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[Please refer to How to Read a Country Entry for help interpreting this material. It was produced prior to March 2001 as part of a US government report entitled Citizenship Laws of the World. The accuracy and depth of these country listings varies significantly, and some information may be incorrect. At best, this page presents only part of the story for a particular country. Additional information for this country may be available in Country Information]

JAMAICA

CITIZENSHIP: Citizenship is based upon the Jamaican Nationality Act of 1962, amended March 2, 1993. (UKC-Commonwealth Nation)

BY BIRTH: Child born in the territory of Jamaica, regardless of the nationality of the parents.

BY DESCENT: Child born abroad, at least one of whose parents is a citizen of Jamaica.

MARRIAGE: Person, who marries a citizen of Jamaica, is eligible for Jamaican citizenship.

BY NATURALIZATION: Jamaican citizenship may be applied for upon fulfillment of the following conditions: Person has resided in Jamaica for at least the 12 months prior to the application for citizenship. Person has resided in Jamaica for an aggregate of at least four years during the five year period before the application. Person intends to reside in Jamaica once citizenship is granted. Person is of good character, has a permanent residence and livelihood, and is involved in Jamaican society.

DUAL CITIZENSHIP: RECOGNIZED. The Jamaican Constitution does not specifically refer to dual citizenship, but it does not prohibit citizens from acquiring a second nationality.

Jamaican law states that any Jamaican who acquires a foreign citizenship will be subject to all the responsibilities of the new citizenship and cannot claim any exemptions on the basis of their Jamaican nationality.

LOSS OF CITIZENSHIP:

VOLUNTARY: Jamaican citizens do not lose their Jamaican citizenship upon the acquisition of a foreign citizenship. Any citizen of Jamaica wishing to renounce Jamaican citizenship must be granted permission by the government of Jamaica. Requests for renunciation must be sent to:

The Ministry of National Security 12 Ocean Boulevard Kingston Mall, Jamaica

INVOLUNTARY: No information was provided.

ANY QUESTIONS concerning citizenship, or requests for renunciation of citizenship, should be directed to the address below:

Embassy of Jamaica 1520 New Hampshire Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20036

Embassy Telephone: 202-452-0660 Fax: 202-452-0081

www.jamaica.com

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