Dominican Republic
Location: Caribbean
Broadcast Regulators
Film Commissions
Visas & Permits
Visas & Work Permits
Film crew travelling on Western passports can enter the Dominican Republic visa-free, for stays of up to 90 days.
Please contact a local embassy, consulate or representative for more information. Alternatively, there are specialist companies that provide visa and immigration support to the media industry, and may be able to assist.
Film Location Permits
A Film & Photography Shooting Permit is required when shooting in the Dominican Republic. It must be presented in the event of a random check by authorities. This permit can be obtained through a registered production service provider.
Customs
For productions looking to bring in film equipment, the Dominican Republic is not an ATA carnet country.
The Dominican Republic has a good depth of standard lighting, grip and camera equipment. Rental gear is owned by local production companies and studios.
If bringing in gear from abroad, a Temporary Entry of Goods Permit is required to clear equipment through customs. To obtain this permit, a Film and Photography Shooting Permit must be obtained first. This application must also go through a registered production service company or fixer. The paperwork takes about five days.
The following documentation is required:
• Third-party liability insurance
• Copies of all passports
• All flight details (i.e. arrivals and departures, airline and flight number(s))
• Letter to the DGCINE film commission and fixer/producer information
• List of all equipment (including serial numbers and prices)
• Project synopsis
Original documents must be presented at customs, where agents will check all the equipment and service producer or fixer. Inability to produce the required documents may result in the non-release of equipment and hefty fines.
When to Film
When to Film
The Dominican Republic has a hot, tropical climate. Coastal areas are warmer than the mountainous central regions.
The hot, rainy season runs from May to October, although there are still plenty of dry, sunny days during this period. Hurricanes occur during the rainy season. The cool, dry season runs from November to April and is the best time to film.
In the Dominican Republic, Christianity is the main religion, so those holidays are observed.
Public Holidays
Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in the Dominican Republic.
Costs & VAT
The Dominican Republic is a cost efficient place to shoot. Compared to most Caribbean countries, it has a more established film infrastructure, so crew and equipment don’t usually need to be brought in.
The standard VAT rate in the Dominican Republic, at the time of writing, is set at 18%.