Immigration
Ley 285-04 with residence by investment and a regularisation history
Ley 285-04 and its regulation set out the categories of non-resident and resident status, administered by the Dirección General de Migración with visas issued through the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores. Temporary residence is normally granted for one year and renewed, leading to permanent residence after several renewals, while investors above a statutory threshold may obtain residence on an accelerated basis. A National Regularisation Plan operated from 2014 for undocumented migrants, principally of Haitian origin.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — National; Dirección General de Migración
- Deadline — Residence visa: entry within the validity period, then residence applied for within 60 days of arrival
- Deadline — Temporary residence: renewed annually
- Deadline — Naturalisation: generally after two years of permanent residence
Governing law
- Ley 285-04 General de Migración
- Decreto 631-11Reglamento de Migración
- Ley 171-07incentives for retirees and rentiers
In practice
The sequencing matters: a residence visa obtained at a consulate abroad is only the entry document, and the residence application itself must then be lodged in the country within a short window, which applicants who treat the visa as the endpoint routinely miss. Ley 171-07 offers a distinct and faster route for pensioners and rentiers who can evidence a qualifying monthly income.