Jamaica permits dual citizenship, and the missions in the United States process citizenship applications through their own dedicated appointment form. A child born abroad to a Jamaican parent is entitled to citizenship by descent, but the entitlement has to be documented before it produces a passport.
Quick facts
The certificate is what a passport application accepts as proof for someone born outside Jamaica. Until it exists, a Jamaican parent’s own birth certificate is not enough on its own.
The sequence
| Step | What it produces | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gather the parent’s Jamaican documents | Evidence of the link | Originals from the Registrar General |
| Citizenship application at the mission | Citizenship certificate | Dedicated appointment form |
| Passport application | Travel document | Separate fee and appointment |
| Naturalised Jamaicans abroad | Keep Jamaican citizenship | No filing needed |
Jamaicans who become U.S. citizens do not lose their Jamaican citizenship, which is why renewing a Jamaican passport for a dual national is routine work across the network.
How to apply
- Order the Jamaican parent’s birth certificate from the Registrar General’s Department.
- Order the applicant’s U.S. birth certificate naming both parents.
- Gather marriage certificates covering any name change in the chain.
- Book the citizenship appointment using the form for that service.
- Attend with originals and the completed application.
- Apply for the passport once the citizenship certificate has been issued.
Required documents
- Applicant’s birth certificate, original.
- Jamaican parent’s birth certificate, original.
- Parents’ marriage certificate where applicable.
- Valid photo identification for the applicant and the parent.
- Proof of any name change, including a deed poll.
- Photographs to the published specification.
Where to apply
At the embassy or the consulate general covering your area, using the citizenship appointment form.
Jamaican Consulate in Los Angeles
View details →ChicagoConsulate General of Jamaica
View details →MiamiConsulate General of Jamaica
View details →New YorkConsulate General of Jamaica
View details →New YorkPermanent Mission of Jamaica
View details →OaklandConsulate General of Jamaica
View details →Sandy SpringsJamaican Consulate Atlanta
View details →WashingtonEmbassy of Jamaica
View details →Additional notes
The father’s name on the certificate
Where the Jamaican parent is the father and his name does not appear on a birth certificate in the chain, extra evidence is needed. Check the documents before filing.
Certificate, then passport
They are two applications with two fees and two appointments. Budget for both.
Travel documents
Dual nationals should enter and leave Jamaica on the Jamaican passport and the United States on the U.S. one.
Start early
Between the certificates from Jamaica, the citizenship file and a passport that takes ten to fourteen weeks, the full sequence is measured in months.