Dominica Passport Renewal: Requirements, Fees and Process

Quick answer: A Dominica passport renewal can be completed from Dominica or through a Dominican embassy, High Commission or consular channel abroad. Dominica citizens living in Dubai or elsewhere in the UAE can submit through the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Dominica in Abu Dhabi. A standard renewal normally requires the current passport, completed ePassport application form, compliant photographs, supporting citizenship or civil-status documents where applicable, recommender details and proof of payment. Dominican citizenship itself does not expire when the passport expires. Adults generally receive passports valid for 10 years, while passports for children under 16 are valid for five years.

Last updated: 2 October 2026. Passport fees, consular payment methods, documentary requirements and processing arrangements can change. Applicants should confirm the final submission package with the passport office or embassy handling their case before sending original documents.

For Dominica citizens who obtained nationality through Dominica citizenship by investment, renewal is an administrative passport process rather than a repeat citizenship application. There is no requirement to re-invest simply because the passport expires, and the CBIU states that citizenship granted through the programme is lifelong.

Dominica Passport Renewal at a Glance

Applicant Type	Normal Passport Validity	Current Statutory Renewal Fee*	Expected Processing
CBI citizen, adult	10 years	Approx. US$75	Regular processing approx. 14 business days, plus overseas transmission
CBI citizen, child under 16	5 years	Approx. US$75 under current CBI fee category	Same general process; family documents may add review time
Non-CBI citizen applying abroad	Adult: 10 years	Approx. US$15 statutory renewal fee	Approx. 14 business days plus consular/courier time
Non-CBI child applying abroad	5 years	Approx. US$15 statutory renewal fee	Approx. 14 business days plus consular/courier time
CBI lost/stolen/damaged passport	Replacement, not ordinary renewal	US$2,000 statutory replacement fee	Additional investigation normally required

*Dominica’s 2024 Immigration and Passport amendment sets passport renewal at 25% of the passport issue fee at the place of renewal. It lists a US$300 issue fee for a person who acquired citizenship by investment, making the statutory renewal amount US$75. Additional embassy, dispatch, courier or local handling charges may apply. Lost, stolen or destroyed CBI passports are subject to a separate US$2,000 replacement fee rather than the ordinary renewal fee.

Who Needs to Renew a Dominica Passport?

A Dominican citizen normally needs to renew or replace their passport when the existing travel document can no longer be used effectively.

Common situations include:

• Passport has expired.
• Passport will expire soon.
• No blank pages remain.
• Passport is damaged.
• Passport has been lost or stolen.
• Personal details have changed.
• A child passport has reached its expiry date.

The CBIU expressly states that expired passports and passports with no free pages can be renewed through the Passport and Immigration Department in Dominica or a Dominican consular channel abroad. A citizen does not need to travel to Dominica simply to renew a passport.

Passport Expiry Is Not Citizenship Expiry

This distinction is especially important for CBI families.

Your passport is a travel document with a limited validity period.

Your Dominican citizenship is a legal nationality status.

If a 10-year Dominican passport expires, the citizen does not automatically lose:

• Dominican nationality
• The right to apply for a new passport
• Citizenship rights
• Citizenship already granted to eligible family members

Dominica’s official CBI information describes citizenship as being for life. It can also continue after an approved real-estate investor has sold the property, provided the applicable mandatory CBI holding period was satisfied.

Renewal therefore should not be confused with reapplying for Dominica citizenship by investment.

Dominica Passport Validity and When to Apply

Dominican passports are generally valid for:

• 10 years for adults
• 5 years for children under 16

These periods are confirmed in current official CBI guidance.

When Should You Start the Renewal?

Dominica does not publish one universal rule requiring every citizen to renew exactly six months before expiry.

However, waiting until the final few weeks can create travel problems.

Many destination countries and airlines require a passport to remain valid for several months beyond the travel date. Even if your Dominican passport has not technically expired, limited remaining validity can make an upcoming journey impractical.

A useful planning approach is to check renewal when:

• Fewer than six months remain and international travel is planned.
• You are applying for a visa that requires extended passport validity.
• Several family passports expire around the same period.
• You need the passport for banking, residency or identity procedures in another country.

