Guidance

Jamaica: Knowledge Base profile

Published 28 July 2025

Version 2.0

About: Jamaica

This document contains useful information about Jamaica which will assist His Majesty’s Passport Office staff process passport applications.

Contacts

If you have any questions about the document and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the document has factual errors then email the Guidance team.

If you notice any formatting errors in this document (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the document then you can email the Guidance team.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the document was published:

• version 2.0
• published for Home Office staff on 24 July 2025

Changes from last version of this document

This document has been updated with formatting changes.

Jamaica: names

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about names in Jamaica.

Change of name

Names in Jamaica can be changed through:

• marriage
• adoption
• deed poll

The Jamaica passport of women who are (or previously have been) married will show their name in the order of:

• forename
• surname
• “nèe” Birth surname.

A change of name by deed poll must be registered with the Registrar General Department if made in Jamaica. Married women require the consent of their spouse to change their name by deed poll.

Jamaica: nationality

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality in Jamaica.

Dual nationality is recognised in Jamaica.

Jamaica: legitimacy

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about legitimacy in Jamaica.

Legitimacy

Jamaica recognises a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births.

Jamaica legitimacy laws changed on 1 November 1976.

Children will be considered:

• legitimate if they were:
  • born before 1 November 1976 and the parents were married at the time of their birth
  • born before 1 November 1976 to unmarried parents but their parents later marry (before 1 November 1976 for British nationality purposes)
  • legitimised by operation of the Children’s Act 1976
  • born after 1 November 1976 whether their parents are married or not
• illegitimate if born before 1976 to unmarried parents who never married after the birth

For British nationality purposes legitimacy by ‘operation of law’ does not allow an automatic claim to British nationality.

Jamaica: adoption

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about adoption in Jamaica.

Adoption is legal in Jamaica.

Jamaica: gender recognition

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about gender recognition in Jamaica.

Transgender citizens are not recognised in Jamaica.

Jamaica: civil partnerships and marriage

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about civil partnerships and marriage in Jamaica.

Civil partnerships and same sex marriages are not legal in Jamaica.

Marriages between opposite sex couples can be civil or religious ceremonies.

Jamaica: documents

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents from Jamaica.

The Registrar General’s Department in Jamaica is responsible for recording and issuing:

• birth certificates
• marriage certificates
• death certificates

Birth certificates

All births in Jamaica must be registered within 6 weeks of the birth. Late registrations are allowed and require additional evidence before they are registered.

Amendments to the birth register are noted at the bottom of a new certificate.

Death certificates

Since 2000 all registered deaths have had a death certificate issued. Before 2000, death records may not be available.