Jamaican High Commission United Kingdom

Citizenship by Descent for persons born overseas of Jamaican parentage

APPLICATIONS MUST BE MADE IN-PERSON THROUGH THE JAMAICAN HIGH COMMISSION 

ELIGIBILITY

An applicant qualifies for Citizenship by descent where:

1.  (i) He or she was born outside of Jamaica before 6th August 1962 and was on 5th August 1962 a citizen of the United Kingdom and its Colonies;

        (ii) His or her mother or father on the 6th August became or would have, but for his/her death, become a citizen of Jamaica; and

  b.    He or she  was born outside of Jamaica  after the 5th August 1962 whose mother/father at that date of his/her birth is/was a citizen of Jamaica by birth, descent or registration by virtue of marriage to a Jamaican.

Application form

Procedure

The requisite form requesting the establishment of a claim to Jamaican Citizenship can be obtained from the High Commission (www.jhcuk.org) and submitted along with the following: 

Documentary Requirements

(a) Applications submitted by an Adult using a Jamaican parent to claim Jamaican Citizenship 

• The claimant's Full (long) Birth Certificate showing parent's name
• The claimant's valid government-issued photo ID
• Marriage Certificate (where applicable and if there is a change of name)
• Deed Poll (where applicable and if there is a change of name)
• Parent's Birth Certificate showing their first, middle (if applicable) and surname. If no surname appears on the Birth Certficate, then a valid or expired Jamaican passport is required to validate the surname
• If the application is being made through the father, his name must be on the claimant's Birth Certificate
• If the application is being made through the mother and she is married, then her Marriage Certificate is required if she is using the married name
• Four (4) UNSIGNED passport photographs are required if an application for a Jamaican passport is also being submitted

(b) Applications submitted for a minor using a Jamaican parent to claim Jamaican Citizenship 

• The claimant's Full (long) Birth Certificate showing parent's name

• Parent's Birth Certificate showing their first, middle (if applicable) and surname. If no surname appears on the Birth Certficate, then a valid Jamaican passport is required to validate the surname or Parent's Jamaican Certificate of Citizenship.

• If the application is being made through the father, his name must be on the claimant's Birth Certificate and stated in the same order.

• If the application is being made through the mother and she is married, then her Marriage Certificate is required

• Four (4) UNSIGNED passport photographs are required if an application for a Jamaican passport is also being submitted)

(c) Applications submitted using a Jamaican Grandparent to claim Jamaican Citizenship 

• The claimant's FULL (long) Birth Certificate showing parent's name

• The claimant's valid government-issued photo ID

• Marriage Certificate (where applicable and if there is a change of name)

• Deed Poll (where applicable and if there is a change of name)
• Parent's Birth Certificate, valid passport, Marriage Certificate (where applicable and if there is a change of name) or Deed Poll (where applicable and if there is a change of name)
• If the application is being made through the grandmother, her Birth Certificate showing her first, middle (if applicable) and surnames. Her name must be recorded in the same order on the parent's Birth Certificate 
• If the application is being made through the grandfather, his Birth Certificate showing his first, middle (if applicable) and surnames.  His name must be recorded in the same order on the parent's Birth Certificate
• Where no surname is recorded on either grandparent's Birth Certificate, a valid or expired Jamaican passport is required

All payments for these services should be made via direct bank transfer to the Jamaican High Commission. No Cash/cheques, Postal Orders or debit/credit cards will be accepted.  An additional fee is required for postage of the completed document upon return from Jamaica. 

Qualified applications/transactions will be assigned a reference number. This reference number MUST be used in making the required bank payment. Failure to include the reference number will result in undue delays in the processing of your application/transaction.

 

The High Commission will only accept Deed Polls that are registered at the Royal Courts of Justice in London or through the UK Deed Poll Service (www.deedpoll.org.uk).

Please note that the application should be made in person through the High Commission.

The approval of an application for Jamaican Citizenship is done by the relevant authorities in Jamaica. Although an application for Citizenship can be made at the same as an application for a Jamaican passport, the issuing of the passport will only be done after the Citizenship application has been approved. In the same vein, Emergency Travel documents can only be issued once Jamaican Citizenship has been conferred.