Over 9,000 Haitians granted residency permits in the Dominican Republic in 2025

General Directorate of Migration

More than 9,000 Haitian nationals obtained legal residency in the Dominican Republic between January and November 2025, making them the largest nationality to secure such permits, according to official statistics from the General Directorate of Migration (DGM).

The DGM issued a total of 32,174 residency permits across 125 nationalities during the period, averaging roughly 2,900 permits per month. Temporary permits accounted for the majority of documents issued. Haitian citizens received 9,184 residency permits, representing 28.5% of all permits granted in 2025, followed by Venezuelan nationals with 4,679 permits.

The 2025 figures mark a return to normal levels after an unusual surge in May 2024, when the DGM issued 122,560 permits in a single month as part of a massive, accelerated regularization effort ahead of the country’s general elections. That spike mainly benefited Haitian and Venezuelan residents and created an unprecedented total of 148,301 residency permits for the year—nearly four times the usual annual flow.

Preliminary 2025 data suggest that the “May Effect” was a one-time event, with permit issuance returning to historical averages. Between 2018 and 2025, the Dominican Republic granted 128,489 residency permits to Haitians, with 62% concentrated in the election month of May 2024.

The latest statistics highlight the ongoing demand for legal residency among Haitian nationals and reflect the Dominican Republic’s steady annual issuance of 25,000 to 33,000 permits in normal years.