Things To Know Before Traveling To Jamaica
When you travel to Jamaica on vacation or business, the odds are that you will have a safe, incident-free and a great experience. Jamaica is a beautiful Caribbean Island that has been a favorite vacation spot of people from around the world including America. The following information is provided to help you plan your trip to Jamaica and to help ensure a more enjoyable vacation that is a safe journey.
This information is presumed to be accurate at the time of writing, but it is the responsibility of the traveler to do further research and to verify that changes and modification of laws and travel requirements are up-to-date. Have a great time and a pleasurable experience in Jamaica.
Entry & Exit Requirements For
Americans Traveling To Jamaica.
As of December, 2008. US citizens are required to have a passport to enter or reenter the US when traveling by air to Jamaica or any other country. Visitors to Jamaica must have a return ticket and be able to prove sufficient funds for their duration of stay when traveling to Jamaica.
When traveling by sea as tourists, US citizens may enter Jamaica with a US passport or certified birth certificate or certified naturalization documents along with a government issued photo identification.
When traveling to Jamaica for work or extended stays, Americans are required to have a current US passport and a visa issued by the Jamaican Embassy or a Jamaican Consulate. There is a Jamaican departure tax for travelers, which is typically included in airfare.
Travelers should check for up-to-date changes and modification in passport policy and document policy whether traveling by air or sea. Travelers are encouraged to apply for passports well in advance. Visit http://travel.state.gov for application information or call 1-877-487-2778. If traveling by sea, ask your cruise line for any changes in requirements.
More Information About Entry & Exit.
- US State Department Travel Information
- US Passport Application Info (1-877-487-2778)
- Jamaica Visa Requirements
Medical Insurance.
Americans traveling to Jamaica are urged to consult with their medical insurance company before traveling to Jamaica to verify how the policy applies in Jamaica. Visit this web page for more detailed information about the need to have medical insurance when traveling overseas.
Medical & Health Information.
Comprehensive emergency medical services are located only in Kingston and Montego Bay in Jamaica and smaller public hospitals are located in each parish. Emergency medical and ambulance services, and the availability of prescription drugs, are limited in outlying parishes. Serious medical problems requiring medical evacuation to the United States can cost thousands of dollars. Doctors and hospitals in Jamaica often require cash payment prior to providing services. If a medical evacuation is required, the Embassy recommends you contact the American Citizen Services Unit at (876) 702-6000 for assistance.
There have been numerous incidences of Dengue fever, including to Americans, returning from Jamaica during the summer of 2007 after many years of no cases being reported in Jamaica. Dengue fever is a mosquito transmitted disease common in warm, wet areas of the world with potentially deadly virulence. Travelers to Jamaica are urged to review the following Internet link to the Center for Disease Control Fact Sheet on Dengue and particularly to follow the guidance on deterring mosquitoes.
Victims of Crime in Jamaica.
If your passport is lost or stolen, or if you are the victim of a crime while in Jamaica, report it immediately to the local Jamaican police and the nearest US Embassy or Consulate. The Embassy or Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local Jamaican authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if required.
The Jamaican equivalent to the American “911” emergency line is: 119.
- Read more about Crime in Jamaica.
- More about help for American crime victims.
Driving & Road Safety in Jamaica.
The information below concerning driving and road conditions in Jamaica is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location, circumstance or time.
Driving in Jamaica is on the left-hand side of the road. Breakdown assistance is quite limited in urban areas and virtually unavailable in rural areas. Nighttime driving can be dangerous and should be avoided. Public buses are often overcrowded and are frequently a venue of crime, particularly as targets of pickpockets. Only use taxicabs that are licensed which are indicated by red-and-white PP license plates or those recommended by your Jamaica hotel or all inclusive resort.
Drivers and front seat passengers are required to wear seat belts, and motorcycle riders are required to wear helmets. Drivers should make every effort to avoid areas of high crime and civil strife. Roadblocks are sometimes employed by residents as protests intended to draw attention to particular issues and require extreme caution by drivers. It is best to keep car windows rolled-up and doors locked to help prevent car-jacking.
Most roads in Jamaica are paved, but suffer from ill repair, inadequate signage, and poor traffic control markings. Street corners are frequented by peddlers, window washers, and beggars walking among stopped cars. Drivers should maintain special care when entering traffic circles (“roundabouts”), which are often poorly marked and require traffic to move in a clockwise direction. Motorists entering a roundabout must yield to those already in the roundabout. Failure to turn into the correct flow of traffic can result in a head on collision.
Criminal Offenses.
While visiting Jamaica, vacationers and travelers should respect Jamaican law. The use, sale or possession of illegal drugs is a crime and usually the rendered punishment is more severe in Jamaica than it is in the United States. Also be advised that engaging in sexual contact with minor children or using or disseminating child pornography is not only a serious crime in Jamaica, but those crimes committedby American in Jamaica are also prosecutable in the US as well.
Being arrested and imprisoned in Jamaica is not fun. Be assured. Respect and obey Jamaica laws and enjoy your vacation.
Gay, Lesbian & Trans-Gendered Visitors.
Jamaica is homophobic. Homosexual intercourse between males is illegal and the punishment for conviction is rumored to be ten years. Lesbian acts between women are technically not illegal, but is looked upon with great distaste. Gay bashing in Jamaica is so blatantly prevalent that in 2006 Time Magazine published an article about Jamaica titled "The Most Homophobic Place On Earth?".
Gay activists in Jamaica have been murdered, There are countless related murders, beatings and extreme reactions against gays in Jamaica. Suffice it to say that Jamaica is not a friendly vacation destinations for gay men, lesbians and the trans-gendered.
Other Important Travel Information.
Having A Safe Trip Overseas. This is great information by the US State Department regarding safe travel to any foreign country. It covers preplanning, what to take, what you should leave at home, things to arrange before traveling, safety, precautions and other important advice.
