Dominican citizenship by descent: who qualifies, the law, and what it takes

Q: Can you claim Dominican citizenship through a parent?

Likely. A child of a Dominican parent is Dominican by birth and is registered at the consulate.

Q: Can you claim Dominican citizenship through a grandparent?

Possible. Nationality passes from parent to child; each generation registers in turn, so your parent establishes their Dominican nationality first, then you.

Q: Can you claim Dominican citizenship through a great-grandparent?

Possible. Nationality passes from parent to child; each generation registers in turn, so your parent establishes their Dominican nationality first, then you.

Through a parentLIKELYCitizen by descent Through a grandparentPOSSIBLECitizen by descent, generation by generation Through a great-grandparentPOSSIBLECitizen by descent, generation by generation

Ways to apply: Citizen by descent (Art. 18(1), (4))
Dual citizenship: Kept, however you apply

Each answer assumes none of your ancestors became a citizen of another country before their child was born. Below is what changes each answer.

On this page

01Who qualifies
02Dates that matter
03Through your mother
04Keeping your citizenship
05Ways to apply
06The documents
07What it takes
08Where the records live
09Law changes
10Other options
11Sources

Who qualifies, generation by generation

LIKELY

Can you claim Dominican citizenship through a parent?

Citizen by descent

A child of a Dominican parent is Dominican by birth and is registered at the consulate.

Children of a Dominican mother or father are Dominican, including those born abroad who acquired another nationality at birth; at 18 they may declare whether they keep both. Constitution of the Dominican Republic (2010), Art. 18(1), (4) and (6): children of Dominican parents, including those born abroad, and direct descendants of Dominicans abroad, Art. 18(1) and (4)

POSSIBLE

Can you claim Dominican citizenship through a grandparent?

Citizen by descent, generation by generation

Nationality passes from parent to child; each generation registers in turn, so your parent establishes their Dominican nationality first, then you.

What would settle itWhether your parent can be registered as a Dominican national first.

Children of a Dominican parent are Dominican nationals; the parent’s own nationality must be established first. Constitution of the Dominican Republic (2010), Art. 18(1), (4) and (6): children of Dominican parents, including those born abroad, and direct descendants of Dominicans abroad, Art. 18(1) and (4)
The Constitution also names “direct descendants of Dominicans resident abroad” as Dominicans; how the civil registry applies this to grandchildren is unsettled. Constitution of the Dominican Republic (2010), Art. 18(1), (4) and (6): children of Dominican parents, including those born abroad, and direct descendants of Dominicans abroad, Art. 18(6)

POSSIBLE

Can you claim Dominican citizenship through a great-grandparent?

Citizen by descent, generation by generation

Nationality passes from parent to child; each generation registers in turn, so your parent establishes their Dominican nationality first, then you.

What would settle itWhether your parent can be registered as a Dominican national first.

Children of a Dominican parent are Dominican nationals; the parent’s own nationality must be established first. Constitution of the Dominican Republic (2010), Art. 18(1), (4) and (6): children of Dominican parents, including those born abroad, and direct descendants of Dominicans abroad, Art. 18(1) and (4)
The Constitution also names “direct descendants of Dominicans resident abroad” as Dominicans; how the civil registry applies this to grandchildren is unsettled. Constitution of the Dominican Republic (2010), Art. 18(1), (4) and (6): children of Dominican parents, including those born abroad, and direct descendants of Dominicans abroad, Art. 18(6)

The dates that matter

No date named in Dominican Republic’s rule decides who qualifies. The answers above turn on the family’s facts, not on when anyone was born or left.

Claiming through your mother or grandmother

Dominican Republic’s rule gives the same answer whether the line runs through a mother or a father. Where its reasons speak of mothers or fathers, they say:

Children of a Dominican mother or father are Dominican, including those born abroad who acquired another nationality at birth; at 18 they may declare whether they keep both. Constitution of the Dominican Republic (2010), Art. 18(1), (4) and (6): children of Dominican parents, including those born abroad, and direct descendants of Dominicans abroad, Art. 18(1) and (4)

Dual citizenship with your home country

You keep your citizenship.

On every open route, the rule lets a citizen of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina or South Africa keep that citizenship.

