Obtaining Jamaican Citizenship by Naturalisation

A non-Jamaican national having attained the age of eighteen (18) years, who is of good character, lived in Jamaica for a minimum of five (5) years on aggregate and for 12 months immediately preceding submission of the application, is eligible to apply for Jamaican citizenship.

The application should be made (in duplicate) on Naturalisation Form, N1.

The form should be carefully read then completed and signed in the presence of a Justice of the Peace.

Four (4) references are required as sponsors of the application. These persons should be Jamaican by birth and should not be a Civil Servant, a relative, lawyer or agent of the applicant.

Before submitting the application, notice of your intention to apply for Naturalisation must appear in a daily newspaper. An example of the advertisement is set out on the final page of the application form. This notice should be published on two (2) separate occasions at least one (1) week apart and should be submitted along with the application which should not be older than 6 months.

Completed application forms along with newspaper notices should be submitted to the Citizenship Unit of the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency along with the following original documents.

The documents (either the originals or duly notarized) required to apply for Jamaican citizenship are:

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

2.     Marriage certificate / Decree Absolute (if applicable).

3.     Passport on which the applicant originally entered Jamaica.

4.     Current Passport (if different from the one above).

5.     Valid Work Permit Card / Exemption Certificate.

6.     Personal Tax Compliance Certificate. NB If applicant is the owner of a business, the company Tax Compliance Certificate must be submitted.

7.     If applicant operates a wholesale/haberdashery then Income Tax Filings with both Personal and Business Tax Compliance Certificates are required.

8.     Recent Bank Statement (should not be older than 6 months).

9.     Verification of Income e.g. Employment Letter, Last Three Pay slips, Company Financial Statements, Pension statement (should not be older than 6 months).

10. Evidence of any Community activity/Service Club.

11. Official change of name Document, Deed Polls must be registered through the court or the Country’s record office, Court Order, (where applicable).

12. 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.

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 prepared for submission to the Minister within twenty four (24) months and then returned to the Jamaican High Commission to be dispatched to the applicant.

A Jamaican Passport or Travel Document may be issued on application to a non – Jamaican only after the person has obtained a Certificate of Registration or Naturalization from the appropriate authorities in Jamaica.

Applications are submitted directly to the:

Passport, Citizenship and Immigration Agency (PICA)

25C Constant Spring Road

Kingston 10, Jamaica

Fee:

There is no fee for this application.

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.