Q: Are consular services currently being offered at the US Embassy during the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic?

A: The US Embassy Consular Section has resumed most consular services but at a limited capacity. The health and safety of our staff and visitors is our highest priority. We are confident the plans we have in place are sustainable and work within permissible guidelines. We ask that anyone seeking an appointment check our website for appointment availability.

Q: What precautions are being taken at the embassy to offer consular services to the public during COVID-19?

A: All visitors to the embassy must comply with the Ministry of Health’s guidelines. If you arrived in Jamaica within the last 14 days or have been instructed by the Ministry of Health to quarantine, you must complete this requirement before you can visit the embassy. If you come to the embassy within 14 days of arrival to Jamaica, you will be turned away and will then have to reschedule your appointment for the next available routine appointment date, causing further delays.

We ask that all applicants and staff in the waiting area maintain social distance. There are clear markers to remind individuals to maintain proper social distancing. To ensure adequate spacing, we have reduced the number of people to be admitted at any time and we ask all individuals to arrive no more than 15 minutes before their allotted time.

All visitors and staff are required to wear a cloth face covering at all times. There will be a few moments during your visit where you will be instructed by an officer to remove it to allow for proper identification. Once identification is complete, we ask that you please replace the cloth face covering properly over your nose and mouth as quickly as possible. After touching a cloth face covering, you should always wash your hands. There are hand sanitising stations set up throughout the waiting room.

Before coming to your appointment, please notify us via phone or e-mail if you or anyone in your household feels sick or has any cold or flu-like symptoms. We would be happy to reschedule you for the next available appointment.

Q: Are visa renewals without interview available?

A: There are many visas that do not require you to come to the embassy for an interview. Interview waiver renewals for individuals who were previously issued a full-validity B1/B2 visa, which is either still valid or expired less than 24 months ago are being processed. Individuals age 80 or over or younger than 14 years may also qualify for a waiver of interview. Eligibility for an interview waiver will be determined as an applicant goes through the process of scheduling an appointment online at ais.usvisa-info.com/en-jm/niv.

You can find more information about American Citizen Services and consular operations on our website, jm.usembassy.gov/ Keep on top of embassy news on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/USEmbassyJamaica/ and by following @USEmbassyJA on Twitter. We also answer general questions on our Facebook and Twitter pages.