Passports Abroad

Independent guide. Not a government website.

How to renew a Jamaican passport from the USA

Many adults can renew online with PICA and have the new passport sent by courier to a US address. Everyone else applies through the Jamaican post that covers their state: New York, Miami or the Embassy in Washington. Fees and waiting times differ by post.

Facts last checked

New York, adult
US$120
Miami, adult
US$130
Washington, adult
US$95, or US$115 including mailing
Online renewal, delivery overseas
20 business days after payment (standard courier delivery)

First, check whether you can renew online

PICA, Jamaica's passport agency, takes online renewals from adults whose passport was issued after September 2001, provided it has expired or will expire within one year. From overseas the passport is delivered by secured courier to your mailing address, with a standard delivery time of 20 business days after payment, which is quicker than the times the US posts quote below. The steps are in the guide to renewing a Jamaican passport online.

You need to apply through a consulate or the embassy instead if you are renewing a child's passport, your name has changed, your passport is lost, or it is an old handwritten passport.

Which post covers your state

PostCovers
Consulate General, New YorkAlaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming, plus Bermuda and Puerto Rico
Consulate General, MiamiAlabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas
Embassy, Washington DCMailed applications are accepted only from residents of Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, California and Washington State

Renewal fees at each post

PostAdultMinor
New YorkUS$120US$90
MiamiUS$130US$100
Washington DCUS$95, or US$115 including mailingUS$65, or US$85 including mailing

The posts set different fees, and they change. Confirm the figure on your post's own page before you buy a money order.

Documents for an adult renewal

This is the New York consulate's list for renewing an adult passport. Miami and Washington publish their own lists, which differ in the details.

Documents for a child's renewal

This is the New York consulate's list for renewing a minor's passport. Jamaican passports last 10 years for people over 18 and 5 years for people under 18.

How to pay

New York takes cash or debit card (with a 4% surcharge) at an in-person appointment, and a money order made out to the Consulate General of Jamaica for mailed applications. Miami accepts cash or money order only, with no personal checks or credit cards.

Booking and sending your application

In New York you need an appointment: walk-ins are not accommodated, and you will not be seen if you book one service and turn up for another. Details are in the New York consulate guide. Miami returns finished passports by US Postal Service Express Mail to a street address, not a P.O. box.

How long it takes

RouteStated time
Online with PICA20 business days after payment (standard courier delivery)
New Yorkapproximately 10 to 14 weeks once the application is compliant
Miamiabout 10 weeks for walk-in applications and about 14 weeks for compliant mailed applications
Washington DCapproximately 10 to 12 weeks if PICA finds no problems

Common questions

Can I renew my child's Jamaican passport online?

No. PICA says children's passports, lost passports, handwritten blue passports issued before September 2001 and diplomatic or official passports cannot be renewed online. Apply through the post that covers your state.

How long is a Jamaican passport valid?

PICA says passports are valid for 10 years for people over 18 and 5 years for people under 18.

Where these facts come from