Permanent Residence

This allows a foreign national to live and work in Jamaica without restrictions on their stay, without submitting an application for a work permit or Jamaican citizenship. They are not afforded the same constitutional rights as a Jamaican citizen. As a part of the approval process, Permanent Residence applicants will be interviewed by the Agency’s Investigation and Surveillance Unit. Applications are processed within 3 to 6 months and all documents submitted must be the original.

An applicant for Permanent Residence can be submitted under one of the following categories:

• Employment – for foreign nationals working in the island for more than 3 years
• Retirement – for retired foreign nationals who wishes to retire in Jamaica
• Marriage to a Jamaican - for foreign nationals who are married to a Jamaican national
• Dependent - for foreign nationals who are dependent on a Permanent Resident holder
• Previous holders of Unconditional Landing status by virtue of marriage to a Jamaican

An application for permanent residence should be submitted along with the following documents:

• Valid passport no less than 6 months to the expiration date
• Evidence of financial status and means of support such as particulars of pension, bank statement and so on.
• Business owners must present certificate of registration, tax compliance certificate (TCC), proof of income tax returns and audited financial statements for the last full year of the business’ operations.
• Original birth certificate of applicant, should be translated if not in English
• Original birth certificate or machine readable Jamaican passport of Jamaican spouse
• Original marriage certificate / decree absolute if applicable
• Original birth certificate for children if applicable
• Local medical certificate/certificate of good health in Jamaica
• Police certificate from previous country of residence and from Jamaica if you have been residing in the island for 6 months or more
• Two (2) identical passport size pictures, certified by a Justice of the Peace (JP)
• Evidence of property ownership/assets in Jamaica or overseas, should be translated if not in English
• Letter stating reason for permanent residence and must be addressed to the CEO, PICA, 25 Constant Spring Road, Kingston 10.
• Letter from two (2) reputable references, must be Jamaican nationals and must be addressed to the CEO, PICA, 25 Constant Spring Road, Kingston 10.
• Entry visa (if applicable)
• Required fee

N.B – All documents submitted must be original.
Applications are usually processed within 3 to 6 months.