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Using a U.S. document in Dominican Republic

Step by step

1. Get an original, recently issued certified copy of the document from the issuing office.
2. Get an apostille from the competent authority of the U.S. state where the document was issued; federal documents (e.g., FBI background check) are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State.
3. Get a Spanish translation with the corresponding legalization: a translation by a foreign (U.S.) translator must itself be apostilled in the country of origin; a translation by a Dominican consulate must be legalized by MIREX; a translation by a Dominican judicial interpreter must be legalized by the Procuraduría General.
4. Present it at the Dominican consulate (e.g., birth declaration) or to the Junta Central Electoral (e.g., transcription of a foreign birth certificate).

Translation

The Junta Central Electoral requires for transcription of a foreign birth certificate: the 'apostilled birth certificate (original and updated)' and a 'translation into Spanish with the corresponding legalization (original)'. For civil marriage with foreigners, documents not in Spanish must be translated by a judicial interpreter and legalized by the Procuraduría General (or, if translated by the consulate, legalized by MIREX). MIREX's consular birth-declaration page requires the foreign birth certificate 'duly legalized and translated into Spanish if it is in another language'.

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