How to get Married in the Dominican Republic

planner · 2014-10-01T14:36:13+02:00

At the request of some members I am opening this thread. FIRST GENERAL INFO :D Types of Marriages Marriages in the Dominican Republic fall generally into one of two categories: “Civil” marriages are those in which the parties themselves register the marriage with the Dominican government. The person officiating at the wedding ceremony is a government official, usually a Notary Public. It is the couple’s choice whether or not to hold a separate religious ceremony. “Canonical” marriages are those performed by a Roman Catholic priest. Following the ceremony, the church takes responsibility for registering the marriage with the appropriate Dominican government offices. Marriages in religious denominations other than Roman Catholicism are fully legal and permitted. However, only the Roman Catholic Church has the ability to register marriages on the couple’s behalf. In the case of wedding ceremonies in other denominations, both members of the couple must present themselves to the governmental registrar’s office to legalize the marriage. Details on this procedure follow below in the section under “Civil Marriages”. Civil Marriages Marriage in the Dominican Republic is a civil contract between a man and a woman who have freely agreed to marry and have the capacity to do so. In order to get married in the Dominican Republic, a man and woman must meet the following conditions: The parties must express their free will to marry; Men between 16 and 18 years old, or women between 15 and 18 years old may get married without the consent of their parents. Any required consent must be in writing and notarized, unless the person required to give this consent does so while attending the wedding ceremony; and A man younger than 16 and a woman younger than 15 may not get married, even with their parents’ consent, although a judge may grant an exception for significant reasons. No person may be married before a prior marriage is dissolved. A divorced woman cannot get married until 10 months after her divorce has become final, unless her intended husband is the same person she has divorced. The government official performing the civil ceremony has the authority, at the time of the ceremony, to waive any of the above requirements. Such a waiver must be made in writing and outline the basis of the waiver. The official performing the ceremony does so in the presence of the parties and witnesses. During the ceremony, the official asks the parties and witnesses whether either of the parties has been married previously, to each other or to other people. The party who has been married previously must supply the date of that marriage and the name of the person who officiated. The Marriage Certificate includes the complete names of the spouses, the evidence of their written consent, a declaration they have been united in matrimony and the date of the celebration and the signatures of the Officer, the spouses and the witnesses. After the celebration the marriage is registered in the appropriate civil registries. Civil marriage is dissolved by the death of one of the spouses or by divorce. Canonical Marriages A Canonical marriage performed by a Roman Catholic priest has the same legal effect as a civil marriage. As was stated in the introductory section above, however, there is a procedural difference, insofar as the priest in a Canonical marriage is responsible for transmitting the registration documents to the appropriate Dominican government office(s). Even if a civil ceremony has taken place prior to the Canonical ceremony, the officiating priest must still send a copy of the marriage certificate to the government registry. Matrimonial Property Laws Dominican law presumes that the parties in a marriage enjoy Community Property rights. However, if the parties choose to enter into a different type of agreement, this is permitted. Dominican law outlines a number of systems from which the parties may choose. The spouses may also amend any one of these systems or create one of their own, provided that the final agreement is in keeping with Dominican legal principles. When the parties opt for a system other than Community Property (such as Separate Property, outlined beginning on page 4 below), they must put this in writing and have it approved by a Dominican government official. Community Property Systems 1. Legal Community: This is the most common community property system in effect in the Dominican Republic. The following three features are present and essential: The existence of three types of properties -- common property, property owned by the wife, and property owned by the husband. Under legal community systems, all movable property and its earnings, as well as real estate property acquired during the marriage, are common property. The power of the husband over the administration/management of the estate, which cannot be ignored or restrained through any clause or matrimonial agreement; and The existence of guarantees for the woman against bad management of the property by the husband. These guarantees may include, among others, judicial division of the property and/or liens against any real estate owned by the husband. With regard to point (1) above, it is worth noting that “common property” is further sub-divided into “ordinary property” and “reserved property.” Ordinary property enters the marriage having belonged to one spouse or the other but, based on the marriage, becomes the property of both parties. Reserved property, on the other hand, is property that resulted from the personal work of the woman or from savings that arose from such work. Following the marriage, reserved property generally continues to be administered/managed by the woman, but legally it is the common property of both parties. 2. Reduced to the Earnings: Under this system, the composition of the common property varies, based on the respective debts (both present and future) of the spouses. Additionally, the value of their respective movable property (both present and future) is excluded from the common property. 