For UAE-based citizens, starting early is particularly sensible because the passport is not printed in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Applications handled by the UAE embassy are transmitted to the Passport Office in Dominica, where the passport is produced, then returned to the embassy for collection or dispatch.

Documents Required for Passport Renewal

The exact package depends on where you apply and whether you are renewing an ordinary Dominican passport, a CBI passport, a child passport or replacing a lost document.

Basic Dominica Passport Renewal Checklist

Official ePassport instructions identify the existing passport as the core supporting document for an ordinary renewal. Overseas missions can require additional identity and citizenship records.

For a typical overseas renewal, prepare:

• Current/original Dominican passport
• Completed ePassport application form
• Recent compliant passport photographs
• Proof of payment
• Supporting citizenship document where requested
• Birth certificate where requested
• Marriage or name-change evidence where applicable
• Recommender details and identification
• Any required certified English translations

For applications processed through the UAE embassy, the currently published checklist specifically includes:

• Original passport
• Passport-size photograph
• Application form
• True copy of the Certificate of Naturalisation
• Translated birth certificate
• Passport copy of the recommender
• Recommender’s business card
• Translated marriage certificate for married applicants
• Proof of payment

This is particularly relevant to CBI citizens, since the Certificate of Naturalisation is the underlying citizenship evidence.

Dominica Passport Renewal Form

The current form is the Application for ePassport or Seafarers’ Identity Document (SID).

The applicant should select:

• ePassport
• Regular passport
• Renewal as the application reason

The form requires personal information, address details, citizenship basis, previous passport information, applicant declaration, photograph and recommender section.

Applicants should use the version supplied or accepted by the mission handling the renewal rather than relying on an old copy saved from a previous application.

Recommender Requirements

The ePassport instructions require a recommender who:

• Is a citizen of the Commonwealth of Dominica.
• Has known the applicant for at least two years.
• Is not an immediate family member.
• Falls within an accepted professional or standing category.

Examples include certain legal or medical professionals, senior civil servants, bank officials, qualified teachers, senior police officers and business managers.

The recommender must also certify one of the photographs as a true likeness of the applicant.

For UAE applications, the embassy currently asks for both a passport copy and business card of the recommender.

Passport Photo Requirements

The current ePassport instruction sheet requires two recent facial photographs and specifies:

• No more than six months old
• Maximum approximately 45 × 35 mm
• Minimum approximately 36 × 32 mm
• Face directly towards the camera
• Neutral expression
• Eyes open
• Plain light-coloured background
• No sunglasses
• No military or camouflage clothing
• Appropriate contrast between clothing and background

The face should occupy around 70–80% of the image.

One older general government webpage still refers to a 45 × 38 mm photograph. Because the current ePassport instruction document uses the dimensions above, overseas applicants should confirm the exact format with the relevant embassy before printing photographs.

What About Biometrics?

Dominica introduced its ePassport system in 2021.

The government established overseas ePassport facilities, including in the UAE, to support registration, data and image capture for citizens abroad.

However, the UAE embassy’s current routine renewal page does not state that every renewal applicant must personally attend for a new biometric capture.

First-time ePassport applicants are specifically required by the official instructions to present themselves to an Immigration Department, Passport Office, High Commission or Consulate.

For a renewal, confirm appointment or personal-attendance requirements with the Abu Dhabi embassy before travelling from Dubai.

How to Renew a Dominica Passport from Dubai, the UAE or Abroad

There is no separate Dominica passport office in Dubai listed in the current official process.

Dominica citizens living in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or elsewhere in the UAE can use the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Dominica in Abu Dhabi.

The embassy currently provides passport-renewal services for Dominican citizens in the UAE. Applications are processed by the embassy and then sent to Dominica for printing.

Applying from Dubai

A practical sequence is:

1. Check the expiry date and reason for renewal.
2. Contact the Dominica Embassy in Abu Dhabi before submission.
3. Obtain or confirm the current ePassport form.
4. Prepare the original passport and supporting documents.
5. Prepare compliant photographs.
6. Complete the recommender section correctly.
7. Pay using the accepted UAE method.
8. Submit through the embassy.
9. Wait while the application is transmitted to Dominica for printing.
10. Collect or receive the passport according to the embassy’s instructions.

