As of July 1, 2025, the Dominican Republic has adopted a unified format for civil documents such as birth, marriage, divorce, death, and recognition certificates. This change replaces the previous system that used “Extracto” and “Inextensa” categories.
Individuals applying for immigrant or K visas at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo should be aware of these updates. Civil documents issued before July 1, 2025, are still required to be in the Acta Inextensa format because it contains necessary detailed information. For documents issued after this date, the new standardized format is acceptable for visa applications and does not need to be legalized.
Applicants must bring original civil documents to their interviews at the embassy. If they fail to provide these originals, their appointments may have to be rescheduled, potentially delaying visa processing. Applicants are encouraged to prepare accordingly.