How to get a passport
Did you know that renewing a Jamaican passport in New York is possible? Yes, but it is a little time consuming process; it will take minimum time duration of four to six weeks to get the renewal done. You can just walk into the Jamaican general consulate in New York City or go online. As all the Jamaican passports are submitted in the passport office in Kingston, Jamaica for processing, the delay is very much apparent.
Requirements for the Renewal
To renew a Jamaican passport in New York, the initial step is to obtain a passport renewal form . These forms can be acquired from the office of the consulate of Jamaica-Houston, embassy etc. To start with the renewal procedures the form must be filled out with appropriate details asked for and submit the same with the consular office or the embassy along with the expired passport. A couple of indistinguishable photographs are needed and one has to be certified by an authorized official. You shouldn’t staple the photo to the form. Other than the above mentioned documents a certified copy of the birth certificate is also required. In the case of a minor, Id proof of the parents and letter of guardianship are also required. The embassy will ask for the originals and not photo copies, after the process is over all the submitted documents will be sent back to the applicant. A box is provided in the form for your signature, a thumb print box is also there on the form, this is for those who cannot sign for various reasons.
The empowered people for certification are a consular official or a notary public. The validity of a passport in the case of an adult is 10 years and for a minor it’s just 5 years. Additional caution is necessary while filling out the form, as these forms are being forwarded to Jamaica for the rest of the procedures, a small mistake on your part will lead to unprecedented delay.
The Jamaican consulate is located at 767 Third Avenue, 2nd floor in New York City and the functioning of the consulate starts at 9 a.m.
A few Instructions
Married couple must complete section B, the number and date of issue of the citizenship certificate has to be entered in section C, Complete section F with the emergency contact information. Section G will be signed by an authorized consular official, a public notary can also sign this document. Section D must be filled for children less than 18 years of age. Guardians or parents should submit their approved identification of the Jamaican government at the time of renewing their children’s passport. If you are a person wearing head gear for religious reasons you have to fill section H.
Remit the application fee and review the site of the general consulate to evaluate the position of your passport application
Mode of Payment
Payments can be made for the renewal in the form of checks or money orders payable to the Jamaican embassy or to the consulate general of Jamaica and the fee has to be forwarded along with the applications and other supporting documents. In matters related to a stolen passport case, a police complaint report has to be submitted along with,
a) cancelled Jamaican passport b)
b) work permit with a photo from the country where you reside
c) Jamaican voter’s registration card
d) Jamaican driver’s license or any other identification issued by a Federal or state authority
.