Documents Required for Dominican Birth Transcription
Your practical guide to the paperwork, apostilles, translations, and parent IDs you need for Dominican citizenship by descent
Dominican citizenship by descent begins with birth transcription, where your foreign birth certificate is registered in the Dominican civil registry. The process may look simple on paper, but in practice, missing apostilles, outdated cédulas, or name differences can delay or even block approval.
With us, you can complete the entire process from the comfort of your own home — no consulate visits required! We review your case, resolve document issues, and deliver your new Dominican birth certificate straight to your door.
Official Core Documents Required
According to the Junta Central Electoral website, the documents to present for transcription are:
Required Documentation Checklist
- Your original, up-to-date long-form birth certificate with apostille
- Original Spanish translation of the birth certificate, legalized (we can get this for you)
- Photo or scan of the Dominican parent's ID card (cédula) or Dominican passport, up-to-date and in good image quality
- Photo or scan of your passport or other current foreign ID (if you are over 15 years old)
If both of your parents are Dominican, then documents for each parent must be presented when we lodge the transcription request.
We also understand that many of our clients are no longer in touch with their Dominican parent. In fact, some are estranged and don’t know how to reach him or her, which can make gathering the required paperwork more challenging. If this is your case, let us know — we can advise you on possible solutions.
Your Birth Certificate
Your birth certificate should be recent, it should be the long-form/complete/full/comprehensive version, and it must have an apostille from your country of birth.
For US-Born Applicants
If you were born in the US, the State where you were born must apostille your birth certificate. When you order your birth certificate, it won't automatically come with an apostille so you must specifically request it. Often US birth certificates are shipped with 2 or 3 adjoining documents such as legalizations, but these are not an apostille. An apostille is easily identifiable because it normally has the word "APOSTILLE" in large letters at the top of the page. If in doubt, ask us.
What to Watch Out For:
- Your Dominican parent's name on your birth certificate must be spelled exactly as it appears in their Dominican documents
- If your mother is Dominican and her surname changed from her maiden name to your father's surname before you were born, we'll need an original long-form version of your parents' marriage certificate with apostille
Please share photos of all your documentation from the beginning so we can review and provide guidance.
Your Dominican Parent's Cédula ID Cards
Almost all Dominican adults have a national ID card called a cédula. It is essential that we include a photo/scan of your Dominican parent's most recent cédula when we lodge the transcription request.
Cédula History:
- Up to 1990s: "Old" cédulas were made of beige-colored card and were roughly the size of a bank account book
- Since approximately 2000: "New" cédulas are made of plastic and are the size of a credit card. All of them are still valid, but they expired in 2024 whilst we wait for the new design.
Once you’ve reviewed the requirements, submit our citizenship assessment form so we can confirm your eligibility.
Common Rejection Reason
If you provide us with a photo of your Dominican parent's old cédula, and the inspectors at the Junta check in the system and see that your parent had/has a more recently issued new cédula, then our request will be rejected.
Getting their hands on the most recent cédula of their parent can be very challenging for many of our clients who have no contact with their Dominican parent, so many ask mutual relatives for help to obtain photos of the front and back of the cédula.
If you’re new to the topic, start with our overview of Dominican citizenship by descent.
Frequently Asked Questions About Documentation for Birth Transcription
1. What version of my foreign birth certificate is required?
The long-form/extended birth certificate is required, issued recently, and legalized with an apostille from the country of birth.
2. How recent must my birth certificate or apostille be?
A recent issuance (often within 6–12 months) is recommended. If yours is older, we will confirm acceptability or advise re-issuance.
3. Do I need a certified Spanish translation?
Yes, non-Spanish documents must be translated by a certified legal translator and legalized in the DR. We include translation/legalization in our service when needed.
4. What documents are needed from my Dominican parent?
A clear photo/scan of the parent’s latest cédula (front and back) or Dominican passport, and when necessary the parent’s Dominican birth certificate. We can obtain Dominican records if you don’t have them.
5. Why must it be the “most recent” cédula?
JCE verifies the current cédula record. If you submit an older, superseded cédula while a newer one exists, the file can be rejected. We check and guide you to avoid this issue.
6. My Dominican parent is deceased—what is required?
An original long-form death certificate with apostille, plus any available Dominican IDs or birth records. We can help locate Dominican documents if missing.
7. Do I need my parents’ marriage certificate?
Not always. It may be required if your Dominican mother changed her surname due to marriage before your birth, or to establish marital status/legitimation. We will advise and obtain it if needed (with apostille/translation if foreign).
8. What if names or dates don’t match across documents?
We examine discrepancies and resolve them via record corrections or sworn statements so JCE accepts your file. Provide all documents early so we can spot issues in advance.
9. Are photocopies or scans acceptable?
We can pre-review scans, but JCE requires original civil records (birth/death/marriage) with apostille/legalizations for filing. We’ll share our shipping address for originals.
10. I was born in the United States—how do I get the apostille?
The apostille must be issued by the Secretary of State of the state where you were born. It does not arrive automatically with the certificate—you must request the apostille specifically. Ask us if you’re unsure what you received.
11. Do I need a police certificate (papel de buena conducta)?
No. A police certificate is generally not required for birth transcription. If any follow-up step requires it, we’ll advise you case-by-case.
12. Are foreign divorce or name-change orders relevant?
Sometimes. If a parent’s legal name changed (marriage, divorce, court order) or they use multiple surnames, we may need those decrees with apostille and translation to align records for JCE review.
13. Do I need to include my own passport or ID?
If you’re 15+, include a clear photo/scan of your current foreign ID or passport to confirm identity along with your apostilled birth certificate and translation.
14. Can you obtain missing Dominican records for me?
Yes. We routinely retrieve Dominican birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates and can search historical archives when required. We’ll confirm feasibility and quote any retrieval costs in advance.
15. What documents are required if I wish to get dual nationality for my young child?
- Original apostilled birth certificate.
- Spanish translation with the corresponding legalization.
- Parents’ documents: copy of Dominican cédula (ID card) or copy of Dominican passport, both up to date.
- Copy of the foreign passport or valid foreign ID of the child, which will be required once the child is over 15 years old.