Another citizenship question?

[irishdomician]

Before anyone scolds me, yes I have searched through previous threads for an answer but my situation is a little different. I'm a Canadian wanting my Dominican citizenship, my father is Dominican born but a Canadian citizen living in Costa Rica were there is no Dominican embassy. How can I get my citizenship?

[Fabio J. Guzman]

Where were you born? If in Costa Rica, you'll need your birth certificate authenticated by the Dominican authorities there (there is a Dominican Embassy in San José - email: embdomcostarica@serex.gov.do). If you were born in the US, the authentication should be done by the nearest Dominican Consulate to the place where you were born.

The steps to be taken are the following:

1. Petition to the Minister of Interior.

2. Affidavit prepared by a Notary Public in which the applicant states his wish to apply for Dominican citizenship.

3. Birth certificate of the applicant, authenticated at a Dominican Consulate and translated into Spanish by an official translator.

4. Birth certificate of the applicant’s Dominican parent (if he was born in the DR, you will obtain this in the DR without any need for authentication).

5. 4 pictures, 2 x 2 inches.

6. Application and newspaper fees.

[DogsRule]

If I have no Dominican relatives, but am a legal resident of the D.R., what do I need to do to become a citizen of the D.R.? I have been told there is no advantage over residency apart from the right to vote in elections and/or to obtain a second passport. What, in your opinion, is the accuracy of that assessment? What are the cost considerations of keeping residency current versus obtaining citizenship? Thank you for your time.

[Chirimoya]

I've just renewed my residency and paid RD$2,500 (includes RD$360 penalty for three months since expiry) so once you have your DR passport you'd be saving yourself that amount each year, as well as the hassle of renewal.