Tag Archives: Ius Sanguini

The Historic Naturalization of Dominicans via Ius Sanguini

Status

Dominican spectators of a Dominican Day parade in New York City, United States.

The largest in history naturalization of Dominicans born abroad to Dominican parents was held on September 18, 2021 in Armory Track in New York City, United States. In addition, it was the first naturalization of Dominicans born abroad to Dominican parents that was attended by a president of the Dominican Republic.

The President of the Dominican Republic Changes His Plan

Dominican President Luis Abinader mentioning the obligation of the Dominican state to honor the ius sanguini of the sons and daughters of Dominicans born abroad.

Dominican President Luis Abinader, the First Lady Raquel Arbaje de Abinader and other politicians flew early in the morning of September 18, 2021 from Santo Domingo to New York City. The naturalization of Dominicans born abroad to Dominican parents was the first event they attended on they arrived at New York City. The plan was that they would be at the event for a few minutes and then leave, but President Luis Abinader had a change of plan. President Luis Abinader responded to Celinés Toribio while on stage and looking at the crowd that he would stay until the end of the event, prompting Celinés Toribio to tell the public that there has been a change of plans and the President and First Lady would stay until the end. A visit that was to last a few minutes turn into a wntire event visit. It was this change in plans that the President Luis Abinader was able to give an impromptu speech to the naturalized Dominicans born abroad to Dominican parents. This speech was not planned, written or practiced by the President of the Dominican Republic.

Dominicans by descent or Ius Sanguini

A rememberance by the Consulate of the Dominican Republic in New York City, United States that Dominicans are not just the ones born in the Dominican Republic but also those born abroad whether they are born to Dominican parents or foreigners that become Dominican citizens. Similarly how there are some differences between a Dominican from Santo Domingo and one from Samana, in the same manner exist some differences with Dominicans born abroad to Dominican parents. What they all have in common is the love for the Dominican Republic and the people that inhabit it.

The Constitution of the Dominican Republic grants several rights and obligations to Dominicans. Among these is the right of the sons and daughters born abroad to Dominican parents to claim Dominican citizenship by ius sanguini. President Luis Abinader emphasized that no country can reject its own sons nor the descendants of these, but this process needs to be done to comply with a legal requirement of something that already exists, the descendants of Dominicans are Dominicans regardless where they are born.

Contrary to the naturalization of foreigners, the Dominicans born abroad to Dominican parents gain a Dominican citizenship with no limitations, as is the case with every Dominican citizen born and reared in the Dominican Republic. Plus, the Dominican Republic doesn’t reject its own creations or their descendants. Furthermore, the naturalization process via ius sanguini is the easiest, cheapest and takes the leadt time to complete of all the possible naturalizations in the Dominican Republic.

Another detail is that between the Dominican Republic and the United States, Spain and other countries exist sgreements recognizing the double nationality. This means that if a Dominican acquires the citizenship of the United States by ius solis (through birthplace), that citizenship isn’t affected or lost by acquiring Dominican citizenship. In this case, the person would have two passports, the Dominican one and the American one.

Breaking Records

Dominican President Luis Abinader mentions the extraordinary increase in Dominican nationality requests by the sons and daughters born abroad to Dominican parents.

More than 2,500 people started the process to claim Dominican citizenship by ius sanguini or through blood relations to at least one Dominican father or mother. This was the greatest amount in the history of Dominican naturalizations via ius sanguini. This also show the sentimental attachment they have for their country of origin that go beyond the material. They all know that the Dominican Republic is a much poorer country than their country of birth the United States. Yet, despite the poverty, despite Dominican society is more disorganized, despite that Dominican society is a harder country to achieve a modern lifestyle, despite all the problems; the sentiment of belonging to their country of origin, the valorization they give to a people with whom they share ancestry, the love they have for their mother country didn’t limit them abd they formalized what was already there. With the easiness that they could had turn their backs and forget the Dominican Republic forever, instead they choose to look at the Dominican Republic directly and maintain it with their reach of a country that is in the very heart of the Antilles of the Western Hemisphere.

Received Documents

Once the process is begun to claim Dominican citizenship by ius sanguini, it culminates with the receivership of three important documents. The entire process can be completed at any of the consulates of the Dominican Republic, eliminating the need to travel to Santo Domingo. This such as a legal translation if the original birth certificate is in a language other than Spanish, the legalization and official stamps are all taken care off at the Dominican consulate. This is different from how the same process takes place in Santo Domingo where the interested party is responsible to go to each depsrtment and comply with each step.

An example of a Extracto de Acta de Nacimiento (Birth Certificate Extract). The details are of a ficticious person for demonstration purposes only.

The first document to be received is the Birth Certificate Extract (Extracto de acta de nacimiento) which is produced by the Junta Central Electoral in Santo Domingo. This very important document is nothing more than the traduced to Spanish and transferred to an official Dominican document of the original birth certificate. For all purposes of the Dominican government and other Dominican entities where they ask for a Dominican birth certificate, the one to use without exception is the Birth Certificate Extract.

This document is acquired with a original copy of the original birth certificate and a copy of the Dominican identity card (cédula) of one of the parents. The process also includes a facial photo and fingerprints taken at the Junta Central Electoral office which should be next to the Dominican consulate. All Dominican births outside the Dominican Republic are registered in the National District (Santo Domingo), not in the town their parent was born in the Dominican Republic. However, if you don’t have a personal address in the Dominican Republic, they will use the Dominican address of your parent as described in the reverse of their identity card copy that you submitted.

