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Santo Domingo.- Passengers who discover that their passport has expired at the time of travel will be able to renew the document directly at selected airports in the Dominican Republic, but only in proven emergency situations, according to the General Directorate of Passports.
Director General Lorenzo Ramírez explained that the service will be available exclusively for exceptional cases and will not operate as a regular passport office. Access will be limited to passengers who already have a purchased flight and face an imminent travel emergency.
The service will be implemented at the country’s busiest airports, including Las Américas International Airport Dr. José Francisco Peña Gómez (AILA), as well as Punta Cana, Santiago, and Puerto Plata airports.
Ramírez also announced improvements to passport processing times nationwide, noting that standard services will now prioritize speed over premium options. As a result, regular passport issuance and renewal times will be reduced from five days to between 24 and 48 hours. The announcement was made during his participation in the Corripio Communications Group Luncheon.
Deputy Director of Passport Issuance and Renewal Edgar Díaz clarified that travelers must present proof of a confirmed flight to access the emergency airport service, stressing that it will not be available to individuals without an imminent travel deadline.
Authorities also provided details on the rollout of the new electronic passport. Applications for the document will require an appointment scheduled at least 15 days in advance, with the process officially beginning on February 19.
The first phase of electronic passport issuance will operate exclusively by appointment in Santo Domingo and will later expand to other provinces with the highest demand.
