By Claudia Gardner:
Did you know that there are more Jamaicans living overseas than on the island?
Estimates conducted a few years ago, revealed that born Jamaicans, combined with their second, third and fourth generations of descendants, account for approximately five million Jamaicans living outside of the island.
Many Jamaican descendants lay claim to being Jamaican. However, you are not considered truly Jamaican until you become a citizen in word and in deed. Under Chapter II of the Jamaican Constitution, persons born outside Jamaica of Jamaican parents have an automatic right to Jamaican citizenship.
By law, all persons born outside of Jamaica, who have a claim to Jamaican citizenship by descent, whether through parents or grandparents, are required to formally apply for the Certification of Jamaican Citizenship. This applies also to those who may have held Jamaican passports previously and now need to renew their passport and be issued with machine readable passports.
This process of claiming citizenship is as easy as pie, as long as you have the few documents required by Jamaica’s Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency ready for submission.
Many people are not aware, but there are roughly 1.3 million Jamaican-born persons residing abroad, amounting to at least 36.1 per cent of the national population. This means one in every three Jamaicans reside in a foreign country, according to the United Nations Migration 2018 country profile of Jamaica.
What this means too, is that there are millions of people of Jamaican heritage spread across the world, many of whom have not yet claimed their birthright (citizenship) and their Jamaican passport.
If you are a descendant of Jamaicans born in another country, obtaining your Jamaican citizenship, and your Jamaican passport, is highly encouraged by the Government of Jamaica.
Foreign nationals who have a claim to Jamaican citizenship are fully encouraged to exercise their right to obtain a Jamaican passport and use it to enter or leave Jamaica, even when holding a foreign passport”.
One caveat though: Every country has its own laws on whether or not a their nationals can hold citizenship in two or more countries. While Jamaica accepts dual nationals, if you are interested in becoming a citizen of Jamaica, please first check to see if your country allows for dual nationality.
What are the advantages of claiming Jamaican Citizenship?
The advantage of claiming Jamaican citizenship and travelling to the island on your Jamaican passport instead of a foreign passport, provides endless possibilities for you.
1. No visa needed
If you live in a country for which a visa is required to travel to Jamaica, with a Jamaican passport, you have no need to apply for a visa. Jamaican citizens have an automatic right of entry to Jamaica, and do not require a visa and only need to present a valid Jamaican passport and a completed and signed Immigration landing card.
2. Smooth entry
A Jamaican passport means for you, less wait time at immigration, and indefinite stay! So, you can stay as long as you wish, or forever if you wish!
3. Pride of Place
In becoming a citizen of Jamaica you will be able to represent Jamaica in sports like other Jamaican descendants such as Deon Burton and Paul Hall and Robbie Earle who represented the Reggae Boyz at the FIFA World Cup in 1998.
You will also be able to and bask in the pride of national achievement and identify with great Jamaicans such as Bob Marley, Usain Bolt, Sir Arthur Wint, Elaine Thompson, Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, and Louise Bennett, among others.
4. Work without a work permit
When you acquire your Jamaican citizenship, obviously, there is no need to have a work permit. You are a citizen with all the rights of all Jamaicans! Only non-nationals are required to have a permit to work on the island, this in keeping with the Foreign Nationals and Commonwealth Citizens (Employment) Act of Jamaica.
Under the Act, that it is an offense for an employer to have within his or her employment in Jamaica a foreign national or Commonwealth citizen (other than a CARICOM national falling within specified categories) without a valid work permit in relation to that employment.
5. Vote in General and Local Government Elections
Every Jamaican citizen who is 18 years or older and resident in Jamaica and is not subjected to any legal incapacity to vote such as being of an unsound mind, convicted or under a suspended sentence, is entitled to vote.
So, with your citizenship, you will be enfranchised to have a say in the political decision-making. NB. Unless you are a citizen of the Commonwealth, you are unable to run for political office in Jamaica with your dual citizenship.
6. Receive Social benefits and get access to government programmes
With Jamaican citizenship, you will be able to access benefits such as qualifying for National Housing Trust housing scheme units or lots, or loans (if you are a NHT contributor), as well as state-run social protection programmes, such as PATH.
7. Exemption from international Fees at Jamaica’s premier universities
The Government of Jamaica funds the vast majority of the tuition costs for Jamaican nationals, for a number of courses of study at institutions such as The University of the West Indies, The University of Technology (UTech) and the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.
The Government of Jamaica, currently funds 80 per cent of the economic cost for tuition fees at the University of the West Indies, while students pay 20 per cent and both. Both Edna Manley and UTech also absorb a high per-student subsidy annually from the State.
8. Duty free allowance from customs and at the airport
All passengers 18 years and over, may bring with them free of duty, personal and household effects, including gifts, which together are of a value not exceeding US$500 or the equivalent in Jamaican currency.
However, there is a Returning Residents policy which gives exemptions from import duties and taxes on household effects, whether new or used. For more information see Returning Residents Policy.
9. Right to free speech
Under Jamaican Law, all persons in Jamaica are entitled to the right to freedom expression and the right to seek, receive, distribute or disseminate information, opinions, and ideas through any media, unlike several countries where freedom of expression is severely limited.
10. Ability to register non-Jamaican Spouse as a citizen of Jamaica
A non-Jamaican national is eligible to make an application for citizenship by virtue of Marriage if he or she is married to a Jamaican citizen. The process takes approximately 12 months after which a Certificate of Naturalization will be granted. See The Jamaican Nationality Regulations, 1962.
How to Apply
Applying for Jamaican citizenship is easy. Simply complete the Descent Application Form, which can be obtained from the Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency’s (PICA) website.
Accompanying documents needed if one or both of your parents are Jamaicans:
1. Your full birth certificate (showing parents’ names)
2. Your passport
3. Your marriage certificate (if applicable)
4. Your Jamaican parent’s birth certificate and passport (preferably Jamaican)
5. Your parent’s marriage certificate (if applicable).
Accompanying documents needed If you are applying through Jamaican grandparents:
1. Your full birth certificate
2. Your passport
3. Your marriage certificate (if applicable)
4. Father/mother’s birth certificate and passport
5. Maternal/paternal grandparent’s birth certificate and passport (preferably Jamaican)
6. Parent’s/grandparent’s marriage certificate (if applicable)
Your application should be accompanied by two certified passport-sized photographs.
The application form should be completed and submitted to the offices of PICA if applying in Jamaica or the offices of a Jamaican High Commission/Consulate if overseas. You must also present the original documents which will be copied and certified as true copies. These originals (e.g. birth certificate, passport etc) will be returned to you immediately afterwards.
Fees
The fees are subject to change without notice, but at present are: J$5000 or US$100; Canadian $110 or 60 British pounds.
One the verified compliant documents are submitted and your lineage established, a Certificate of Citizenship will be issued within six to 12 months.
And, voila! You are Jamaican in word and in deed!