3. Universal Community: All properties, present and future, are common property. The spouses equally agree under this system that only their present or future property will be common property. Note: It is possible for the spouses to reject any of the community property systems described above and instead choose their own system. However, it is important to note that doing this will not automatically grant the wife rights to administer her property or to receive its earnings. Property the wife brought into the marriage is considered as awarded to the husband for the purpose of meeting the expenses of the marriage. The spouses may, however, include in their property agreement a clause authorizing the wife to receive a part of her annual earnings for her personal living expenses and needs. Separate Property Systems Separate Property systems do not provide for common property, but rather for property owned by each one of the spouses and over which each one has administration/management, disposition and enjoyment rights. Nonetheless, the wife does not have the right to dispose of her properties without the consentof the husband or a judicial authorization. This system requires the spouses to contribute to the maintenance of their home. Furthermore, movable goods individually owned by each of the spouses are intertwined in reality and must be liquidated in the event the marriage is dissolved. A wife's property can be subjected to claims of creditors for her debts arising before and during her marriage, as well as debts related to the maintenance of a marital home incurred by either spouse, or in case of the insolvency of her husband. The husband, for his part, is responsible for his debts arising before or during the marriage and for the debts contracted by the wife when acting as representative of the marriage. One variation of the separation of property system is the dowry system. The dowry system is a system of separation in which the woman, instead of contributing some or all of her income to the couple's obligations, hands over some or all of her property to her husband, who has the administration and legal enjoyment of it. The wife possesses, in addition to the dowry property, property that is not affected by the home-related obligations, also called "paraphernalia." This type of property is enjoyed by the wife but cannot be disposed of without the consent of the husband or judicial authorization. SECOND here is the information for AMERICAN CITIZENS - taken from the US Embassy website: :D Legal Options For Marriage in the Dominican Republic The following information is for the guidance ONLY of civilian U.S. citizens contemplating marriage in the Dominican Republic. U.S. Diplomatic and Consular Officers DO NOT have the legal authority to perform marriages. Marriages CANNOT be performed within the Embassy or within a U.S. Consular Office in the Dominican Republic. General Requirements for Foreigners to Marry in the Dominican Republic In order to get married in the Dominican Republic, a man and a woman must be of a certain minimum age (16 for men, 15 for women), be legally eligible to marry, and be entering into the marriage contract of their own free will. Failure to comply with any of these basic criteria could mean that Dominican authorities will decline to register the marriage as legal. Additionally, foreigners who wish to get married in the Dominican Republic must comply with the following requirements and present the following documentation: The original passport and copies of the passport bio-page; Copies of last entries stamps; Proof of Dominican residence (if not a resident of the Dominican Republic, an additional fee applies and tourist card must be presented); Sworn declaration before a notary public, of being single and eligible to marry; the sworn declaration then needs to be legalized at the Offices of Procuraduría General de La República. If the Sworn declaration is done before a U.S. notary, it then needs to be legalized at the closest Dominican Consulate in the U.S. (In the past, the U.S. Embassy allowed U.S. citizens to swear such an affidavit of eligibility to marry before a U.S. consular officer. The Embassy discontinued this practice several years ago, however, because local officials were interpreting these documents as meaning that the Embassy had actually verified the content of the citizens’ statements, when in fact the consular officer was merely attesting to the fact that the individual in question had made the statement. U.S. citizens needing to comply with this requirement should instead present themselves to a Dominican notary –as specified above-.) Copy of foreign birth certificate and a legal translation of the certificate; central authorities in both the United States and the Dominican Republic now authenticate their own public documents, such as birth, death or marriage certificates, with a certificate of apostille (name of the authentication stamp). You can get your document apostille at the office of Vital Records in your state. If divorced, copy of the divorce certificate and legal translation of the certificate; 2 witnesses (not family). Additionally, Dominican law requires that notice of the intended marriage must be published prior to the ceremony. Fees Celebration of marriages at the Civil Registry Office “Oficialia Civil”: Both the bride and groom are foreigners not residents of the Dominican Republic - RD $20,000.00 One is a foreigner not resident of the Dominican Republic - RD $10,000.00 Both the bride and groom are foreigners residents of the Dominican Republic - RD $3,000.00 Celebration of marriages outside the Civil Registry Office (if the Civil Registry Officer goes somewhere else than the “Oficialia Civil” to celebrate the marriage): Both the bride and groom are foreigners not residents of the Dominican Republic - RD $20,000.00 One is a foreigner not resident of the Dominican Republic - RD $15,000.00 Both the bride and groom are foreigners residents of the Dominican Republic - RD $10,000.00 **For updated information on the fees, visit the Junta Central Electoral´s oficial fee webpage (information available only in Spanish)