Identity card of the Dominican Republic (cédula de identidad). The details are of a ficticious person for demonstration purposes only.

Second, with the Birth Certificate Extract and the copy of one of your parents Dominican identity card (cédula) will be used to create your Dominican identity card. Once again, this process requires they taken another facial photo and your fingerprints. Since this is your first Dominican identity card, it’s free. Plus, while all others need to register for a special appointment to go through the process of receiving a Dominican identity card and often this appointment is a month or so away, naturalized Dominicans born abroad to Dominican parents don’t need to comply with that requirement and they will be immediately processed for a Dominican identity card.

Passports of the Dominican Republic.

Third, your Dominican identity card (cédula) and the Birth Certificate Extract will be used to acquire a Dominican passport. They will take your photo again and your fingerprints. This should be ready within one or two weeks.

Benefits

Dominican President Luis Abinader explains what it means to be a Dominican abroad.
  • The pride of making official the sentiment of belonging and the identity of origin that has always been there.
  • There are no limits of how long a person could stay in the Dominican Republic and/or when they want to move.
  • The right to vote in elections (including presidential elections) in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican congress has a Deputy of the Diaspora which can be elected by Dominicans living abroad and he or she represents in the Dominican government the interests of the Dominican diaspora.
  • Any position in the Dominican government is open, from municipal districts all the way to the presidency. Depending the leading position, they are assigned by the president or subject to a vote from the Dominican public.
  • Any position of the Dominican government abroad is open, such as working in any of the Dominican consulates in the United States.
  • The purchase of a oneway airplane ticket to the Dominican Republic (and vice versa in the case of double nationality).
  • The Dominican passport can be codified (once) at Las Américas International Airport in Santo Domingo or at Cibao International Airport in Santiago. Afterwards, all Dominican adults with a Dominican passport can use the AutoGate lanes at these two airports on leaving and on arrival, which eliminates the need to pass through Immigration. This saves much time given it takes a few seconds versus up to a half hour or more getting in line to go through immigration, especially if several flights are leaving or arriving at once.
  • Easiness to open bank accounts, investments accounts, and other financial instruments in the Dominican Republic.
  • Easiness and the shortest time for buying or selling Dominican financial products such as Dominican stocks, bonds, certificate of deposits, etc. In many cases Dominican financial products have a greater return than similar products in countries like the United States.
  • Ability to work in the Dominican Republic with no limitations.
  • Ability to inscribe in any institute, university or any advanced education school in the Dominican Republic and receive certain benefits limited to Dominicans only, such as a subsidized tuition at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD).
  • Easiness to open a business in the Dominican Republic.
  • No difficulties or limitations in purchasing property in the Dominican Republic.
  • Ability to acquire other documents in the Dominican Republic, such as a Dominican driver’s license.
  • Substantial savings on the costs to acquire a tourist visa to some countries. For example, there was a time when Brazil required a tourist visa from United States citizens and from Dominican citizens. However, the Brazilian government charged US$300 per person to United States citizens while US$20 per person to Dominican citizens. For anyone with dual US/DR citizenships looking to visit Brazil this is a no brainer.
  • Ability to access benefits offered by the Dominican government such as Familia Feliz which offers a bonus towards the purchase of a home in the Dominican Republic or the ability to apply for moving all furniture, including personal used cars, to the Dominican Republic free of taxes.
  • Some Dominican hotels and resorts sell their rooms or vacation packages at a lower rate to Dominican citizens vs non-Dominicans. In many cases, all that is needed for the locals discount is to show the Dominican identity card.
  • Many other things.

The Naturalization of the Sons and Daughters of Dominicans Born in the United States

Some images of the naturalization of Dominicans born in the United States to Dominican parents. It was celebrated on September 18, 2021 at Armory Track in New York City, United States.

The beginning prior to the arrival of the President Luis Abinader and First Lady Raquel Arbaje de Abinader. Despite slightly blurry, Celinés Toribio is on the stage.
A detailed and clear close up of Celinés Toribio.
From left to right: Ambassador of the Dominican Republic in Washington DC, Sonia Guzmán; First Lady of the Dominican Republic, Raquel Arbaje de Abinader; President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader; and Consule of the Dominican Republic in New York, Eligio Jáquez. Luis Abinader is the first Dominican president to attend a naturalization of the sons and daughters born abroad to Dominican parents.
View of Dominican journalists from Santo Domingo and New York, Dominican politicians from Santo Domingo and the Dominican Consulate in New York, naturalized sons and daughters born abroad to Dominican parents, and their parents and/or other family members.
Another view once the event ended.

Alexander Ortíz Goyco (One of the Sons of Charytín)

Alexander Ortíz Goyco and his mother, the famous Dominican Charytín.

On June of 2021 the famous Dominican Charytín visited the Consulate of the Dominican Republic in New York with the intention of starting the process for the naturalization of her son, Alexander Ortíz Goyco. He was born in Puerto Rico and to a Puerto Rican father. As a consequence, he is a citizen of the United States. It is not clear if he was present at the naturalization of Dominicans born abroad to Dominican parents celebrated in New York City in September of that year.