This information is printed with
permission from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
For further information, please
contact the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Foreign Trade at 21
Dominica Drive, Kingston 5, Jamaica,
W.I. Tel: (876) 926-4420; Fax:
(876) 929-6733. E-Mail: mfaftjam@toj.com
In
order to be considered a Returning
Resident under the laws of Jamaica,
and benefit from the concessions
relating to personal and household
effects and/or tools of trade,
you must satisfy the following
conditions:
- Be
a Jamaican national who has
attained the age of eighteen
years of age
- Have
been resident overseas for
not less than three consecutive
years, and,
- Be
returning to Jamaica to reside
permanently.
Three
special cases have been identified:
- Non-Jamaican
male spouses of women who
qualify as Returning Residents
will be afforded the same
concessions as their wives.
This provision had previously
applied only to non-Jamaican
female spouses of Returning
Residents.
- Students
who have attained the age
of eighteen years who have
studied abroad for more than
one, but less than three years
will qualify for concessions
in respect of tools of trade;
some normally dutiable items
which may be new or used;
and used household effects.
- Jamaicans
who gave up their citizenship
- and can provide proof of
that previous status - who
wish to return home will be
granted the status of a Returning
Resident, with the attendant
benefits.
At
the present time your eligibility
for concessions as a Returning
Resident is formally established
by the Department of Customs and
Excise. This must be done after
your arrival in Jamaica, and before
you begin the process of clearing
your personal and household effects
and/or tools of trade.
In
order to establish your eligibility
you will be required to submit:
- Your
passport;
- Such
documentary evidence as may
substantiate your residence
outside of Jamaica for more
than the past three years.
Note that short visits to
Jamaica for vacations, etc.
will not affect your eligibility;
- Such
documentary evidence as may
substantiate your intention
to re-establish permanent
residence in Jamaica;
- In
the case of students, you
will also have to provide
a letter from your college
or university or educational
institution confirming the
duration of your course of
study or time spent at that
institution.
You
will also have to present the
Unaccompanied Baggage Declaration
Form (C.27) that you will be given
on arrival at the airport in Jamaica.
Please
note that whereas the Tools of
Trade concession may be granted
to each qualified individual within
a family, the duty concession
on household and personal effects
is limited to one allowance per
family unit.
Nationality
and Citizenship
It
is recognized that within Returning
Residents' family units there
may be Non-Jamaican spouses and
children. Recent amendments to
legislation provide all non-Jamaican
spouses with the privileges granted
to citizens of Jamaica and provide
that children born of Jamaican
parents outside of Jamaica may
claim the right of citizenship
by descent from either parent.
Non-Jamaican spouses may therefore
enjoy the concessions granted
to Jamaican nationals.
If
the country is which you currently
reside has required that you renounce
your Jamaican citizenship in order
to obtain citizenship in that
country, you remain eligible for
Returning Residents' status. However,
there may be particular questions
you wish to resolve in instances
where renunciation of Jamaican
nationality has taken place or
with respect to the status of
other family-members. Questions
on the procedure to be followed
in regularizing you status or
the status of spouses or children
should be directed t the Ministry
of National Security and Justice.
Queries may also be directed by
mail, telephone or by a personal
visit to the Returning Residents
Facilitation Unit or ht nearest
Jamaican Mission overseas. Every
effort will be made to provide
prompt answers to your queries.
