Citizenship by Birth – Adoption – Descent

Requirements for Citizenship by Birth / Adoption / Descent

Jamaican Citizenship by Birth refers to the following:

Any person born in Jamaica prior to August 6, 1962, who was on that date a citizen of the United Kingdom and its colonies.

Any person born in Jamaica after August 5, 1962

Proof of citizenship:

Birth Certificate issued by the Registrar General’s Department of Jamaica

Citizenship by Adoption

Jamaican Citizenship by Adoption refers to the following:

A non-Jamaican child who has been legally adopted in Jamaica in accordance with the Children (Adoption) Act; can claim Jamaican citizenship through either the adoptive mother or adoptive father and who must be Jamaican citizens at the time adoption occurred

Proof of citizenship:

Adoption certificate issued by the Registrar General’s Department of Jamaica

Citizenship by Descent

Jamaican Citizenship by Descent refers to:

Anyone born outside of Jamaica to parents (mother or father or both) who are citizens of Jamaica at the time of birth

Proof of Citizenship:

Certificate of citizenship issued by the Passport, Immigration & Citizenship Agency of the Ministry of National Security in Jamaica

Documents required to apply for a  Certificate of Citizenship

  • A Completed Application for Jamaican Citizenship by Descent form – obtained from the Consulate or from our Online Form selection
  • Original birth certificate
  • Original birth certificate of mother or father
  • Original Marriage certificate of parents, if applicant was born in wedlock
  • Original Jamaican passport of mother or father
  • A valid government issued ID (valid driver’s license or passport)
  • Two recent passport-sized photographs – one of which is to be certified as a true photo of applicant by a Notary Public if applying through the post/mail

Important information to avoid delays in processing application:

1. Father’s name must appear on applicant’s birth certificate if claiming citizenship through father

2. Spelling of parents’ names must be consistent with spelling on applicant’s birth certificate and on parent’s birth certificates

3. Applicant must ensure that errors on documents are corrected by offices where they were issued prior to submitting application

Fees:

No Fee – Persons who currently have a passport, even if expired, do not need to pay a fee when applying for their certificate of Jamaican citizenship. However, they still need to pay processing and handling fee (see below).

$100.00 – Persons who never held a Jamaican passport or who cannot produce a previous Jamaican passport (issued prior to Sept 2001) are required to pay this fee via international money order payable to the Passport, Immigration & Citizenship Agency. This applies whether or not the applicant is applying in person. Personal and cashier’s check are not accepted.

$40.00 – Processing and handling fee paid by Money Order or Cashier’s Check made payable to the Consulate General of Jamaica – Miami. This fee is required for ALL applications.

NOTE: You can provide one money order made payable to the Consulate General of Jamaica – Miami for $140 if you wish. 

Processing Time:

The processing period for Citizenship by Descent Applications (provided that application fulfills all requirements AFTER being transmitted to the Passport, Immigration & Citizenship Agency (PICA) in Jamaica):

Forty (40) business days (please allow for transit time between the Consulate and PICA in Jamaica)

NOTE: In the case of Citizenship by Descent and Citizenship by Marriage, applicants may apply for their passports through the Consulate AFTER receiving their Certificates of Citizenship.

Jamaican Citizenship By Descent Form