PICA Strengthens Relationship with Diaspora

The Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) is to introduce a new customer relationship management system as part of several planned upgrades to streamline the services of the agency.

Chief Executive Officer, PICA, Andrew Wynter, said the project is part of the agency’s mandate to strengthen Jamaica’s relationship with the diaspora.

“We are looking at ways to leverage technology that will certainly enhance your experience in accessing any of the products or services that the agency has to offer,” he said.

Mr. Wynter was addressing the recent ‘Let’s Connect with Ambassador Marks’ virtual session.

PICA accepts and processes passport applications, manages the island’s immigration processes, and handles citizenship matters.

Other initiatives that have been implemented by the agency include automated kiosks, upgrading the passport system, digitised passenger declaration form, and the introduction of a simplified passport renewal form for adults.

“If you have a machine-readable passport and your information has not changed since your last passport, you don’t need a notary public. You just complete the simplified form, bring in your passport, and we are able to now process your application information much quicker,” Mr. Wynter said.

He added that the initiative is part of several measures being implemented by the agency to make the processing services easier.

Mr. Wynter said the agency’s ‘Access Jamaica’ programme, which provides direct support services to the diaspora in passport processing services, has also been instrumental in providing ease of access to PICA services.

Under the programme, a team from PICA recently provided direct services to members of the diaspora in the United States of America (USA) and the United Kingdom (UK).

In the USA, the team visited Atlanta in Georgia; Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Hartford, Connecticut; and in the UK, London.

“We have found that these programmes help to support the various Missions overseas, because we know that since the (COVID-19) pandemic, the diaspora’s demands on the Missions have increased, so we as an agency are working very hard to provide services that complement and support them,” he said.