Complete the Jamaican Passport Application Form on the PICA website (see Resources). Print the application and bring it with you when you submit your application.
Get two identical photographs of yourself taken by a professional photographer; your photo must be taken within six months of your application submission. If you have a light complexion, Jamaican passport application guidelines state that you should wear dark colored clothing and have the photo taken against a pastel background. Applicants of a darker complexion should wear colored clothing and have photos taken against a white background. If you wear eyeglasses, your picture cannot have a glare from the lenses.
Present your application and photograph to a Certifying Official (see Resources). A Certifying Official must be a citizen of Jamaica, and cannot be your family member. You must have been acquainted with the Certifying Official for at least 12 months. The Certifying Official must sign your application and the back of one of your photographs.
Visit the Kingston, Montego Bay or local PICA office and present original copies of your birth or adoption certificate, certificate of registration or naturalization, or a letter of certification of citizenship. You will also need to present proper photo identification such as a driver's license of voter ID. If you are an overseas applicant, your application must be submitted at the nearest Jamaican Mission; applications cannot be sent by mail.
Pay the application fee for your passport. As of January 2011, a new passport for an adult costs $4,500 Jamaican dollars, or about $80 U.S. dollars. Expedited passports cost between $6,000 and $7,000 Jamaican dollars and are not available for overseas applicants.
