Legal, tax & relocation consulting services in the Dominican Republic
Turnkey legal and wealth solutions for international clients: territorial tax planning, legal residency establishment, company incorporation (SRL), recurring accounting, vehicle duty exemptions, and real estate due diligence in .
Legal consulting, tax planning, and wealth relocation services
In an international environment shaped by regulatory instability and escalating tax burdens on private capital, Dominicana Way serves as the strategic practice of reference for entrepreneurs, families, and global investors relocating their residency and corporate assets to the Dominican Republic in .
Our advisory scope extends beyond basic administrative filing: we integrate cross-border tax auditing, corporate legal structuring, and direct customs management. We represent our clients across every procedural phase before the Internal Revenue Service (DGII), the General Directorate of Migration (DGM), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX), and the General Directorate of Customs (DGA), ensuring a legally secure, confidential, and fully compliant wealth transition.
1. International tax planning and territorial tax optimization
The core of our practice focuses on structuring your assets to take advantage of the territorial tax principle codified in Articles 268 and 269 of Law 11-92 (Tax Code) with full legal certainty:
Preventative review of departure taxes (exit tax) and severance of the center of vital interests in your country of origin to eliminate double taxation risks before starting relocation.
Individual tax registration (RNC) and procurement of the official Tax Residency Certificate issued by the DGII, serving as binding documentation for foreign tax administrations.
Legal alignment of foreign investment portfolios, offshore dividends, and digital assets to ensure strict application of the 0% territorial tax rate in the Dominican Republic.
Explore statutory brackets and regulations in our detailed guide on taxes in the Dominican Republic.
2. Immigration and residency management: visas, residency, and citizenship
We provide full procedural representation before Dominican immigration authorities under Law No. 285-04 and concordant regulations:
- Residence Visa (RS) processing through MIREX: Preparing the consular file, legalizing and apostilling criminal background checks, birth certificates, and notarized fiduciary guarantee letters.
- Preferential residency for annuitants and retirees (Law 171-07): Direct access to Permanent Residency for individuals with a lifetime pension ($1,500 USD/month) or foreign passive income ($2,000 USD/month), bypassing the five-year temporary residency cycle. Review details in our guide on residency for annuitants and investors.
- Direct investment residency (Law 16-95): Priority processing through ProDominicana for real estate purchases or business investments of $200,000 USD or more.
- Cédula issuance (JCE) & biomedical testing support: On-site coordination at DGM laboratories for serological tests and national ID card (Cédula) processing before the Central Electoral Board.
- Naturalization and Dominican passport filings: Managing dual citizenship applications before the Ministry of Interior and Police after statutory residency periods (fast-tracked to six months for qualifying investors and annuitants).
Review the complete immigration sequence in our guide on how to obtain residency in the Dominican Republic.
3. Company incorporation, corporate structuring, and commercial registry
We design and incorporate tailored corporate entities under General Commercial Companies Law No. 479-08, allowing 100% of corporate equity to be held by foreign shareholders:
We structure operating commercial entities, real estate holding SPVs, and export companies operating under the Free Trade Zone regime (Law 8-90) with guaranteed 0% corporate taxation. Explore formation steps in our guide on how to start a business in the Dominican Republic.
4. Accounting services, auditing, and recurring tax compliance
To ensure your business and fiscal entities operate smoothly without exposure to DGII tax penalties, our accounting department delivers comprehensive corporate secretarial and tax filing services:
Preparation and online filing of individual income tax returns (IR-1, deadline March 31) and corporate returns (IR-2, filed within 120 days of fiscal year-end).
Monthly VAT declarations (Form IT-1 due by the 20th of each month), mandatory reporting of purchases and sales using electronic tax receipts (e-NCF), and withholding tax management.
Registration of employees and corporate directors with the Social Security Treasury (TSS), labor contract filings with the Ministry of Labor, and employer contribution settlements.
5. Vehicle importation and customs duty exemption management
Importing a personal vehicle into the Dominican Republic often presents a complex customs process carrying taxes exceeding 50% of the vehicle value. Our customs team manages the preferential statutory franchise to ensure your vehicle clears customs completely duty-free:
- 100% Exemption under Law 171-07: Procuring the formal ministerial decree from the Ministry of Finance and Customs (DGA) to import one (1) personal motor vehicle free of customs tariffs and DGII initial license plate registration taxes.
- Incentives for electric and hybrid vehicles (Law 103-13): Statutory 50% reduction in customs tariffs, VAT (ITBIS), and first license plate fees for clean energy vehicles.
- Seaport terminal clearance: Coordinating physical ramp VIN inspections at Caucedo Multimodal Port or Rio Haina, settling port handling charges, and issuing the definitive metal license plate and annual road tax decal (*marbete*).
Review age limits and import requirements in our guide on how to import a vehicle to the Dominican Republic.
6. Real estate legal audit (due diligence) and CONFOTUR projects
For clients acquiring luxury villas, tourism condominiums, or commercial land in Punta Cana, Cap Cana, Las Terrenas, or Santo Domingo, we provide independent title and cadastral due diligence:
Legal protection in property acquisitions
- Title search at the Real Estate Registry: Verifying the authenticity of the digital Certificate of Title, certifying encumbrances and liens, confirming the absence of pending litigation, and auditing approved GPS-georeferenced boundary surveys (*deslinde*).
- Exemption certification under Law 158-01 (CONFOTUR): Validating official resolutions from the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR) to apply the full 100% exemption on the 3% property transfer tax and 0% annual property tax (IPI) for 15 years before the DGII.
