A new year is upon us, and the summer travel season is just a few months away. Now is a good time for all US citizens resident in Jamaica or planning travel to review their passport expiration date and schedule an appointment for renewal. The US Embassy and Consular Agencies in Montego Bay and the Cayman currently have no wait time for passport appointments. Passport appointments are open for most days of the week, and notarial appointment are only available on Thursdays.

We encourage all passport customers to pay online, ahead of your appointment date. Instructions and links for paying passport fees online can be found on our website, https://jm.usembassy.gov/.

Please print your online payment receipt and bring it with you to your appointment.

Q. I want to apply for/renew my passport but am not seeing an appointment online in time for when I need to travel, what should I do?

A.If you book online, passport appointments are usually available within the next three calendar days. If you have urgent travel, please e-mail KingstonACS@state.gov with your full name, date of birth, place of birth, and a brief but thorough explanation of your emergency situation. Emergency passports are available on a limited basis, so apply or renew early! If this is for routine renewal, please check our website for information about renewal-by-mail.

Q. I need to apply for/renew my US citizen child’s passport. What do I need to do?

A. First, make an appointment online at jm.usembassy.gov/passports. Complete the DS-11 application ahead of time and bring it with you to the appointment. Bring the child’s original US birth certificate or Consular Report of Birth Abroad, original proof of US citizenship, and a standard passport-size photo. If both parents are listed on the birth certificate, then both parents must come to the interview with valid photo IDs. The child must also be at the appointment. Detailed instructions are available on our website. There is no expedited processing available, so review the expiration date on your passport and make an appointment if the passport will expire in the next few months

Q. My child’s father/mother is not available to sign the passport application, what do I do?

A, If the child is age 15 and under, and if both parents are listed on the birth certificate, then both parents must sign the passport application form. If the child is over age 16, but under 18, only one parent needs to sign the form. Do not sign until you are in front of a consular officer inside the Embassy. If you are renewing the passport in Jamaica, but the other parent is not in Jamaica, they may complete the form DS-3053 and have it notarised by either a US notary or by one of our consular officers. A copy of the parent’s identification must be attached. The original form must be sent to you, and then you bring it with you to your appointment in lieu of the other parent appearing personally.

Note: We are unable to accept Jamaican Justice of the Peace notary signatures.

Q. Once I’ve applied for my passport, how long until I receive it?

A. Once we approve your passport application, the standard processing time is about two weeks. Emergency passports are available on a limited basis, and only in cases of a documented emergency. If your passport has expired, or is soon to expire, don’t wait until you need to travel. Make an appointment and renew your passport today!

Visit the US Embassy applicant entrance at 142 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6 between 7:15 am and 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday, except US and Jamaican holidays.

US Consular Agency Montego Bay at Whitter Village, Suite EU1, Rose Hall, St James between 9:00 am and noon, Monday to Friday, except US and Jamaican holidays.

US Consular Agency Cayman Islands 150 Smith Road, Smith Road Center, Unit 202B, George Town, KY1-1010 Grand Cayman, between 8:00 am and 2:00 pm, Monday through Friday, except US and Cayman holidays.

You can find more information about American Citizen Services on our website, https://jm.usembassy.gov/. Keep on top of embassy news on our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/USEmbassyJamaica/ and by following @USEmbassyJA on X.