Canadian Out of Country (Destination) Weddings

Dominican Republic

Marriages legally performed in compliance with the laws of the Dominican Republic are recognized in Canada. Canadians wishing to marry in the Dominican Republic should verify with the Dominican authorities in Canada to ensure they have the following required documents for both parties prior to arriving in the Dominican Republic.

Proof of Identity: a valid Canadian passport, a birth certificate that includes the names of the parents, and the tourist card received upon entry into the country.

Statement of Single Status: clients need to obtain a sworn affidavit attesting to single status. This document must be submitted in the Spanish language and legally certified. This can be done prior to leaving Canada by visiting the Embassy or one of the Consulates of the Dominican Republic. Individuals may also visit a notary public in Canada to make this declaration, then have the document translated into Spanish and legalized by the Embassy or Consulates of the Dominican Republic.

Divorce Papers: if clients are divorced, they must submit original copies of divorce papers, along with a Spanish-language translation of the documents. The translation must be legalized by the Embassy or one of the consulates of the Dominican Republic in Canada. Please note that under Dominican law, women who have recently been divorced must wait a minimum of nine months after the finalization of their divorce before they can remarry. This regulation applies as well to Canadian women wishing to be married in the Dominican Republic.

Death Certificate: if clients are widowed, they will need to present an original copy of the death certificate of the deceased spouse, translated into Spanish and legalized by the Embassy or consulates of the Dominican Republic.

Change of Name: if clients have legally changed name, they must submit original documents to the Embassy or consulates of the Dominican Republic for legalization.

Prior to departure, all above documents must be translated into Spanish, legally certified by a professional, and legalized by the Embassy or one of the consulates of the Dominican Republic in Canada.

(The above information is an introductory reference guide to out of country legal wedding requirements in the Dominican Republic at the time of print. Please check the local government websites and enlist the assistance of local wedding planners where possible for the most recent and currently applicable updated information.)