Persons Encouraged to Use Document Recovery Service of NIRA

Persons who lost important civil registration documents due to Hurricane Melissa, fires or other unforeseen incidents are being encouraged to utilise the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) document recovery service.

Manager for Civil Registration and Vital Statistics at NIRA, Monique Morris, told JIS News that the service provides a means for individuals to recover vital records that may have been lost, destroyed or rendered unusable.

Mrs. Morris explained that applications can be submitted through the document recovery facility on NIRA’s website or at any NIRA office islandwide.

“The service is particularly beneficial for persons affected by natural disasters such as Hurricane Melissa, as well as those who have experienced incidents such as fires, flooding or other emergencies that resulted in the loss of personal documents,” she said.

Mrs. Morris noted that completed applications are referred to the relevant administrative department for assessment and processing.

“We will review the application and, where necessary, request supporting information to help verify the circumstances under which the documents were lost,” Mrs. Morris explained.

She further indicated that there is generally no cost associated with recovering documents in circumstances where applicants are unable to produce originals because they were lost or destroyed.

Mrs. Morris encouraged persons who require assistance to begin the recovery process as soon as possible, noting that access to civil registration documents is often critical for obtaining other services and conducting important transactions.

She said NIRA remains committed to helping Jamaicans restore access to essential records and ensuring that citizens can readily obtain the documents needed for identification and other official purposes.