Faster Processsing for Arriving Passengers

As part of a $200 million airport improvement project, the Government has installed five automated immigration kiosks to process airline passengers arriving at the Norman Manley International Airport, in Kingston, and 10 at the Sangster International Airport, in Montego Bay.

This will speed up the processing time to about 60 seconds, down from the current average of two minutes. Immigration Officers will monitor the system, and intervene where necessary.

Speaking at the launch of the kiosks at the Norman Manley International Airport, on November 27,  Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting, said the system is designed to detect persons’ travel history, and to easily identify those who present health risks, and are of interest to law enforcement.

“While this development will reduce physical interaction between immigration and passengers, we are confident that the security of the nation will not be compromised,” the Minister said, noting that the kiosks work in conjunction with an Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), and aid the work of the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA).

“It allows PICA to continue to detect persons of interest by cross referencing incoming passengers against the nation’s watch list, and conducting appropriate security checks by a built-in matrix,” Mr. Bunting added.

Persons who can use the system are: Jamaican nationals with a valid passport, visitors who possess electronic passport with biometric information; Caribbean nationals who are members of CARICOM, and visitors from the United Kingdom (UK), Canada and the United States, with machine readable travel documents.

Passengers not able to use the system are those who require visas; families with children under the age of 18 years; users of wheelchairs; and holders of any type of permits. They will have to use the primary line.

Funding for the five-year airport improvement project is provided by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF).