PICA Encourages Portlanders to Utilise New Office in Port Antonio

The Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) is encouraging persons in Portland and surrounding areas to utilise its new office in the parish.

Located at shop 1-3 at #21-23 Harbour Street in the heart of Port Antonio and offering full passport services for residents of the parish and surrounding communities, the new facility began operations in April 2024.

Director of Customer Service at PICA, Delly Vassell, told JIS News that the facility aims to improve accessibility and convenience for customers who previously had to travel to Kingston or St. Ann for services.

“We have recently opened, so we’re starting very small, but anyone who needs a passport, whether it’s a new one or a renewal, you can visit this location. They can apply for and also collect their passport right there in Portland,” she said.

The Portland office replaces a previous pre-check facility at the post office, which was limited to document verification and submission. Now, residents can complete the entire passport process locally.

Ms. Vassell explained the strategic importance of the new location. “When you look at the layout of the island, you want to cover every parish. We are in St. Ann, but not in St. Mary. This office [Portland] is placed to serve not just Portland but persons as far as Annotto Bay in St. Mary and parts of St. Thomas. We’re trying to see how we can strategically place the offices around the island to ensure that we can reach as much of our customers as possible,” Ms. Vassell indicated.

PICA’s Portland office offers the standard 14-day turnaround for passport processing, in addition to express options of seven or five days.

According to Ms. Vassell, customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

“There’s no wait time. Once customers walk in, they’re served almost immediately. The office has a modern look and feel, with clearly identified service areas and customer-centric staff ready to help,” she said.

Looking ahead, citizenship services will also be added to the location, once the necessary systems are in place.

Meanwhile, Director of Business Development and Communications at PICA, Kauna McKenzie, is encouraging residents to make full use of the office.

“Come on over to the Portland office. It’s a nice place, customer-centric, efficient, and ready to serve. The other facilities will be built out, including St. Thomas, but for now, Portlanders and nearby residents should absolutely take advantage of this service hub,” she said.

The Portland office operates from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, and from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Fridays.