- Trust contracts and developer agreements (Law 189-11): Drafting and reviewing purchase agreements for pre-construction developments backed by ring-fenced fiduciary trusts.
Explore statutory incentives in our report on real estate investment under CONFOTUR.
7. VIP relocation assistance: multi-currency banking, moving, and family settlement
Our legal and logistical relocation concierge service ensures your personal and commercial settlement in the country proceeds without daily friction:
Direct representation before bank compliance committees (KYC) to open checking, savings, and investment accounts in US dollars (USD) and euros (EUR) with institutions regulated by the Superintendence of Banks.
Managing MIREX consular legalizations, court translations, and appointment bookings with INTRANT to convert your foreign driver’s license without practical driving tests. Review our guide on driver’s license transfers in the Dominican Republic.
Port release of personal shipping containers exempt under Law 171-07 (moving logistics) and transcript validation with MINERD for admission into international schools.
Comprehensive turnkey relocation packages by client profile
To ensure a seamless transition and eliminate fragmented administrative contracting, Dominicana Way organizes its practice areas into turnkey solutions aligned with the three most common client profiles in :
Designed for individuals with a pension ($1,500 USD/month) or passive income ($2,000 USD/month) seeking relocation with maximum tax efficiency.
- Consular RS Visa file (MIREX) and preferential permanent residency (DGM).
- Issuance of national Foreigner Cédula ID (JCE).
- 100% Duty-free exemption decree for vehicle and household goods.
- 3% Property transfer tax exemption before the DGII.
- Assisted personal US dollar bank account opening.
For buyers acquiring real estate ($200,000+ USD) combining rental yields with direct permanent residency.
- Full title due diligence and boundary survey audit with the Real Estate Registry.
- Certification and application of CONFOTUR Law incentives (0% property tax / IPI).
- Residency by Investment (Law 16-95) processed via ProDominicana.
- Incorporation of a commercial company (SRL) as an asset-holding vehicle.
- Fast-track eligibility for Dominican citizenship in only 6 months.
Designed for software founders, international consultants, e-commerce operators, and digital asset managers.
- Turnkey incorporation of an SRL (ONAPI, Chamber of Commerce, and DGII).
- Setup of Electronic Tax Invoicing (e-NCF).
- Opening multi-currency corporate bank accounts (USD/DOP).
- Structuring under the territoriality regime (0% tax on foreign income).
- Monthly accounting administration, VAT filings, and payroll (TSS).
Each package is formalized through a tailored engagement agreement outlining procedural milestones, deliverable timelines, and itemized billing schedules.
8. Working methodology: how we structure your legal and wealth file
We follow a structured four-phase execution protocol designed to optimize timelines and ensure complete legal certainty:
Auditing prior tax residency status, departure planning, and selecting the optimal residency pathway (Law 171-07, Law 16-95, or standard residency).
Reviewing criminal background checks, Hague apostilles, certified court translations, and securing your Residence Visa (RS) from the competent Dominican consulate.
In-person accompaniment to official DGM medical exams, Cédula delivery at the JCE, incorporating commercial entities (SRL), and seaport customs release of your duty-free vehicle.
Procuring your official Tax Residency Certificate from the DGII, setting up corporate bank accounts, and providing ongoing monthly accounting and filing support.
To learn more about the team of attorneys and economists leading our practice, visit our about us page or explore our analyses on the tax and wealth planning blog.
Professional guarantees, institutional confidentiality, and flat-fee billing
Transferring family wealth or a corporate structure to a new jurisdiction requires confidentiality, ethical standards, and pricing transparency. At Dominicana Way, we operate under four core institutional commitments:
We protect your financial statements, corporate holdings, and family information through a binding bilateral non-disclosure agreement signed before sharing sensitive documents.
We work strictly on flat-fee retainers organized by procedural milestones. We never apply unexpected hourly billing or hidden surcharges across any legal or tax phase.
All legal files are directed by licensed members of the Dominican Bar Association (CARD) and certified accountants registered with the Institute of Certified Public Accountants (ICPARD).
You are assigned a dedicated senior consultant who manages direct communication and delivers periodic status reports as your file progresses through public institutions (MIREX, DGM, DGII, DGA).
This methodology eliminates uncertainty and ensures your wealth relocation proceeds with complete legal peace of mind.
Frequently asked questions about our consulting services
How does Dominicana Way manage the legal and tax relocation process?
We operate under a comprehensive turnkey model. We coordinate everything from initial tax exit planning in your home country to consular RS Visa processing through MIREX, in-country registration with the General Directorate of Migration (DGM), company incorporation, multi-currency bank account openings, and securing your Tax Residency Certificate from the DGII.
Is travel to the Dominican Republic mandatory to incorporate a company?
No. Our legal team can draft corporate bylaws, register trade names with ONAPI, record the entity with the Santo Domingo Chamber of Commerce (CCPSD), and obtain the corporate RNC tax ID from the DGII remotely through an apostilled special power of attorney.
What does the vehicle duty exemption service under Law 171-07 include?
It includes prior title legal auditing, preparing the 100% duty-free ministerial exemption file with the Ministry of Finance and Customs (DGA), coordinating seaport customs clearance, and securing the initial license plates and annual registration tax decal from the DGII.
Do you provide ongoing accounting and tax compliance services after relocation?
Yes. We deliver recurring corporate secretarial services, monthly accounting, VAT (ITBIS Form IT-1) filings, electronic invoice reporting (606 and 607 formats), payroll administration with the TSS, and annual tax returns (IR-1 for individuals and IR-2 for corporate entities).