Dominican Republic - IOM in the Dominican Republic this week signed a cooperation agreement with the Dominican-Haitian Women’s Movement (MUDHA by its Spanish acronym) to provide information and assistance in processing legal documents from Haitians in the Dominican Republic applying for the country’s National Regularization Plan for Foreigners (PNRE by its Spanish acronym).

The PNRE is part of the country’s Migration Law 285-04 passed in 2004. Presidential Decree #327-13 put in motion the Plan in June 2014. The PNRE allows all irregular migrants to apply for legal status, according to categories defined in the 2004 law. Each applicant must present an official document confirming his/her identity and meet the following three conditions: length of stay in the country, links with Dominican society, proof of employment and socio-economic stability.

According to the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Interior and Police, over 104,000 applications and biometric registrations have been processed to date in reception centres established in Santo Domingo and 24 of the country’s 31 provinces.

MUDHA plans to help some 700 Haitians living in municipalities located in the north and east of the capital, Santo Domingo, to apply.

Since the implementation of the PNRE began, IOM has supported public messaging and signed similar agreements with five other civil society organizations that assisted a total of 4,873 vulnerable Haitian migrants living in the provinces of San Cristóbal, Barahona, Azua, Montecristi, Mao-Valverde, La Altagracia, La Romana and El Seybo between July and September of this year. An additional 1,670 people will be assisted by these organizations.

“It is vital that these migrants have the support of civil society organizations in the places where they reside,” explained Cy Winter, IOM’s Chief of Mission in the Dominican Republic.

“With more than 30 years of experience working with the Haitian community, MUDHA brings unique knowledge of Haitian migrants, and their descendants, who have lived in the country for many years. Their support and transparent advice is vital for each and every applicant when making their decision,” he added.

IOM also has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Interior and Police to assist in the coordination of international support at technical, administrative and financial levels to contribute to the orderly and humane management of migration in the Dominican Republic. The aid will specifically target programs that facilitate the regularization of irregular migrants.

IOM works with the Dominican government, migrants and civil society to contribute to protection and assistance provided to vulnerable migrants through programs including regularization of irregular migrants and assisted voluntary return and reintegration to countries of origin. 

For more information, please contact IOMSantoDomingo@iom.int or visit our Migratory Information Hub.