opening a business before coming to DR with the help of a DR friend

The paperwork takes time, so maybe start the registration / set up process, have a friend to keep an eye on it and follow up the next time you get back. For some type of a business, specially if you are setting up a limited company (called SLR here) you have to be a resident to do it, or have somebody with residency as a manager. If your friend registers a business as his and then you want to transfer it to you, you have to go through a lot of paperwork again to do so. Talking from the personal experience.

Does not sound like an easy or very "sound" way to do it.  You might want to rethink this.

Do you have your residency ????

Bob K

First welcome to the forums!  So I will ask the question -  who is your "friend"? How long have you known them? 

Opening a business is not easy and it is not fast.   The paperwork isn't rocket science but the actual doing of things can be a nightmare.   First, get a lawyer to do the incorporation for you.

You do not need to be a resident to open the company,  you need a passport OR a cedula (local ID card)  and you need two people - neither needs to be a resident.   

Employees and management - labor code here is tough and full of rules.  Besides yourself as owner - you need 80 % of positions and payroll to be Dominican!  Not just holding a cedula but citizens of this country.  (there are ways around this but very few)

Owning a business you do not actively run and manage can be a disaster.  Be very careful who you trust!

Planner is right, you don't have to be a resident to open a company, sorry my mistake. I was thinking about the tourism licence. If you are planning to open a business that has to have a tourism licence, then you have to have a resident as a manager.
If you do not plan to be in DR most of the time to have everything under control by yourself, do not open any business here

Thanks for your help. Sorry for the late reply. I plan to live in the DR. I just wanted to start getting things set up in advance.

Wow two years later and any progress????

Bob K