The UAE embassy states that its consular fees can be paid in:

• US dollars
• UAE dirhams
• Bank transfer

The final amount and bank instructions should be obtained directly from the embassy before transferring funds.

Renewing a Dominica Passport from Abroad

Dominica citizens outside the UAE can generally use the nearest Dominican embassy, High Commission or consulate.

The official instructions also allow overseas applicants in certain circumstances to provide the completed application and supporting documents to a proxy who submits them on the applicant’s behalf.

A proxy must have written authorisation. When the applicant is overseas, that authorisation must be notarised.

Local payment, postage and handling arrangements differ between missions, so the procedure used in London should not automatically be copied for Abu Dhabi, New York or another jurisdiction.

Step-by-Step Dominica Passport Renewal Process

Step 1 — Confirm the Correct Application Type

Choose renewal for an expired, expiring or full passport.

If the document has been lost, stolen or materially damaged, use the replacement process instead. The fees and evidence are different.

Step 2 — Complete the ePassport Form

Complete all applicable sections accurately.

Pay particular attention to:

• Full legal name
• Previous names
• Citizenship basis
• Current and permanent addresses
• Existing passport number
• Marital status
• Parent information where required

CBI citizens should identify their citizenship basis correctly as naturalisation.

Step 3 — Prepare the Supporting Documents

Check the embassy-specific checklist rather than assuming the old passport alone is enough.

For UAE CBI families, the Naturalisation Certificate, birth record and recommender documents are especially important.

Step 4 — Complete the Applicant and Recommender Signatures

The applicant must sign the declaration and signature box correctly.

The current instructions state that children aged 10 or above must sign their own signature box. Children under 10 can leave that box unsigned.

Step 5 — Pay the Applicable Fee

Obtain confirmation of the current statutory and local mission charges.

Keep the payment receipt because proof of payment forms part of the application package.

Step 6 — Submit Through the Correct Channel

In the UAE, submit through the Abu Dhabi embassy according to its current appointment or submission instructions.

Do not send original passports to an unofficial intermediary without confirming their authority and the chain of custody.

Step 7 — Passport Production in Dominica

Overseas missions do not independently print Dominican passports.

The application is transmitted to Dominica, the document is produced there and then returned to the mission.

Step 8 — Collection or Dispatch

If another person will collect your passport, official instructions require written authority. Overseas authorisation may need to be notarised.

Passport Renewal Fees and Payment Methods

The most useful current fee source is the 2024 Immigration and Passport amendment.

It distinguishes ordinary citizens and people who acquired citizenship through investment.

CBI Passport Renewal Fee

The legislation lists a US$300 passport issue fee for a person who acquired citizenship through investment.

It then sets the passport renewal fee at 25% of the issue fee at the place of renewal.

That produces a statutory renewal amount of:

US$75

for a CBI passport renewal under the current schedule.

This should not automatically be treated as the complete amount payable to an overseas mission. Courier, consular handling or other mission-level costs can be additional.

Ordinary Citizens Renewing Abroad

For passports issued “elsewhere” outside Dominica, the current issue fee is US$60.

At 25%, the underlying statutory renewal amount is therefore:

US$15

Again, local mission costs may be added.

Renewal vs Replacement Cost

Do not use the ordinary renewal fee when the passport is lost, stolen or destroyed.

Current statutory replacement fees are significantly higher:

• CBI citizen: US$2,000
• Other passport issued abroad: US$185
• Standard replacement in Dominica: EC$500

This makes safeguarding the passport particularly important for CBI families.

Processing Time and Urgent Travel Considerations

Dominica’s current ePassport instructions describe regular processing as approximately 14 business days. The general government passport page similarly describes normal processing as around two weeks.

That does not mean a UAE applicant should expect a new passport in exactly 14 days.

Overseas cases also involve:

• Embassy review
• Transmission to Dominica
• Passport printing
• Return delivery
• Collection or courier dispatch

The end-to-end time can therefore be longer.

Urgent Travel

The government states that urgent passport cases may sometimes be processed within two or three working days in genuine emergencies such as illness.

This should not be treated as a guaranteed premium express service, particularly for an overseas renewal.

Dominica also provides emergency travel documents in limited circumstances, but these are not a universal substitute for a full passport to every destination.

