Q. What is the operational status of the Consular Section at the US Embassy in Kingston?

A. The Consular Section is open for limited visa services at this time. We are constantly adjusting our operational posture, based on our resource limitations and in response to local circumstances. Unfortunately, with the uptick in COVID-19 cases in Jamaica, we continue to be on a reduced staffing pattern to protect our applicants and our staff. Our effort is to stay flexible and we will expand services as the local situation improves.

Q. What is the status of the Non-immigrant Visa Unit; can I get a visiting visa?

A. Due to current local conditions, the consular section can only provide very limited visa services. We are unable to offer regular tourist visa appointments at this time. With respect to other visa categories, there is very limited appointment availability on a first-come, first-served basis. Appointment availability can be viewed on the appointment website: ais.usvisa-info.com. Emergency appointments may be available for individuals who meet the criteria for emergency travel which can include such situations as:

• the documented death, grave/terminal illness or life-threatening accident of immediate relative (parent, sibling, spouse or child) in the United States; and

• an urgent and thoroughly documented need for life-saving medical treatment by the applicant or a child.

As we highlighted in last week’s article, the Department of State has expanded the eligibility for visa renewal without an interview for people whose visas have expired in the last 48 months and are applying for the same visa class. This expands the number of individuals who are now eligible to renew via interview waiver. The appointment website is designed to make it easy to apply this way and will direct you to apply via interview waiver if you are eligible. That address is: ais.usvisa-info.com/en-jm/niv. If you are waiting for an appointment, please check that website as well. That site is our most current source of information on visa appointment availability.

Q. What about my immigrant visa application; when can I expect to be rescheduled?

A. Embassy Kingston’s Immigrant Visa (IV) Unit is currently offering an extremely limited number of appointments each day, with the priority being the rescheduling of cases whose previous interviews were cancelled due to the pandemic or the presidential proclamation. At this time, we are unable to accept routine documentarily qualified cases from the National Visa Center. We cannot predict when we will be able to offer capacity for such cases but anticipate it will not be until late 2021.

Q. For the American Citizen Services Unit, what services are you providing?

A. The embassy continues to provide emergency assistance to US citizens and is accepting appointments for limited routine services, such as passports, notarial services, and reports of birth abroad. You may schedule an appointment for routine passport and notarial appointments on our website here: jm.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/appointments/. We are frequently opening more appointment slots and processing cancellations, so if you do not find any current availability, please continue to check the website for appointments to open up.

The latest information on our operating status can be found on our website at www.jm.usembassy.gov or by visiting www.travel.state.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 consular questions on our Facebook and Twitter pages.