Guides · Dominican Republic · Birth certificate
USCIS asks for a photocopy of your birth certificate, issued by the civil authority in your country and naming at least one of your parents, plus a complete English translation with the translator's certification. In the Dominican Republic it's the acta de nacimiento from the Civil Registry Office (JCE). Since July 2025 it's issued in a single format, without the "extracto" or "inextensa" versions.
Updated October 26, 2026 · Sources · General information, not legal advice
The State Department's country-by-country document list (the Reciprocity Schedule) names the acta de nacimiento from the Oficialía del Estado Civil (Civil Registry Office). Since July 1, 2025, actas are issued in a single format and the "extracto" and "inextensa" versions no longer exist.
The Form I-485 instructions point to that same list to find out how to get each country's birth certificate, and say USCIS only accepts a birth certificate that lists at least one parent.
If your acta is from before July 2025, the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo still asks for the inextensa for immigrant and K visas, and also accepts the new actas. The simplest option is to order a new acta in the single format.
The State Department says Dominican civil documents don't need legalization for visa purposes.
In the Dominican Republic: at any Oficialía del Estado Civil or acta and cédula issuance center. It costs RD$600.
If your acta isn't digitized yet (it has no event number), request it at the Oficialía where the birth was declared.
From the United States: at the JCE's Overseas Service Offices (OSE). The official 2025 fee is US$25 per acta and US$20 for certified mail. Book appointments at citas.jce.gob.do.
To verify it: the acta carries a control code and a QR code. Actas issued since April 5, 2021 can be checked on the JCE portal with the event number and control number.
These are the labels from the official sample of the single format the JCE published in 2025. The acta is running text: the details sit inside the sentences. Copy names, numbers and dates exactly as they appear.
| On the document | In English | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| FORM OC - 11 | Form OC-11 | Form code. |
| JUNTA CENTRAL ELECTORAL | CENTRAL ELECTORAL BOARD | |
| DIRECCION NACIONAL DE REGISTRO DEL ESTADO CIVIL | NATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF CIVIL REGISTRY | |
| ACTA DE NACIMIENTO | BIRTH CERTIFICATE | |
| No. Evento | Event No. | Identifies the record; used to verify it. |
| CERTIFICAMOS: | WE CERTIFY: | |
| Oficialía del Estado Civil de la … CIRCUNSCRIPCION | Civil Registry Office of the … District | |
| se encuentra inscrito en el Libro No. … de registros de NACIMIENTO | is recorded in Book No. … of BIRTH records | |
| Folio No. / Acta No. / Año | Folio No. / Record No. / Year | |
| el registro perteneciente a: | the record belonging to: | |
| Número Unico de Identidad | Unique Identity Number | |
| De sexo | Sex | |
| nacida en / nacido en … a las | born in … at (time) | Includes the time of birth. |
| DECLARA: … quien es | DECLARANT: … who is | Who declared the birth and their relationship. |
| Cédula de Identidad y Electoral No. | Identity and Electoral Card No. | |
| PADRE: / MADRE: | FATHER: / MOTHER: | |
| de ocupación / domiciliado en | occupation / residing at | |
| ANOTACIONES: | ANNOTATIONS: | Appears in the single format; translate it if your acta has it. |
| No más información debajo de esta línea | No further information below this line | |
| El presente documento se expide a petición de la parte interesada en | This document is issued at the request of the interested party in | |
| Código Control | Control Code | With the event number, it lets you verify the acta. |
| Verifica la validez de este documento en www.jce.gob.do, o escanea el código QR vía la App JCE | Verify the validity of this document at www.jce.gob.do, or scan the QR code via the JCE App | |
| DIRECTORA / DIRECTOR NACIONAL DE REGISTRO DEL ESTADO CIVIL | NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF CIVIL REGISTRY |
Also translate everything that isn't on this list: seals, signatures, codes, handwritten notes and margin notes. Describe anything without words in brackets, for example [seal] or [signature].
Since July 1, 2025, the JCE issues a single format that no longer says "extracto" or "inextensa." If your acta is older, the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo still asks for the inextensa for immigrant and K visas, and also accepts the new actas. The simplest option is to order a new acta.
The State Department says Dominican civil documents don't need legalization for visa purposes. For USCIS, the Form I-130 and I-485 instructions ask for a legible photocopy and a complete English translation certified by the translator, and don't mention an apostille.
Yes. The JCE has Overseas Service Offices; the official 2025 fee is US$25 per acta and US$20 for certified mail. Appointments are booked at citas.jce.gob.do.
The single-format acta has a control code, a QR code and a legend to verify it at www.jce.gob.do or with the JCE App. Actas issued since April 5, 2021 can also be checked on the JCE portal with the event number and control number.
The JCE considers a declaration late if made more than 180 days after the birth. It's ratified by a court ruling, which is recorded in the margin of the acta. That note is part of the document and gets translated in full.