Dominican Republic

Compliance/Financial Considerations

If you intend to do any of the following in Dominican Republic, please contact Risk Services at risk@berkeley.edu or 642-5141:

  • Hire a local to work for you as an employee
  • Purchase or lease office or research space
  • Purchase or lease an automobile
  • Establish a long-term (over 90 days) or ongoing project
  • Conduct a clinical trial

U.S. GOVERNMENT COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS

Foreign activities may trigger many U.S. laws, including:

  • Import Controls
  • Export Controls
  • Tax Reporting
  • Foreign Bank Account Reporting
  • Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
  • Anti-Boycott Laws

Import Controls. UC employees must adhere to U.S. import requirements, and may need to enlist the services of a customs broker, especially for shipments arriving by sea and subject to the Importer Security Filing 71730, also known as ISF 10+2.

Export Controls. Export controls may apply to advanced software and technology, research data, and other sensitive assets. UC’s Export Compliance FAQ contains useful information and can be found here.  Go here for the University of California plan for compliance with federal export controls. If you plan on taking or sending potentially export-controlled materials to Dominican Republic, consult the campus Research Administration Compliance Office at 642-0120.

Tax Reporting. The University and its employees may be taxed in foreign countries. The United States does not have a tax treaty with Dominican Republic. For more information about double taxation issues, contact the Controller’s Office at:

Foreign Bank Account Reporting. The U.S. Treasury Department requires U.S. citizens with a financial interest in or signatory authority over a financial account in a foreign country, where accounts exceed $10,000 at any point during a calendar year, to report such accounts on a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FinCen Report 114). Those needing to complete the form should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803 for assistance. An IRS 1040 Schedule B form (Part III–Foreign Accounts and Trusts) must be filed by the signatory for any foreign bank account, regardless of the account balance.

Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions. In general, collaborations between University personnel and scholars at foreign institutions or organizations do not require export licenses unless they involve export-controlled or -restricted research or involve scholars in sanctioned countries. Before engaging in an international collaboration, the University needs to determine whether export licenses are required and to verify that the foreign collaborator is not blocked or sanctioned. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is responsible for enforcing all U.S. embargoes and sanctions. Depending on each country’s embargo or sanction program, activities may be prohibited without specific authorization or license. UC’s International Collaborations webpage contains additional information on this topic.   

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is intended to stop bribery. It prohibits offering to pay, paying, promising to pay, or authorizing the payment of money or anything of value to a foreign official. The term “foreign official” generally includes any employee or contractor of a foreign government, and may include individuals employed by foreign universities. It is also unlawful to make a payment to a third party knowing that all or part of the payment will go to a foreign official. For more information, review the federal government’s Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. If you need further clarification, contact the UC Berkeley Office of Legal Affairs at 642-7122. Transparency International’s 2018 survey of perceived public sector corruption rated Dominican Republic at 30 out of 100 (129th out of 180 countries reviewed, i.e. corrupt).

Anti-Boycott Laws.  The U.S. Department of Commerce is responsible for oversight of laws prohibiting individuals and entities from participating in boycotts not approved or sanctioned by the U.S. government. The Export Administration Act requires that requests to participate in such boycotts or to conduct activities in any of the boycotting countries be formally reported to the Department of Commerce and/or IRS.

For other compliance-related issues, refer to UC’s International Compliance webpage.  

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR DOING BUSINESS INTERNATIONALLY

Foreign Bank Accounts. Employees wishing to open a foreign bank account should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803. Requests to open accounts must be made through the Office of the President’s Banking and Treasury Services Group by the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee. 

Real Estate Agreements. Only employees with delegated authority to sign contracts on behalf of The Regents may enter into agreements, leases, or other contracts.  Foreign affiliates or operations must submit to the Real Estate Services Office property management agreements, personal property leases, or contracts with a term longer than one year or in an amount greater than $25,000 per year. The campus then seeks approval from the University president or designee. For more information, consult the Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of Foreign Affiliate Organizations and Foreign Operations

Articles

The US State Department's page on DOMINICAN REPUBLIC may be found HERE.

