KINGSTON, Jamaica — Many people are still experiencing feelings of disorientation and loss following Hurricane Melissa. And while the US Embassy is fully open for all services, operations at the US Consular Agency in Montego Bay, St James, remain suspended because of damage sustained during the hurricane.

By law, all US citizens entering or departing the United States must travel with a valid, unexpired, and undamaged US passport — even if you also have a Jamaican passport (including minors).

You must travel with a US passport and cannot use any other documents — like a US birth certificate, US naturalisation certificate, or even a US REAL ID — to fly to the United States. Jamaican citizens, whether tourists or legal permanent residents, must also meet certain documentary requirements.

If, due to the hurricane or other reasons, you need to replace or renew your US passport or other travel document, here is essential information to remember:

US citizens (including dual Jamaican citizens)

All applicants for a replacement passport must make an appointment and appear in person (even minors) at the embassy in Kingston. Come prepared with a passport application form DS-11; a passport photo (two-by-two inches on a white background); another form of photo identification; and a form DS-64 if your passport was lost, stolen, or materially damaged, and be prepared to pay the fees.

Adult passports (for citizens aged 16 and older) cost US$165, payable at the embassy in US or Jamaican dollars, or by credit card. You can also pay ahead of time on pay.gov — just make sure to bring the printed payment receipt.

If you’re replacing your child’s passport you’ll also need his or her original birth certificate and photo identification for both parents. Passports for children aged 15 and younger cost US$135. If your child has grown a lot since their most recent US passport, consider bringing some photos from each year to show their age progression — your favourite candid photos work well!

For minors aged 15 and younger, make sure that both parents listed on the child’s birth certificate attend the passport appointment as both parents’ consent is required under US law, even to replace a damaged or lost passport that was still valid. If one parent can’t make it to the appointment, they should complete a form DS-3053 consent form and have it notarised by a notary public, plus have a notarised copy of the absent parent’s photo ID. As a reminder, the US Embassy in Kingston is the only acceptable notary in Jamaica for US Government documents; in the United States, any notary public can notarise the DS-3053.

Legal Permanent Residents

People with lost or damaged US Legal Permanent Resident cards (green cards) should use the visa navigator tool on the US Embassy website to apply for a boarding foil with the immigrant visas section:
https://jm.usembassy.gov/visa-navigator/.

This is a travel document that looks like a visa, is placed in your Jamaican passport, and will allow you to return to the United States to apply for a replacement green card.

For all travellers

When it comes to replacing other important documents that may have been lost or damaged in the storm, remember that the US Embassy can only assist with US passports or boarding foils. If you lost a Jamaican birth, marriage, or death certificate, reach out to the Registrar General’s Department (RGD). If you lost your Jamaican passport that contained a US visa, contact the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA).

Once you get your replacement Jamaican passport, follow instructions on the US Embassy website to schedule an interview for a new US visa. If you lost a US birth, marriage, or death certificate, you should get in touch with the vital records office of the US state from which the document was issued for how to replace it.

We know how vital travel to the United States can be, especially after Hurricane Melissa — but we urge you to take the advice above and make sure your valid US passport, or other travel document, is in hand before you buy your plane tickets, to avoid frustration. You can always visit https://jm.usembassy.gov to see all the information we have to offer.

On behalf of the embassy, may your family’s recovery from Melissa be swift, and please accept our best holiday and safe travel wishes.

Keep on top of visa information and embassy news at https://jm.usembassy.gov/,
Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/US-Embassy-Jamaica, and by following @USEmbassyJA on Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter).