Is It Safe to Travel to Dominican Republic in 2026?
Dominican Republic - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Last updated: · Source: U.S. Department of State
The Dominican Republic is a country on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and a land border with Haiti to the west, occupying the eastern five-eighths of Hispaniola which, along with Saint Martin, is one of only two islands in the Caribbean shared by two sovereign states.
Is It Safe to Travel to Dominican Republic in 2026?
Dominican Republic is currently rated Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution by the U.S. Department of State. Exercise increased caution in the Dominican Republic due to crime. Violent crime is a concern despite increased police presence in tourist areas.
Key concerns cited in the advisory:
- crime
Traveler Impact
Solo travelers face a heightened risk of violent crime, particularly in urban areas where petty theft and robbery are common; avoid isolated areas after dark.
Business travelers may encounter operational disruptions due to crime, but major hotels and business districts typically maintain a higher security presence.
Families with children should be cautious of health risks like dengue and limited access to pediatric care outside major cities; ensure safe drinking water is available.
Remote workers can find reliable internet in urban areas, but should be cautious of crime and health risks in less populated regions.
Data on this page comes from the U.S. Department of State, the CDC, the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, and Freedom House. All sources are updated regularly and cross-referenced to provide a composite safety picture for Dominican Republic.
▶Safety and Stability Ratings
Threat Severity (0-10 scale)
Dominican Republic has an overall threat severity of 3.9 out of 10. Crime risk is rated 6.0/10, terrorism risk 0.0/10, and kidnapping risk 0.0/10.
Governance Indicators (World Bank, percentile)
Political Stability▶
Measures the likelihood that the government will be destabilized or overthrown by unconstitutional or violent means, including politically-motivated violence and terrorism. Higher percentile means greater stability.
Rule of Law▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which agents have confidence in and abide by the rules of society, including the quality of contract enforcement, property rights, the police, and the courts, as well as the likelihood of crime and violence.
Control of Corruption▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which public power is exercised for private gain, including both petty and grand forms of corruption, as well as capture of the state by elites and private interests.
Government Effectiveness▶
Captures perceptions of the quality of public services, the quality of the civil service and the degree of its independence from political pressures, the quality of policy formulation and implementation, and the credibility of the government's commitment to such policies.
Regulatory Quality▶
Captures perceptions of the ability of the government to formulate and implement sound policies and regulations that permit and promote private sector development.
Voice & Accountability▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which a country's citizens are able to participate in selecting their government, as well as freedom of expression, freedom of association, and a free media.
Data from World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators (2023).
Freedom Status: Partly Free — scored 68/100 by Freedom House (2024). View full freedom profile →
▶Entry Requirements and Health
Entry Information
Visa
Check embassy for details
Currency
Dominican Peso (DOP)
Language
Spanish
Vaccinations
Recommended:
⚠ Malaria Risk: moderate
Recommended medications: Atovaquone-proguanil, chloroquine, doxycycline, mefloquine, tafenoquine
Active health notices:
- watchGlobal Measles: Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel.
Vaccination data sourced from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Consult a travel health professional before your trip.
Common Questions About Traveling to Dominican Republic
▶What is the current travel advisory level for Dominican Republic?
▶Is it safe to travel to Dominican Republic right now?
▶Do I need a visa to visit Dominican Republic?
▶What vaccines do I need for Dominican Republic?
▶Is Dominican Republic safe for solo travelers?
▶How bad is crime in Dominican Republic?
More Dominican Republic Data
Partly Free — 68/100 on the Freedom House index.
Governance indicators including rule of law, corruption control, and regulatory quality.
View all 195 countries color-coded by advisory level.
Read the full advisory on travel.state.gov.
Access this data programmatically. Free tier available.
On-demand country risk PDFs from 6 government sources.