Visa office opens in Ja

Frank Manderson Chief
Immigration Officer

Wednesday, November 2, 2005

The Immigration Department opened the Cayman Islands Visa Office in Jamaica on Monday, 31 October 2005 in New Kingston.

The office is located on the ninth floor of The Towers on Dominica Drive in New Kingston. The telephone number is 876-906-5336.

Residents of Jamaica wishing to travel to Cayman can visit the office between 8:00 am and noon, Monday through Friday. Those who live outside of Jamaica should visit the nearest British Consulate.

Applicants must pay a non-refundable processing fee of US$102.40 by bank draft, made payable to Cayman Islands Government. This, along with the following items, must be submitted when applying for a visa: a fully completed and signed application form titled Application for Cayman Islands Visa; a valid passport with at least six (6) months validity remaining and enough space to insert a visa; one recent passport sized colour photograph, taken on a plain white background, and glued-not stapled- to the application form; and police record.

It is also beneficial for applicants to include original documentation of personal circumstances, such as bank statements, evidence of employment, or proof of assets. Processing of the visa request takes approximately two weeks.

All persons between the ages of 14 and 79 must go in person to the visa office in Jamaica to apply; however, those 13-and-under or 80-years-and-older can have a representative go for them. With respect to the requirement to submit a police record, there is only one exception � applicants 17 years and younger. For all other age groups � those 18 years and older � the provision of a police record is an integral component of an application for a Cayman Islands visa.

According to a press release from the Government Information Service, Jamaicans living here will not be able to file for anyone back in Jamaica. �The Immigration Department understands that there are persons who reside in Cayman who may wish to assist their friends and family members by dealing with this here, but in order for this system to work properly, it cannot work like that,� the release quoted Frank Manderson, Chief Immigration Officer as saying.

�With respect to Jamaica, all paperwork must be submitted to the New Kingston office, including the processing fee. This guarantees that the applications are dealt with through the correct channels and ensures proper handling,� Mr. Manderson said.

�Allowing persons to do part of the application in Cayman and the other portions in Jamaica would have likely caused unnecessary delays.�

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