I’m Discovering My Jamaican Heritage Through the Journey of Dual Citizenship
Having an immigrant parent is one of the many things that I love about myself. Although I am an American, I am also part of another culture, which in turn helps me learn more about myself (which is something that I love to do).
When my father came to America from Jamaica, I’m sure he had no idea that his children would one day have the opportunity to become dual citizens of his native country. This all changed when my oldest sister came across an Instagram post that informed her that it was possible — that she could become a citizen of Jamaica while retaining her U.S. citizenship. After learning about this, she instantly told me and my other siblings.
My sister is the first of us to pursue dual citizenship, and in doing so, she gave me a glimpse into a process I didn’t understand — how to become a dual citizen.
What Is Dual Citizenship?
Dual citizenship simply means that you are a citizen of two countries at the same time. Every country has its own rules and regulations for becoming a dual citizen. Some countries, like India and Japan, do not allow dual citizenship. In Jamaica, however, you can become a dual citizen through family relations (like a parent) or by marrying a Jamaican citizen.
Once I obtain dual citizenship, I’ll enjoy many privileges in Jamaica, including the ability to vote, work, live, and travel freely between both countries. Once the process is complete, I’ll receive a Jamaican passport, too.
If you choose to gain dual citizenship in another country, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of having two passports, being immersed in two cultures, and owning land, according to Investopedia.
While I’m pursuing dual citizenship as an opportunity to expand my horizons, it may also be great for someone who’s interested in pursuing new career opportunities, health care options or simply for anyone who’s interested in learning more about their family’s heritage.
There are separate applications for fees for each process, and it can cost a range of fees. Recently, Newland and Chase reported that if you’re interested in becoming a dual citizen in Mexico, the estimated cost as of 2023 is around 8,395 Mexican pesos, which is approximately $487 U.S. dollars. For Jamaica, for example, the application is $100 if you are applying by descent and $260 if you are applying by marriage.
Learning all of this was helpful, because I have decided to put aside money towards all the fees. So what does this mean for me?
What I Learned About Applying for Dual Citizenship
Though I haven’t finished the process yet, I learned a lot from seeing my sister go through it. My sister told me that when she first attempted to file for dual citizenship, she gave up because she felt the process was too long, overwhelming, and confusing — especially since no one in our family had ever done it. Plus, she was pregnant — complicating everything even further.
These tips will help me — and hopefully you — when I reach each step.
There is a lot of bureaucracy
“I wasn’t sure where to mail my documents, whether they would be received, and because I was pregnant, I was also worried that I might have to resend everything once my child was born,” my sister says. She had so many questions going through her head that she eventually pushed the task aside.
The first thing she did was book an appointment on the Jamaica Consulate website and began the $100 application. She needed to mail passport photos, pay the required fees, her own passport, and our dad’s original birth certificate to the Passport, Immigration & Citizenship Agency in Jamaica.
This made her feel extremely skeptical — because these were important documents. “What if they get lost in the mail? If they’re lost, it would be a big deal.” she says.
You may be able to do the application in person
A few months later, she happened to mention her application to her hairstylist, explaining that she had given up on the whole idea. Her hairstylist ended up being the person who told her that she didn’t need to mail everything to Jamaica. She could complete the process in New York City at the Jamaican Consulate. So, she mustered up the courage to finish the application so that her newborn son could also have dual citizenship and a Jamaican passport, too.
Some documents won’t qualify
A few days later, she and her son went to the consulate office appointment. Once she met with the representative, they made copies of their documents. The process was frustrating and, at times, challenging — for one, she was told that since our father’s birth certificate was handwritten, a common practice that took place when he was born in the ‘60s, it may not be valid due to the representative’s inability to read important information like the date of birth and location, which could delay the overall process.
It can cost a lot of money — for a lot of little things
This was the most challenging part of her journey — it resulted in more delays and additional fees that she hadn’t budgeted for. She explains, “In total, I paid $490 for both my son and me. The application for citizenship was $140 each, the application for my passport was $120, and for my son, the fee was $90.”
“Additionally, I paid $30 for my passport pictures taken at the consulate general’s office and $5 for my son’s picture. They have a private vendor on site who takes pictures for you, and he gave me a discount since I have a newborn. However, you can come with your own pictures.” She also chose this option because the dimension requirements for the Jamaican passport differ from those of the U.S. passport and she didn’t want to encounter any issues, so she opted to have them done there.
“I went to the office with $600 in cash. I wasn’t expecting the total to be high, but it was similar to what I paid when I renewed my U.S. passport earlier this year and for my son’s first U.S. passport! So it wasn’t a total shock for me.” She adds that if you decide to use a card for payment, there is a 3% surcharge.
You need to be flexible with paperwork timelines
Within three weeks, the consulate contacted her and told her that our father’s birth certificate was, in fact, too old, and they needed an updated copy.
She had to order a new copy of our dad’s birth certificate, and she learned that for the convenience of speed, she’d have to shell out even more money. There were two options on the Jamaican Consulate site: Order a new birth certificate for $55, which would arrive in four to six weeks, or pay $85 and receive it in two weeks.
In the end, she opted for the second option because the process was already taking too long. Upon receiving the new birth certificate, she uploaded the documents in the portal sent to her via email. Currently, she is waiting to become an official citizen because the process takes about three to five months. Once that is complete, she will receive her passport, which could also take another 10-12 weeks.
She completed my nephew’s application at the same time she did hers. “I can’t believe the process was so easy other than the hiccups with the birth certificate, and now we’re just waiting since we submitted everything in July.” she said. “I anticipate having our citizenship and passports by the beginning of 2025, just in time for my son’s first birthday. Since we took a trip to Jamaica as a babymoon while he was still in my belly, we’ll finally be able to take him there as citizens!”
After learning more about her process, I felt overwhelmed. But I’m thankful for her transparency, and because she taught me what to expect, to make my process easier, I’ve already gathered all of my important documents and set some time aside to complete the application, which is the first step to becoming a dual citizen of Jamaica. And honestly, I’m excited to do this. It’s important for me to educate my future family on my heritage, explore our roots, and share the history, music, food and legacy of my culture. I can’t wait to start and complete the process soon so my future family can learn more about my American upbringing as well as my father’s in his homeland.
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