Student Visa & Resident Permit
A Student Visa for Jamaica permits its holder to study at an institution of higher learning in Jamaica. This visa is a form of permission, or a pass for a non-citizen, to enter, transit, or remain in Jamaica. It is a stamp, or form placed in the holder’s passport when they enter, and sometimes when they leave Jamaica.
Persons wishing to pursue higher studies in Jamaica, should check their Embassy rules and regulations as individual cases vary and the stipulations can and do, very occasionally, change at short notice.
Persons are advised to check the current Jamaican visa regulations from The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in Jamaica (See http://mfaft.gov.jm/), or find the Jamaican Embassy in their country of permanent residence to obtain the visa application requirements for Jamaica. In addition, check with the institution which has granted acceptance as to the requirements for attendance and the procedures to follow.
Generally, in addition to making an application and paying the required processing fees, persons are required to submit the following documentation:
- One (1) photograph
- Applicant’s valid passport – with a least six months validity
- Acceptance letter from the institution
- Any other document that may be required.
Be forewarned that the Jamaican Embassies and Consular Offices are the only accredited Jamaican Government agencies permitted to grant Jamaican visas in a country external to Jamaica.
Please note that a visa in the holder’s passport does not guarantee entry. This remains the right of the immigration officials in Jamaica. Persons are, therefore, advised to travel with the following:
- A valid passport
- A visa for each entry (if any)
- A return ticket
- A letter of acceptance from the school or institution which they will be attending
- Name of person responsible for them while at school
- Sufficient funds for maintenance
Upon entry to the island, students who are over 16 years old must be registered as aliens at 25 Constant Spring Road, Kingston 10 (for the Corporate Area) and at the main Police Station of rural parishes.
Students who have made appropriate arrangements with an educational institution prior to arrival may be landed for one year on each entry. Students without proper arrangements may be landed for two months. As soon as the necessary arrangements are made and appropriate evidence is received, the Chief Immigration Officer may extend period to one year.
If you will be pursuing studies at the University of the West Indies, check this link for advice on what to do when you arrive in Jamaica https://www.mona.uwi.edu/iso/arrival-jamaica
