Child support defaulters could face travel and license renewal restrictions

Santo Domingo.- A bill introduced in the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic by legislator Carlos De Pérez proposes sweeping reforms to the child support system, including strict penalties for noncompliance. Parents who fail to pay could face restrictions such as being unable to renew licenses, conduct certain transactions, leave the country, or even face deportation if living abroad.

The proposal includes the creation of a National Registry of Child Support Providers (RENADA), which would allow real-time monitoring through integration with institutions like the Central Electoral Board and the financial system. The system would trigger automatic enforcement actions just five days after missed payments, while mandatory bank transactions would ensure transparency and traceability.

The bill also introduces measures such as inflation-adjusted payments, retroactive debt collection, and extending support obligations up to age 21 for students. It further proposes nighttime detention for persistent defaulters and international cooperation mechanisms to track those abroad. Additionally, it includes an emergency fund for cases of insolvency and establishes that, if paternity is disproven, previously paid support must be reimbursed, aiming to strengthen accountability and compliance within the system.