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plannerDominican Republic Expert05 December 2014 22:04:07

#41

17111

Us women DO NOT like it...

Bob KVIP Member06 December 2014 09:23:15

#42

7675

I would imagine not. It is a totally different culture here as you know. I know of lots of married expats who after a time here start to think with their "little' heads

Bob K

stumpyLaos Expert06 December 2014 23:38:33

#43

17960

And unfortunately in many cases it is the "little head" that wins in the thinking contest...

Have seen it happen countless number of times in my travels.

gypsy401Serial expat07 December 2014 00:18:30

#44

659

all you have to do is go to an american wxpress office at the end of the month or the beginning & listen to the phone calls, that plus the cell calls. a bunch of chicas laughing & teasing the caller as they check on the progress of the $$$$. . I received an e-mail of a very hairy leg in a cast. it was supposed to be the broken leg of my GF's 10 year old son. she needed $$ to get him out of the hospital. needless to say, that ended the relationship. I wonder how many times that photo was passed around. I'm not saying all the women are like that, but beware & take your time. many Oscars shoild be given to these girls. have several freinds who have very successful marriages. unfortunately they are not the norm. be optimistic & go slowly. good luck, be happy.

danielhoerNew member20 December 2014 19:40:09

#45

Fascinating info - very thorough.. thank you for sharing !

Yasmin isabelMember30 December 2014 23:59:03

#46

It says that you would need to show your birth citificate but I was wondering if you can use your passport as id as they allow this in England when apply for marriage?

plannerDominican Republic Expert31 December 2014 01:32:24

#47

17111

No you must have the birth certificate.

Bob KVIP Member31 December 2014 02:20:43

#48

7675

And it needs to be an original

Bob K

Yasmin isabelMember31 December 2014 05:07:46

#49

Ohh right hmmm my birth certificate has a different name to my passport

Bob KVIP Member31 December 2014 08:42:14

#50

7675

An original marriage certificate and or divorce document should solve that. Or if you had your name changed legally then those papers will be needed.

Bob K

plannerDominican Republic Expert31 December 2014 10:50:04

#51

17111

Exactly, and they need to be translated by an official translator and aposilized (however you spell that)

Yasmin isabelMember31 December 2014 23:57:49

#52

Thank you for that 😊

Bob KVIP Member01 January 2015 09:06:07

#53

7675

Good luck

Bob K

HaroldiñoMember09 February 2015 18:49:28

#54

What about religious marriages? As in Catholics etc.

Bob KVIP Member09 February 2015 19:09:58

#55

7675

What about them????

Bob K

plannerDominican Republic Expert10 February 2015 00:33:40

#56

17111

YOu still need all the legal requirements regardless of it is the justice of the peace or a church wedding.

dominicanfunActive member05 April 2015 00:46:13

#57

to marry with the local people ? haha dont do it...

you have maybe like 10-20 % possibility of success, so you may try it but only if you are lucky....

Bob KVIP Member05 April 2015 01:38:25

#58

7675

You are correct...very few make it

Bob K

texasdonkeySerial expat30 May 2015 13:27:02

#59

268

dominicanfun wrote:
to marry with the local people ? haha dont do it...

you have maybe like 10-20 % possibility of success, so you may try it but only if you are lucky....

that's not true!!!

texasdonkeySerial expat30 May 2015 13:28:12

#60

268

we were married all three ways here.

Bob KVIP Member30 May 2015 13:48:36

#61

7675

Congrats to you.
MOST gringo/Dominican marriages here fail and fail big time. Especially when huge age differences which is the norm here.