Personal Safety

AUTHORITIES IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC EXTENDED THE EXISTING CURFEW MEASURES, WHICH FORM PART OF THE NATION'S CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19) RESPONSE THROUGH NOVEMBER 12. THE CURFEW WILL CONTINUE TO BE ENFORCED NATIONWIDE 2100-0500 MONDAY-FRIDAY, AND 1700-0500 ON WEEKENDS. INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS HAVE RESUMED FOR ALL TRAVELERS. PERSONS TRAVELING TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE A HEALTH AFFIDVIT BEFORE TRAVEL. EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 15, AUTHORITIES DO NOT REQUIRE PASSENGERS ARRIVING BY AIR TO PRESENT PCR TEST, HOWEVER, TRAVELERS MAY BE RANDOMLY SELECTED FOR RAPID TESTING UPON ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT. PERSONS TESTING POSITIVE WILL BE REQUIRED TO ENTER QUARANTINE. ALL MEASURES ARE SUBJECT TO AMENDMENT AT SHORT NOTICE, AND OFFICIALS COULD REIMPOSE STRICTER MEASURES.

Note: this page contains basic risk information. For more details, please contact the Risk Services Office at risk@berkeley.edu.

If you are traveling to the Dominican Republic on University-related business, please sign up for the University’s travel insurance program by going here. For more information on the travel insurance program, please go here

Because everyone’s health is unique, we suggest seeking the advice of a medical professional before traveling internationally. Members of the campus community interested in protecting their health while abroad may schedule an appointment with the University Health Services International Travel Clinic

The quality of health care in the Dominican Republic is highly variable, especially in rural areas. Travelers experiencing a health emergency are most likely to receive good care in Santo Domingo. The following clinics are often used by English speakers:

  • Clinica Abreu, Calle Beller #42 Independence Ave., 809-688-4411, http://clinicaabreu.com.do/
  • Clinica Corominas, 809-508-1171
  • Clinica Abel Gonzalez, 809-682-6001

If you need an ambulance, Movi-Med generally provides the most reliable service:

  • In Santo Domingo: 809-532-0000
  • In Puerto Plata: 809-970-0707
  • In Santiago: 809-587-333
  • All other areas: 809-1-200-0911

Air pollution can be a problem in urban areas. If you have a chronic respiratory condition such as asthma, please consult a medical professional prior to your trip and carry appropriate medications.

Although many resorts and hotels use purified water and observe good hygiene standards, travelers should assume tap water in the Dominican Republic is contaminated with sewage, industrial waste, or used oil. To reduce the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort or illness, drink only bottled, boiled, or purified water. Travelers should use well-recognized brands of bottled water whenever possible.

All food should be eaten well-cooked and hot. Avoid grouper, snapper, amberjack, and barracuda, as they may be contaminated with ciguatera poison, which remains after cooking.

Street vendors and other unregulated food distributors often have poor hygiene standards and should be avoided. Travelers should also avoid raw or undercooked meat dishes and unpasteurized dairy products, which frequently harbor bacterial and parasitic pathogens.

Travelers risk contracting a number of serious illnesses in the Dominican Republic, including:

  • Malaria, transmitted by mosquito bites, year-round but primarily during rainy season (from May to November) and especially in rural areas and near the Haitian border.
  • Dengue fever, another mosquito-borne disease, year-round and particularly in coastal and lowland urban areas.
  • Chikungunya, yet another mosquito-borne disease.
  • Leishmaniasis, transmitted by sand flies, throughout the country but particularly in rural areas. Risk is greatest from May to July.
  • Zika virus, transmitted by mosquito bites.

Crime is a moderate risk for travelers, who may fall victim to fraud, armed robbery, and kidnapping, the last more of a hazard for expatriates of Dominican descent because they are often perceived as wealthy. Armed robberies tend to spike during local holidays and elections. Drug-related crime has increased in the Dominican Republic in tandem with migration to urban areas, unemployment, and a proliferation of firearms.

Travelers to urban areas are at risk for express kidnappings, where criminals hold victims for 24 hours or less either to use the victims’ ATM and credit cards or to extort a ransom. Victims should report such crimes to their local embassy as well as local authorities.

The training of Dominican police has improved recently, but corruption and misconduct by law enforcement officers remains a problem.

Legal/Political

Criminal Penalties: You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the U.S., regardless of local law. 

Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in the Dominican Republic are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately.

LGBTI Travelers: There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTI events in the Dominican Republic.