Any one know of a $300.00 USD wedding tax in Dominican Republic?

[The Virginian]

We have relatives headed this way this summer to get married at a local resort on the north coast. The travel agent is charging an additional fee of $300.00 USD and says it is a new law and the entire amount goes to the government. Any one know of this new law?

thanks

[fightfish]

Haven´t heard of that, and I would be skeptical. I do know that the person performing the marriage, the city constaple or judge, charged some fees in a wedding that some friends had awhile back, but they paid that to him in his office. How a travel agent is going to charge for a fee normally charged by the justice of the peace is beyond me.

[The Virginian]

thanks fightfish.

[Chirimoya]

Check this carefully - it might be accurate. There was a report in the DR1 news in the last year or so about a plan to increase these charges for foreigners getting married in the DR, which was met by criticism from the wedding tourism sector for obvious reasons.

[fightfish]

When my friends got married, they went to the local justice and he had them sign some offcial documents regarding their not being currently married to another person, and the marriage license, and there were some fees involved, but they were pretty minimal. Then he appeared at the weding and gave them their vows. The fees, however much they were, were paid directly to him in his office, the same office that processed the paperwork and gave the couple their license, etc. If someone wished to get married in the D.R., either to another foreigner or to a Dominican, they certainly don´t need to declare that to a travel agent, much less pay a travel agent a fee. Thissmells funny. Maybe next the justice of the peace will be booking flights for people while he puts them under oath...

[dv8]

i have gotten married just recently (albeit as a resident, i.e. with dominican price) - charge for marriage of extranjeros outside oficina de estado civil is 8.000 pesos. not a word about any tax.

[MommC]

Originally Posted by Chirimoya

Check this carefully - it might be accurate. There was a report in the DR1 news in the last year or so about a plan to increase these charges for foreigners getting married in the DR, which was met by criticism from the wedding tourism sector for obvious reasons.

Might be worth a post to Fabio in the legal forum......

[Chirimoya]

Originally Posted by dv8

i have gotten married just recently (albeit as a resident, i.e. with dominican price) - charge for marriage of extranjeros outside oficina de estado civil is 8.000 pesos. not a word about any tax.

The report I recall had different categories depending on nationality/status, and yours would be among the least expensive, seeing as you're a resident and miesposo (as he surely is to be known from now on) is Dominican.

[mountainfrog]

Originally Posted by fightfish

... I do know that the person performing the marriage, the city constaple or judge, charged some fees in a wedding that some friends had awhile back, but they paid that to him in his office.

It may also be that they don't have time or staff:
Rechazan solicitudes de bodas por falta de oficiales civiles - DiarioLibre.com

About the fees:
I remember that early last year the JCE-fees were raised considerably:
Wedding Ceremony outside Government Office for two foreigners: 15,000 RD$
ditto, only one being a foreigner......................................... ......8,000 RD$

These, of course, are only the registry office fees and do not include any wedding expenses in a hotel...

m'frog

[DOMINCAN BOY]

Originally Posted by Phil&Gerry

We have relatives headed this way this summer to get married at a local resort on the north coast. The travel agent is charging an additional fee of $300.00 USD and says it is a new law and the entire amount goes to the government. Any one know of this new law?

thanks

Dominicanos pagarán RD$3,000 para casarse y extranjeros RD$15,000 http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/tou...d-by-Dominican