New Location of NIRA in Savanna-la-Mar Should Be Completed by Early May

The new location of the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, should be completed by early May.

“The legacy RGD (Registrar General’s Department) location was destroyed (by Hurricane Melissa), and our employees are currently operating out of the post office. Concurrently, we are in the process of constructing and renovating a new location behind the same post office, and we expect that this location should be completed by early May of this year,” Executive Director of the NIRA, Dr. Warren Vernon, told JIS News.

“That contract was signed before Hurricane Melissa [and], in fact, the work started before that. But now, we’re pushing the contractors to fast-track the completion of that, so we’ll then have a brand-new, modern facility for our team members,” he added.

On the national identification side, Dr. Vernon said the Black River location, which is at the post office, was the only building within that space that remained up after the hurricane.

“I recall from the reports that we received that the walls of the building were in good condition. However, the internal components were all damaged, and we’re awaiting policy directions as to how we will proceed with the Black River location,” he said.

“But this will not stop us from providing the services within St. Elizabeth. In fact, we will make the services available in Santa Cruz, we will make services available in Westmoreland…, in Mandeville, in Montego Bay, and all of the other parishes so that people will be able to go and request their free National Identification document,” he added.

Meanwhile, persons interested in signing up for their national identification card can do so by registering online, where applicants book an appointment date through the online portal or visit an Enrolment Centre and attend with the required supporting documents to complete the enrolment process.

“For persons who were born in Jamaica, at minimum, you will need… a birth certificate and proof of address. For proof of address, you can use your utility bill, or you can ask a Justice of the Peace, a pastor, a bank manager, a principal, to sign what we call your address declaration form,” Dr. Vernon said.

“The address declaration form was designed under this programme because we recognise that there are so many persons out there without formal proof of address. So, once that is signed, then we’ll use that as the address. In addition to that, there are the next category of persons, persons who weren’t born in Jamaica but they would have received citizenship from Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA),” he added.

Dr. Vernon explained that they would need to provide their certification of citizenship, and they also have to provide proof of address.

If an applicant is married, then they would need to provide proof that they are, so that it can be recorded in the system. For individuals who are Justices of the Peace, they will have “to provide proof for us to be able to record it in the system and for JP to appear on the card,” he said.

“If the person has a disability and we can’t see any physical sign of that disability, then the person would have to provide proof for us to record it in the system because persons with disability, they can decide to get the international access sign printed on the card,” Dr. Vernon stated.

“If you wish to have your driver’s licence class printed on the national identification card, then we’ll need to see proof of your driver’s licence for that to be recorded in the system,” he added.

If a parent or guardian wishes to enrol a child, “then we would need… a birth certificate to say, yes, this person is in fact authorised to enrol a child. In some cases, we may need to see proof that you’re an authorised representative,” he noted.

“So, for example, you do have persons who can’t make decisions for themselves – maybe somebody with an unsound mind. You’ll have to show proof that you’re authorised to facilitate the enrolment for that person,” Dr. Vernon stated.

For those persons living in Jamaica legally, NIRA will use their passport: “We’ll scan a copy of that stamp that you received from PICA authorising you to live and work in Jamaica” he said.

“We’ll also take proof of your address, and you can use the address verification form. For students, we will take a copy of your student ID. We will take the address declaration form and also your passport, meaning the stamp that you received from PICA,” Dr. Vernon said.

“So, students studying in Jamaica, there is now a lifeline where they can get a national identification card to be able to function in society, to be able to open a bank account and access services locally that would require some form of identification document,” he added.

For more information persons can call (876)-920-3576 or (876) 927-4101-3 or visit https://nira.gov.jm/.