From above the skyline, Punta Cana looks like a tropical paradise. In fact, in recent years this Dominican town has aroused one of the top tourist destinations in the Caribbean, a place where exotic beaches merge with a world class infrastructure.

But tourism needs more than just nice beaches in order to thrive. It needs things like political stability, security for tourists and a business-friendly climate. Dominican Republic exceeds these aspects. 

That's the reason why this Caribbean country has become one of the top countries for investors who want to start making business in paradisiac destinations. DR is the leading country in terms of foreign investment in Latin America. Now it is experiencing a real investment boom: $ 2.84 billion in 2020, up to 10% when compared to 2019.

So if you are an investor who is looking for investment opportunities overseas, you have come to the correct place.

In a nutshell, here there are five opportunities that in Mundo Expert we can offer you in the Dominican Republic:

1. We can help you to become resident in less than a year using the fast track “residence by investment”. For more info check the residence section. 

2. Our experts can provide you with the advice to obtain a Dominican passport in only two years thanks to the “citizenship by investment”, the fastest program of this kind in the Caribbean.

3. Advisement registering a company in Dominican soil as well as the creation of a bank account.

4. We bring you the possibility to invest in highly profitable real estate projects in Punta Cana (check the available investment projects section), advising you in every step of the process.

A high valued real estate market, the possibility to get a Dominican passport in two years (the fastest in the Caribbean) and an easy path to residence, these are some of the extraordinary opportunities that we have for you in this Caribbean country.

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A Little Bit of History

What we know today as the Dominican Republic was discovered by Christopher Columbus on his first trip to the Americas, who named the island ‘La Española’. The Spaniards funded the first settlement in the Americas, the town ‘La Isabela’ in 1493 and Santo Domingo in 1496.

The island went into decline after the colonization of the rest of the Americas, when most of the people went to Mexico and Peru looking for the Dorado. In 1586 the pirate Francis Drake occupied the city and collected a ransom to the Spanish kingdom for its liberation. 

In 1640, France occupied the Western part of the island and reorganized it as a colony. It would become what we know today as Haiti. At the end of the next century, the revolutionary France made Spain to give up its sovereignty on the rest of the island. 

In the first half of the XIX century, power on Santo Domingo switched between Haitian and Spanish rule many times, until 1844 that the country became independent. This first independent stage came to the end in 1861, when Pedro Santana, fearing another Haitian invasion, signed a treaty with Spain to restore its colonial status, the first american country to do so. Shortly after, the opposition rebelled, beginning the Restoration War, which would lead Spain to abandon the island in 1865.

Subsequent decades were really unstable for the Dominican Republic. Two presidents were killed and the country was on the brink of civil war. This led to a military invasion by the United States in the 1916 and the instauration of a military governing board imposed by the US. Although the governing board was repudiated by the Dominican people, it reactivated the economy, reduced the external debt and built a highway network that connected the whole country. The occupation finished in 1924 when the country held presidential elections.

Under the leadership of the president Horacio Vasquez, the country kept growing in a business-friendly environment. But Vasquez made a terrible mistake: trust Lieutenant Colonel Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, who led a coup when Vasquez opted for reelection in 1930.

Trujillo instated a dictatorship, but the economy grew at a great pace and the external debt was paid in 1947.

The United States supported Trujillo despite human rights violations, but this finished in 1960 after Trujillo tried to assassinate the Venezuelan president Romulo Betancourt. In 1961, Trujillo was killed in a plot backed by the CIA.

The post Trujillo era was another period of instability that caused a civil war followed by a military invasion by the United States. In 1966 the last puppet president of Trujillo, Joaquin Balaguer, took power after free presidential elections. Balaguer led the country for 12 years.

50 years since the fall of dictatorship, the Dominican Republic has consolidated a strong democracy that encourages private investment and civil rights. The country is on the top place in FDI and is one of the principal destinations for tourism in the Caribbean.

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Why Dominican Republic?

What may come to your mind when you think on the Dominican Republic is world class resorts located on paradisiac beaches, a place where you may like to have your next vacation. But this Caribbean country has so much more to offer.

First of all, the fact that the Dominican Republic is a stable and vigorous democracy. Since 2020 the country is governed by President Luis Abinader, a businessman that encourages foreign investment and respects separation of powers. Political stability is pretty rare in Latin America these days and investors value it a lot.

Furthermore, thanks to a large period of stability and sustainable GDP growth, business opportunities have arisen in the Dominican Republic and investors around the world are taking advantage of it. UNCTAD reported that in 2019 the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in DR reached USD 3 billion, an increase of 19% compared to 2018. That huge increase mostly came from the US, Canada, Spain and China.

Another fact of why investing in DR it’s it competitive tax system. If you prove that your income comes from outside of the country, you can live and enjoy its paradisiac beaches while paying zero taxes. This applies both for individuals and companies.

Additionally, the Dominican Republic has a great citizenship program that allows a fast track way, which is ideal for expats and investors, which requires an investment of at least USD 200,000 or to prove that you have a USD 1,500 pension income or 2,000 non pension income. You can start the process of naturalization after waiting just 6 months after becoming a resident, meaning that you can become a citizen just 12 months after obtaining the residency.

Economic Potential of the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has set itself a goal to become the principal hub for tourism in the region, and to do so they need tons of investment in many sectors such as infrastructure, telecommunications and banking. In 2016 the Dominican Republic GDP grew 7%, the fastest growing pace in the Americas!

There are many opportunities that are boosted by a free trade agreement that allows Dominican products free access to the United States market. Furthermore, a huge Dominican community in the United States is a reliable source of demand for this kind of product.

A key sector is the real estate market, which has thrived thanks to a boosting economy and the opening that the government made to international markets two decades ago in order to stimulate the tourism industry. The Dominican Republic (DR) made an exemption of 10 years on taxes on income, capital gain of real estate transfer, a great incentive for investors to come to the Caribbean country.

Other Highlights

Education: In DR, education is free at the elementary and secondary level. Talking about higher level, the country has five public institutions and thirty-nine private institutions 

Health: The healthcare system is divided on three stages. Depending on the socioeconomic level of the patient, the State will subsidize the medic attention and medical supplies. Before COVID-19 pandemic, the government spent about USD 180 per capita each year, more than the average in the Caribbean.

Transport: DR enjoys a transportation system composed of eight international airports that connects the country with nearly the rest of the world, and a highway network that connects Santo Domingo with the rest of the country.

However, if your hotel is in a remote location, getting around the country may be difficult. You can rent cars, move on a taxi or even take the famous guaguas (public buses).

What Can We Do for You?

Along with our partners, in Mundo Expert we have developed a wide network of experts that are all around the world looking for opportunities of investment. When we talk about the Dominican Republic we are sure that it’s the best business destination in the Caribbean.

Our partner in this country is D. Taurus Co, one of the best advisors in the arena. For DR we can help you register your account, help you process your citizenship, create a company or advise you in the process of acquiring a real estate property.

Sunny beaches, a thriving real estate market, low taxes and a government open to investments are some of the reasons to make Dominican Republic your predilect destination.

Enjoy the Dominican Republic's wonders. Contact us right now!

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