Jamaica Passport Documents Checklist
Jamaica passports are issued by the Passport, Immigration & Citizenship Agency (PICA). PICA publishes passport and citizenship information on the same pages, so this checklist labels each item as passport or citizenship and keeps them apart. Verified against PICA, October 2026.
The 15-second answer
For a passport, you bring proof of citizenship (original birth or adoption certificate) and proof of identity (a driver's licence, voter's ID or work/student ID, subject to the Passport Officer's approval), plus two photographs — one of which must be certified by the Certifying Official who signed the application form. Passports are ePassports with a chip.
Passport application — documents
- Proof of citizenship: original birth certificate or adoption certificate.
- If you were born outside Jamaica: a certificate of registration, naturalization, or a letter of certification or citizenship.
- Proof of identity: a driver's licence, voter's ID or work/student ID, subject to approval by the Passport Officer.
- Two photographs — one of which should be certified by the Certifying Official who signed the application form.
Passport processing time
- Kingston (25 Constant Spring Road, Kingston 10): three (3) working days.
- Montego Bay (Overton Plaza, 49 Union Street): seven (7) working days.
The ePassport chip
Jamaica issues an ePassport: it carries the international biometric symbol printed at the bottom of the front cover, which shows the passport contains an electronic chip.
Citizenship services — a separate process
This section is citizenship, not the passport itself. PICA's citizenship processing time depends on the category:
- Citizenship by Descent: within 25 working days.
- By Virtue of Marriage: prepared for submission to the Minister for approval within 24 months.
- Naturalization: prepared for submission to the Minister for approval within 24 months.
- Registration (Commonwealth citizens): prepared for submission to the Minister for approval within 24 months.
- Registration (Minors): the official page states 24 months.
Several of these are approval-stage targets rather than guaranteed final-issue dates; confirm the current position with PICA when you lodge.
Certified copy of a citizenship certificate
- Write a letter to the Chief Executive Officer, PICA, 25c Constant Spring Road, Kingston 10, stating your name, address and file reference / certificate number, what happened to the original certificate, and why the certified copy is needed.
- Attach: a recent police report on the status of the original certificate; a certified passport-sized photograph; a parent's photo ID if the applicant is a minor; and the fee.
- Compliant applications are processed within 5 working days.
- Fee (applications submitted locally): JMD$5,000.00, non-refundable, accepted in Jamaican dollars.
- Applied through a High Commission, Consulate or Embassy the accepted currencies are quoted as USD$100, CAD$110, GBP£60 or EUR€74.
The photograph
One of your two photos must be certified by the Certifying Official who signs the application form. For the photo's size and format, see the Jamaica passport photo page, the photo size chart and the passport photo checker; the at-home photo guide and rejection reasons guide cover the pitfalls.
Frequently asked questions
What documents do I need for a Jamaica passport?
Proof of citizenship (original birth or adoption certificate; if born abroad, a registration, naturalization or certification letter), proof of identity (driver's licence, voter's ID or work/student ID subject to the Passport Officer's approval), and two photographs, one of which must be certified by the Certifying Official who signed the form.
How long does a Jamaica passport take?
Three working days at PICA's Kingston office (25 Constant Spring Road) and seven working days at Montego Bay (Overton Plaza, 49 Union Street).
Does Jamaica issue a chip passport?
Yes. Jamaica issues an ePassport carrying the international biometric symbol printed at the bottom of the front cover, showing it contains an electronic chip.
How many photos for a Jamaica passport, and do they need certifying?
Two photographs, one of which should be certified by the Certifying Official who signed the application form.
How long does Jamaican citizenship take?
Citizenship by Descent is processed within 25 working days. Marriage, Naturalization and Registration (Commonwealth citizens, and Minors) are prepared for submission to the Minister for approval within 24 months.
How do I get a certified copy of a Jamaica citizenship certificate?
Write to the Chief Executive Officer at PICA with your name, address and certificate/file number, attach a recent police report, a certified passport-sized photo, a parent's photo ID if a minor, and pay JMD$5,000 locally (or the quoted foreign-currency amount through a High Commission). Compliant applications are processed within 5 working days.
Browse every checklist on the checklists hub, prepare the photo with the Jamaica photo page and check validity in the validity guide.
All checklists → Jamaica photo specs →
Source note: the passport proof-of-citizenship and proof-of-identity items, the two-photo rule with one certified, the Kingston 3 / Montego Bay 7 working-day times, the ePassport chip symbol, the citizenship category times, and the certified-copy procedure and fees are from the Passport, Immigration & Citizenship Agency (PICA), pica.gov.jm (checked October 2026). PICA publishes passport and citizenship content on the same pages; the two are labelled separately above. Some citizenship times are approval-stage targets, not fixed issue dates.