REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR A FOREIGN COMPANY
The Dominican Republic, through the General Law of Commercial Companies, No. 479-08, grants foreign companies the opportunity to regularly perform trade acts in the country, or establish a branch office or permanent establishment in the national territory.
For these purposes, these companies will be subject of verification of their legal existence by the corresponding authority, in accordance with the formalities established by the law of the place of their constitution. Its existence, capacity, functioning and dissolution will be regulated by the law of the place of its constitution, however, in its operation and local activities, it will be subject to Dominican laws.
For their registration, these companies must register their Commercial Name in the National Industrial Property Office. Subsequently, apply for registration in the Commercial Registry in the Commerce and Production Office of Santo Domingo. The documents required for this process must be previously apostilled or, in their absence, authenticated by the Dominican Consulate before the country of origin of the company and duly translated into Spanish by judicial interpreter in the cases in which it will be necessary.
If their comercial activities generate tax obligations in the national territory, the registration in the National Taxpayers Registry of the General Directorate of Internal Taxes must be made, if such registration is required by the laws and tax regulations in force.
The companies dedicated to perform Industrial Processes, additionally, must obtain the Industrial Registry granted by Pro-Industria, the Sanitary Registry granted by the Ministry of Public Health, and the Environmental Permit granted by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
The foreign companies that draw on public savings for the formation or increase of their authorized share capital, or list their shares on the stock market, or borrow through the public issuance of negotiable obligations, or use mass media or advertising to the placement or negotiation of any type of instrument on the stock market must be subject to the legal, accounting, financial and operational requirements established by the Superintendency of the Stock Market for Publicly Subscribed Public Limited Companies.