Dominican Republic Property for Foreign Buyers 2026: CONFOTUR, Punta Cana & Investor Residency

Published on: May 25, 2026

Quick answer: The Dominican Republic remains the Caribbean's most foreigner-friendly property market: foreigners can hold 100% ownership in their own name with the same rights as citizens, with no local-partner, residency, or quota requirements, the only exception being land within 60 km of the Haitian border. The decisive rule is CONFOTUR (Tourism Incentive Law 158-01), which exempts qualifying tourism-zone properties from the 3% transfer tax, the annual IPI property tax, and rental income tax for up to 15 years, worth roughly $70,000+ on a $400,000 condo. A $200,000 real estate investment grants permanent residency directly, with citizenship eligibility from six months (subject to physical presence), and standard closing costs run about 5%–6% (or 2%–3% with CONFOTUR). The biggest risk is transaction-level: agents are unlicensed and title fraud is common, so always use an independent attorney, verify the Certificado de Título with the Registro Inmobiliario, and never wire deposits to personal accounts.

In a Caribbean increasingly defined by restrictive foreign ownership rules, the Cayman stamp duty hike, Barbados's progressive transfer tax, Anguilla's foreign-buyer surcharges, the Dominican Republic remains the most foreigner-friendly real estate market in the region.

Full ownership rights. No nationality restrictions. A 15-year tax exemption for properties in tourism zones. Investor residency from $200,000. Citizenship eligibility in as little as six months for permanent residents. And entry-level Punta Cana condos still trading under