Jamaica is a common-law jurisdiction, so a power of attorney looks like the English one rather than the civil-law deed used across Latin America. It is drafted by an attorney-at-law in Jamaica, signed here before the appropriate officer, certified, and then registered there where the transaction requires it.
Quick facts
The consular certification, where it is needed, falls under the same Tuesday and Friday restriction as apostilles, which has to be planned around.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. notarisation | $5–$25 per signature | Bring it unsigned |
| State apostille | $3–$25 per document | Secretary of State |
| Consular certification | Consular tariff | Two days a week only |
| Registration in Jamaica | Charged there | For land transactions |
| Attorney’s fees in Jamaica | Agreed with the firm | Drafting and completion |
Land transactions are the usual reason. Jamaican conveyancing is exacting about the form of the power and about who may witness a signature.
How to apply
- Instruct an attorney-at-law in Jamaica to draft the power with the wording the transaction needs.
- Ask them whether consular certification is required or whether an apostille suffices.
- Bring the document unsigned and sign before the officer named in the instructions.
- Obtain the apostille, and the consular certification where required, on a Tuesday or Friday.
- Courier the original to Jamaica and keep the tracking record.
- Have it registered there before anyone acts on it.
Required documents
- Valid photo identification for every signatory.
- The unsigned draft, complete and unaltered.
- Full details of the person receiving the power.
- Land title references, account numbers or case details.
- Witnesses where the draft requires them.
- Payment for each stage in the accepted form.
Where to apply
Notarisation locally, apostille from the state, and certification at the mission covering your area on its two service days.
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
Land title matters
Family land and unregistered titles are common in Jamaica and complicate conveyancing considerably. The attorney there should confirm the position before the power is drafted.
Be specific
Name the property, the title reference and the acts authorised. General wording is refused by registries and banks.
Estates
Administering an estate in Jamaica usually needs probate documents alongside the power, and those have their own certification chain.
Revocation
Revoking requires a further document executed the same way, with notice to whoever holds the original and to any registry where it was recorded.