Getting married in Dominican Republic
No blood test and no residency requirement, but the legal route uses a Spanish-language ceremony and a multi-week Spanish certificate — so symbolic-in-country, legal-at-home is common.
Verified June 18, 2026. General planning guidance, not legal advice — rules change and vary by region and circumstance. Confirm with the official source below and your venue or travel advisor before booking.
Required documents
- Valid passports + photocopies (ID page + entry stamp)
- Original birth certificates
- Sworn declaration of single status (legalized at the DR consulate or Procuraduría)
- Final divorce decree / prior spouse's death certificate if applicable
- Two witnesses (not family members) with valid ID
Residency requirement
None. No minimum-stay requirement; planners suggest arriving ~3–5 days ahead for logistics only.
Blood test
Not required.
Apostille & translation
DR is a Hague Apostille country. All foreign documents except the passport must be apostilled in the issuing US state and translated to Spanish by a certified translator. Some advise apostilling within ~3 months of the wedding.
Estimated fees (USD)
~$300–$600 civil ceremony + ~$150–$400 translation/legalization + ~$100 certificate apostille. Often bundled into planner packages (one cited ~$1,850 all-in).
Processing time
Ceremony performed in Spanish by a Civil Status Officer. The official Spanish acta de matrimonio is typically delivered ~4–8 weeks later, then needs apostille + English translation for US use.
Legal ceremony or symbolic?
Most American couples do a symbolic ceremony here and marry legally at home — the DR legal route means apostilled Spanish documents, a Spanish ceremony, and a multi-week wait for a certificate that must then be re-translated.
Source: Marriage in the Dominican Republic — U.S. Embassy
Last verified June 18, 2026 · we re-check quarterly
Note: Catholic ceremonies add pre-marital requirements. Same-sex marriage is not currently permitted. Fee ranges and the 4–8 week timeline come from destination-wedding sources, not an official schedule.