Holding this citizenship alongside another is addressed by the law cited; check the current position before relying on it. Constitution of the Dominican Republic (2010), Art. 18(1), (4) and (6): children of Dominican parents, including those born abroad, and direct descendants of Dominicans abroad

Every way to apply, and the law behind it

Citizen by descent

Open to you through a parent

LIKELY
Through a parent

The law

Children of a Dominican mother or father are Dominican, including those born abroad who acquired another nationality at birth; at 18 they may declare whether they keep both. Constitution of the Dominican Republic (2010), Art. 18(1), (4) and (6): children of Dominican parents, including those born abroad, and direct descendants of Dominicans abroad, Art. 18(1) and (4)

Citizen by descent, generation by generation

Open to you through a grandparent or a great-grandparent

POSSIBLE
Through a grandparent

The law

Children of a Dominican parent are Dominican nationals; the parent’s own nationality must be established first. Constitution of the Dominican Republic (2010), Art. 18(1), (4) and (6): children of Dominican parents, including those born abroad, and direct descendants of Dominicans abroad, Art. 18(1) and (4)
The Constitution also names “direct descendants of Dominicans resident abroad” as Dominicans; how the civil registry applies this to grandchildren is unsettled. Constitution of the Dominican Republic (2010), Art. 18(1), (4) and (6): children of Dominican parents, including those born abroad, and direct descendants of Dominicans abroad, Art. 18(6)

What would settle an unsure case

Whether your parent can be registered as a Dominican national first.

The documents, as the rule lists them

Citizen by descent

Through a parent

Your parent’s Dominican birth certificate or identity document
Your birth certificate, apostilled and translated

Citizen by descent, generation by generation

Through a grandparent or great-grandparent

Your ancestor’s Dominican birth certificate
Birth and marriage records for each generation, registered in turn

Most countries also want proof that your ancestor didn’t become a citizen somewhere else before their child was born: the naturalization record with its date, or a letter saying there isn’t one.

What it takes: time, cost, the hard part, who decides

Citizen by descent

Time: A few weeks to a few months at the consulate.
Cost: About $150–350: consular fee, apostilles and certified translations.
The hard part: None, usually. Bring your parent’s Dominican birth certificate or cédula and your own apostilled birth certificate.
Who decides: The Dominican consulate for your address, by appointment.
The first record: Your parent’s Dominican birth certificate (acta de nacimiento), from The Junta Central Electoral (JCE). Request the certified copy online through the JCE’s portal or at a civil registry office with the full name and approximate date; it issues in days to a few weeks. jce.gob.do

How it’s filed

Where: A JCE office (Oficina de Servicios en el Exterior) in a Dominican consulate in the U.S., which sends the file to the JCE’s Consultoría Jurídica in Santo Domingo for transcription; or the Consultoría Jurídica itself. office list
How: In person; you appear in person
Form: JCE request for transcription of a birth certificate issued abroad (solicitud de transcripción de acta de nacimiento)
Appointments: JCE Citas, choosing ‘Cita en el exterior’ and the office
Fee: About $30
Decision: 1–12 months

Your consulate

Every office in the United States (8)

JCE office at the Dominican consulate in Boston

Serves Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine

How: In person; you appear in person
Address: 891 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

617-423-3224, Boston@jce.do.

Who qualifies, generation by generation

Can you claim Dominican citizenship through a parent?

Can you claim Dominican citizenship through a grandparent?

Can you claim Dominican citizenship through a great-grandparent?

The dates that matter

Claiming through your mother or grandmother

Dual citizenship with your home country

Every way to apply, and the law behind it

The law

The law

What would settle an unsure case

The documents, as the rule lists them

Citizen by descent

Citizen by descent, generation by generation

What it takes: time, cost, the hard part, who decides

Citizen by descent

How it’s filed

Citizen by descent, generation by generation

How it’s filed

Where each record lives, and how to ask for it

Translations

The passport

Recent and pending changes

If descent doesn’t reach you

Every source on this page

Check your family for Dominican Republic.

Who qualifies, generation by generation

Can you claim Dominican citizenship through a parent?

Can you claim Dominican citizenship through a grandparent?

Can you claim Dominican citizenship through a great-grandparent?

The dates that matter

Claiming through your mother or grandmother

Dual citizenship with your home country

Every way to apply, and the law behind it

The law

The law

What would settle an unsure case

The documents, as the rule lists them

Citizen by descent

Citizen by descent, generation by generation

What it takes: time, cost, the hard part, who decides

Citizen by descent

How it’s filed

Citizen by descent, generation by generation

How it’s filed

Where each record lives, and how to ask for it

Translations

The passport

Recent and pending changes

If descent doesn’t reach you

Every source on this page

Check your family for Dominican Republic.