Dominican civil records are held by the electoral board, which operates its own offices in the United States alongside the consular network. Certificates can also be requested online through its portal. The consulate’s role in civil matters is narrower: it receives the declaration of a birth abroad, which is what gets a child into the Dominican register in the first place.
Quick facts
To obtain a child’s certificate the birth must already have been declared at a consulate. Requesting the certificate before the declaration exists simply produces nothing.
Fees breakdown
| Service | Cost | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Declaration of a birth abroad | Consular tariff | Consulate |
| Birth, marriage or death certificate | Electoral board tariff | Board office or online portal |
| Identity and electoral card | Board tariff | Board offices in the U.S. |
| Late declaration of a birth | Separate procedure | For unregistered births |
| Minor travel authorisation | $50 | Consular tariff |
Late declaration exists for people whose birth was never registered, and it is a heavier procedure than an ordinary declaration, with more evidence required.
How to file
- Establish whether the event was already declared, and to which institution.
- For a birth abroad, complete the declaration form and file it at the consulate with the U.S. certificate.
- Prove the relationship: parents present their passport or identity card, and anyone else needs written authorisation from a parent.
- Once registered, request the certificate from an electoral board office or through its online portal.
- Check the certificate carries the current format with a barcode or QR code.
- Keep spare copies, since most later procedures require one.
Required documents
- U.S. certificate of the event, original.
- Dominican parent’s passport or identity and electoral card.
- Completed declaration form.
- Written authorisation from a parent where someone else is requesting a child’s certificate.
- Evidence for a late declaration, where the birth was never registered.
- Payment in the accepted form.
Where to file
Declarations at the consulate; certificates and identity cards at the electoral board offices or online.
No offices currently listed.
Additional notes
Online is often fastest
The electoral board portal issues certificates without needing anyone in the country to queue on your behalf, which is the single biggest improvement for the diaspora.
The 2014 format
Certificates issued from 2014 carry a barcode or QR code. Older ones are refused for passports and most legal procedures.
Marriages and divorces
Marriage and divorce records are also held by the electoral board, and a foreign divorce may need recognition before it changes civil status there.
Waiting times
Board offices work by order of arrival. Arriving early matters more than anything else you can control.