If urgent travel is approaching, contact the embassy first rather than booking based on an assumed renewal date.

Renewing an Expired, Lost, Stolen or Damaged Passport

An expired passport follows the standard renewal route.

Lost, stolen and damaged passports require additional evidence and investigation.

Lost or Stolen Passport

The UAE embassy requires:

• Police report confirming the loss
• Official English translation where the police report is in another language

Dominica’s full ePassport instructions also require a statutory declaration or affidavit explaining the loss, theft or damage. The incident must be reported to the appropriate police, immigration or Dominican consular authority.

A replacement is not normally issued until the required inquiries are completed.

Damaged Passport

Do not continue travelling with a document that has:

• Torn identity pages
• Water damage
• Damaged electronic chip
• Unreadable details
• Missing pages
• Serious cover or binding damage

A damaged document can be rejected even before its printed expiry date.

Name Change

Current ePassport instructions state that amendments cannot simply be made to an already issued ePassport.

If the applicant’s legal name has changed, supporting evidence such as a birth certificate, deed poll, marriage certificate, divorce decree or annulment certificate may be required as applicable.

Passport Renewal for Children and Dependants

Children under 16 normally receive passports valid for five years.

A child’s renewal should be treated as a separate application rather than simply being added to a parent’s passport.

Consent and Signatures

Applications for a minor must be made by, or with the notarised consent of:

• Custodial parent
• Adoptive parent
• Legal guardian

Where a court order exists regarding custody, that order should be provided.

Children aged 10 or over sign their own passport signature box. For children under 10, the box may remain blank.

Families who obtained citizenship together through CBI should check every family member’s expiry date separately. Adult and child passports issued at the same time will not necessarily expire together because their validity periods differ.

Common Reasons for Delays or Rejection

Many passport problems are administrative rather than citizenship problems.

Incorrect or Incomplete Form

Missing signatures, blank mandatory fields or selecting the wrong application reason can cause the file to be returned.

Photo Does Not Meet ePassport Standards

Incorrect size, shadows, unsuitable background, open-mouth expressions or poor image quality can lead to new photographs being requested.

Missing Certificate of Naturalisation

For UAE-based CBI citizens, the current embassy checklist specifically requires a true copy of the Naturalisation Certificate.

Invalid Recommender

The recommender must meet the required citizenship, relationship and professional criteria.

A family member cannot simply sign because they know the applicant well.

Name Differences

Differences between:

• Passport
• Naturalisation Certificate
• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate
• UAE residency documents

should be explained and supported with legal records.

Untranslated Documents

Documents in another language should have the required English translation.

This is especially relevant to families whose birth or marriage records were issued outside English-speaking jurisdictions.

Incorrect Payment

The statutory fee and actual amount requested by the overseas mission may not be identical because local handling and delivery charges can apply.

Confirm the amount before paying.

Lost Passport Not Properly Reported

A lost or stolen passport application can be delayed until the police report, declaration and investigation requirements are satisfied.

How Caribbean Paradise Can Help

For a Dominica citizen living in Dubai, elsewhere in the UAE or another country, the most time-consuming part of renewal is often not the passport form itself. It is making sure the entire file is prepared correctly before the original passport and supporting records are submitted.

Caribbean Paradise can assist with the administrative preparation of a renewal file, including:

• Reviewing the current passport and expiry date
• Checking the appropriate renewal or replacement route
• Reviewing the ePassport form
• Checking the document checklist
• Reviewing CBI Naturalisation Certificate copies
• Checking birth and marriage records
• Identifying translation or certification requirements
• Checking photograph specifications
• Reviewing recommender documentation
• Preparing a family renewal checklist
• Coordinating the next submission steps with the relevant official channel

Passport approval and issuance remain the responsibility of the Government of Dominica and its passport and consular authorities. Processing times cannot be guaranteed.

Need to renew from Dubai or abroad? Have your passport, Certificate of Naturalisation and family details reviewed before submission so missing documents can be identified early.

For citizens who originally obtained nationality through Dominica citizenship by investment, the programme page explains the underlying citizenship route. Travellers comparing the wider value of the document can also review Dominica passport benefits, while families considering citizenship planning from the Emirates can explore second citizenship for UAE residents.

Frequently Asked Questions