Bob K

texasdonkeySerial expat30 May 2015 14:03:58

#62

268

that's probably why they fail, I was not interested in younger women like most gringos seem to want.. When I was 39 I could not stand dating 21 to25 year olds in usa

dreamtimeSerial expat30 May 2015 23:02:52

#63

271

21-25 year old American women have absolutely nothing in common except age with the same age range women in most other non-western countries on the planet. That's anything south of the border, in Asia, Eastern Europe. I never liked American women in that age range even when I was that age range

plannerDominican Republic Expert01 June 2015 10:20:43

#64

17111

Statistics don't lie - marriage is hard enough period. 50% end in divorce in north america - add in cultural, financial, age (sometimes), language and educational differences and it is really really tough to make it work.

Texas if you are an example of one that works - EXCELLENT!!! Thomas is another one, and I know several more. They are few and far between and tend to function best outside of tourist and expat areas.

pammyfourActive member01 June 2015 11:26:01

#65

Planner, I really like the way you think! As far as intercultural marriage, been there when I was very young. And it can be very difficult. That's how I learned Spanish at the beginning.... My entire social sphere consisted of Colombians... In the US! I went through culture shock twice, lol. When we got married then when we divorced, too. But I acquired another language out of that experience. Now I feel very differently, being older and understanding the culture much better. But it is a tough challenge, depending on a lot of things.

pammyfourActive member01 June 2015 11:27:33

#66

Bob KVIP Member01 June 2015 12:44:28

#67

7675

Sounds like you did all right. Nothing like maturity

Bob K

isaacb20747Active member08 June 2015 20:54:02

#68

Hello Bob and everyone here.

It has been a long time since I responded here. This topic has just been placed on my table. I have met a very nice lady in Santiago who really loves me and want to marry me. She has everything I like in a woman I would marry plus a extra bonus. As you may know I am a US citizen and I have been divorce since December of 2008. She is very shy but smart and has a good career job. Her mother did a very good job or threaten and control her. She has been shelter, so I have to take the lead on everything including buying property. I assume married will make it a lot easier for me to buy or rent property for us in Santiago. I just want to take the right steps and share with her.

Thanks
Isaac

plannerDominican Republic Expert08 June 2015 21:10:15

#69

17111

Congrats. Being married will have no bearing on buying or renting property. However once married you can get your citizenship a whole lot easier...

PARADISECATSerial expat09 June 2015 00:45:06

#70

651

Congrats Isaac, what is the age difference? I have also been dating a Dominican young lady for a few years. I must tell you to be very observant of the family needs, because in many occasions even though she might have a good career, there is usually certain expectations that are not brought to light until after you are married. If there is no rush, I suggest you live with her for a bit, since it takes about 2 years for someone to show you their true colors. I don't know anything about you, but let me suggest the book.....3% man and no more Mr. Nice guy, those 2 books were like taking the little red pill in the movie the Matrix

Bob KVIP Member09 June 2015 02:01:28

#71

7675

Massagewiz is giving you some great information. What is the age difference??

No different buying homes, condos, rentals. Just know that if it does not work out she will end up with most if not all of it.

Take it slow,.... very slow

Bob K

isaacb20747Active member09 June 2015 12:35:05

#72

Hello. Thanks for the responses. I am older, about 20 years which she said she had no problem with. I agree, to check her out for a year or more being married before. I notice some things I did not agree with my first wife, and I did it anyway. Big mistake. I have notice some things with her that make me have second thoughts and as we agree, string it out a few years. I am happy with the way things are going in my life and really do not have to get married again. She is a very nice lady who would be a good wife. The only problem is her mother has control of what she does. She has not been expose to a lot of things being under her mother wing of control. She is use to being led instead of taking control of her life (mother). She is 31. I told her I would support her in whatever she wants to do in her career. She was happy to here that. If not me, some man will have a good wife.

texasdonkeySerial expat09 June 2015 13:14:31

#73

268

I don't usually like giving advice to marriage but its really no different then getting married to someone in the USA or any country for that matter..If you have a good one you will know it. Mine was a gift from God jajajajaja

gypsy401Serial expat09 June 2015 15:00:50

#74

659

Don't expect that the mothers control will magically disappear when married. It won't change. When thinking of the steps to marring someone, it is necessary to also know the steps & pitfalls of divorce. This is not negative thinking, just realistic thinking. It takes a lot of luck, fortitude & empathy to make a marriage work. Strength & the will to set the rules of conduct, who else you will have to support (her family) etc. Taking your time is the only way to see the potential future, especially if you are living together before you take that finial step. Yes, a couple of years will make or brake the relationship what you give now sets a precedence that will prove difficult to change down the road. Does she or you have any children? If so, it complicates everything. Good luck with her. Just proceed as if you were walking on an icy sidewalk & you'll do fine.

