Obtaining Jamaican Citizenship by Descent 

1.   Completed Application for Jamaican Citizenship by descent.

2.   Applicant’s Birth Certificate/Statement of Live Birth/Certification of      birth.

3.  Applicant’s father’s or mother’s Jamaican Birth Certificate/Adoption Certificate issued by the Registrar General’s Department of Jamaica or Certificate of Jamaican Citizenship (in cases where the applicant is establishing the claim through a parent that acquired citizenship by virtue of marriage before the applicant was born).

4.   Applicant's parents' Marriage Certificate, (where applicable).

5.    Marriage Certificate, (where applicable)

6.   Applicants’ Valid Identification (Adult age 18 and over).

7.  Jamaican Parent’s government issued Identification (Valid Passport, Driver’s Licence or Elector Registration Identification Card).

8. Official Change of Name Document – Court Order, Deed Polls registered through the court or the Country’s record office, etc (where applicable).

9.  Two (2) passport sized photographs of the applicant certified by a Justice of the Peace for local applications or by a Notary Public, Justice of the Peace, Commissioner of Oaths or Consular Officer, for overseas applications.

10. Court issued document evidencing Legal Guardianship where applicable.

Processing Time

Once the above documents are submitted to the High Commission, they are sent to the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) to be processed.  Compliant applications will be processed within thirty (30) working days by PICA and then returned to the Jamaican High Commission for dispatch to the applicant.

Fee:

The fee for this application is CAD$110.00. This payment must be made by an International Bank Draft or an International Money Order made payable to the Ministry of National Security of Jamaica.

PICA reserves the right to request additional and or updated information during the processing of the application.

ALL APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED THROUGH THE JAMAICAN HIGH COMMISSION WILL ATTRACT A CONSULAR FEE OF CAD$13.00 IN ADDITION TO A POSTAGE FEE OF CAD$13.00. A SEPARATE BANK DRAFT OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO THE JAMAICAN HIGH COMMISSION WILL BE REQUIRED TO PAY THE FEES.