Reciprocity and Civil Documents (verified May 2026)
- Procuraduría General de la República: Certificación de Buena Conducta (verified May 2026)
- PGR online services portal (order from abroad) (verified May 2026)
- r/USCIS green-card interview threads (community), 2025–2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the Dominican police certificate called and who issues it?
It is the Certificación de Buena Conducta (Certificate of Good Conduct), sometimes called the no-antecedentes-penales certificate. It is issued by the Procuraduría General de la República (the Attorney General) through the Centros de Atención al Ciudadano and the online portal at portal.servicios.pgr.gob.do.
Can I get the Dominican police certificate from the United States?
Yes. Unlike the JCE civil documents, the police certificate can be ordered fully online at the Attorney General's portal with your Dominican cédula and photos of both sides. No travel or passport mailing is needed, and it is usually ready the same day. The online copy arrives without a handwritten signature; if you later need a signed or apostilled copy, request it in person at a Centro de Atención al Ciudadano.
Who has to submit a Dominican police certificate?
Each visa applicant age 18 or older who has lived in the Dominican Republic for six months or more. Applicants under 18 are not required to submit one. Separately, the consulate expects a police certificate from every country where you lived long enough, so a Dominican certificate may be only one of several you need.
How much does it cost and how long is it valid?
In-country it costs RD$800 as of 2026, raised from RD$500 in January 2026. There is no fixed expiry, but issue it close to your interview, because reviewers generally expect a recent certificate. Verify the current fee before paying.
Does the Dominican police certificate need an apostille for the visa interview?
No. The State Department reciprocity page states that legalization of Dominican civil documents is not required for visa purposes, so the standard certificate is accepted at the Santo Domingo interview. An apostille or signed copy is only needed if a specific U.S. agency or a non-visa use asks for one.
What if my Dominican record is not clear?
That is a legal question, not a document-ordering question, and the answer depends on the specifics. Anything on a criminal record can affect admissibility, and the right next step is to talk to a licensed immigration attorney before you file, rather than relying on a general guide. This page only explains how to obtain the certificate itself.
Key takeaways
- ✓
The Dominican police certificate is the Certificación de Buena Conducta, issued by the Procuraduría General (Attorney General), not the JCE civil registry.
- ✓
It can be ordered fully online from anywhere with your cédula, usually same-day, which makes it one of the easier documents to gather from the U.S.
- ✓
The online copy is unsigned; for the Santo Domingo immigrant visa that is fine because no legalization is required. Request an in-person signed copy only if another use needs it.
- ✓
Each applicant 18 or older who lived in the DR for 6+ months needs one; applicants under 18 do not. You also need certificates from every other country you lived in long enough.
- ✓
It costs RD$800 in-country as of 2026 and has no fixed expiry, but issue it close to your interview because reviewers expect a recent certificate.
- ✓
Whether a record is clear, and what any entry means for admissibility, is a legal question for an immigration attorney, not something this guide can answer.
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- 03Consular Processing Guide (2026): Marriage Green Card
- 04Do I Need a Lawyer for a Marriage Green Card?
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