Bob KVIP Member09 June 2015 21:02:49

#75

7675

Oh you are in for a very rough time.

Bob K

plannerDominican Republic Expert09 June 2015 23:18:12

#76

17111

OMG dead on Gypsy! Great point, if she is under mom's thumb that is not about to change any time soon. YOu are marrying mom too!!!!!!!!!!!

Bob KVIP Member10 June 2015 02:37:37

#77

7675

Not only mom but sisters brothers, grandmas, aunts, cousins, and any other blood relatives. You will be supporting them all in one way or another.

Bob K

isaacb20747Active member10 June 2015 17:42:28

#78

Hello everyone
Yes, I expect it will be her, mom, little sister and her baby. So, most marriages there are packages deals. Well, I will probably just be friends and remain the lone ranger. I still have my son who is going to the air force and my daughter who is going to Penn State this year to support. I also still enjoy being free. Thanks everyone for your input. My plans are to have a apartment in Santiago next year, so we may be neighbors soon.

Isaac

PARADISECATSerial expat10 June 2015 18:36:04

#79

651

Sounds like you have done a good job with your kids Isaac, they appear to have a bright future ahead of them, and that say a lot about you as a person.....just like gypsy said, take your time....I was always told that it takes about 2 years for the initial cupid arrow's hit to wear off......right after that is when you will know if she is a keeper or a leave her If you wish to date, then that is cool, but you will need time to observe and talk to her to see where her head is at. There is a Cuban movie called: Un Rey en Havana( A King in Havana) Netflix or Amazon Videos probably have it for rent. What the first 20 minutes of the movie and you will see a similar situation as the one you just layed out....The only difference is that the story takes place in Cuba It is one of my favorite movies since it gives you a glimpse as to how you are viewed when you are an American Gringo. The movie is subtitled, but worth watching, it is a comedy. You will many similarities between the Cuban and Dominican culture. I would also love to provide with a link that has helped me navigate my recent breakup with my Dominicana, I have learned a lot and hope to learn more....Best wishes amigo. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZltMO7yeY7A I will send it in a private message as well

Brian007New member10 June 2015 19:15:58

#80

I'm new to the blog here. I'm curious about something- So in all cases with a Dominican woman you will be expected to support her entire extended family? What if you tell her you do not want to? I can see helping her parents out and maybe a sister/brother, but more than that really seems like you are being used and asking too much.

Also- I have had a relationship with a Dominican woman that ended not too long ago. I did not experience a lot of the things that have been mentioned on this site. She never really asked me for money and didn't just assume I would pay for everything; and she definitely didn't ask me to pay for stuff for her daughter or family. Sometimes I voluntarily would pay for small stuff because it was obvious she didn't make that much money and it wasn't that big of a deal for me to do this (Heck I do a lot more of this in the US which is way more expensive than the DR). I definitely noticed some cultural differences, but in a sort of short time I was introduced to her family and practically treated as one of the family- very friendly to me. I did notice some cultural differences for sure, but in the end I wasn't interested because she really seemed lazy to me. She wanted to come the US with me, but she wasn't making hardly any effort to learn English (After a year and half:) and I didn't see how she would really adapt well to life in the US- much faster pace than the DR. However, I am still pretty interested in looking at potentially developing a long-term relationship with a Dominican woman; I'm just very attracted to them (It's not like its easy at all in the US; believe me I have tried more than you can imagine).

Also- has anyone found that Dominicans are not concerned about their age being accurate? I met this other women and she showed me her birth certificate. I noticed pretty quickly that the birth date on the birth certificate and the one on her drivers license/ID did not match- 4 years difference. I have met other Dominican women and it doesn't seem too hard to pick out the ones that are only after money and could care less about you.

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