SANTO DOMINGO – A landmark citizenship naturalization ceremony held at the Higher Institute for Police Studies (IPES) here this week welcomed 149 people from more than 30 nations as official Dominican citizens, in an event led by Dominican Interior and Police Minister Faride Raful.
The group of new citizens brings together a broad cross-section of global backgrounds, with the largest cohorts hailing from regional and international partners. Venezuela accounts for 39 of the newly naturalized Dominicans, followed by Cuba with 18, Colombia with 14, Italy with 12, and both Spain and Russia contributing 10 new citizens each. Beyond these largest groups, the ceremony also included applicants from Belarus, Pakistan, China, South Africa, Belgium, Germany, Lebanon and a range of other countries, highlighting the growing global draw of the Dominican Republic as a place to build a permanent life.
Addressing the assembled new citizens and event attendees, Minister Raful emphasized the core responsibilities that come with Dominican nationality. She urged all recipients of citizenship to respect the country’s Constitution, abide by its legal framework, and uphold the democratic values that anchor Dominican national identity. Beyond rights and protections, Raful framed naturalization as a mutual commitment: gaining Dominican citizenship means joining the nation’s ongoing development project, and committing to full, active participation across the country’s social, economic and cultural spheres.
The ceremony marks one of the country’s larger recent collective naturalization events, reflecting consistent migration flows into the Dominican Republic from across the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and other world regions. For the new citizens, the swearing-in ceremony formalizes their transition to permanent membership in Dominican society, opening full access to civic rights and opportunities across the island nation.