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Returning Jamaicans Must Desist From Applying Multiple Times Online

By: , May 13, 2020

The Key Point:

Jamaicans overseas who are now applying to return home under the country’s controlled re-entry programme are being encouraged to desist from applying multiple times on the jamcovid19 application and website.
Returning Jamaicans Must Desist From Applying Multiple Times Online
Photo: Donald De La Haye
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, addresses the media at a virtual press conference on Monday (May 11), at the Office of the Prime Minister Media Centre, in Kingston.

The Facts

  • Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, while disclosing that close to 7,500 applications have, so far, been received, pointed out that persons who apply more than once are prejudicing their chance for approval.
  • “I am reiterating that because of the number of applications and because we are managing controlled re-entry, based on the amount of quarantine and isolation capacity which we have in Jamaica, there will not be an immediate response to your application. You will get your case number, that means the application is submitted,” she explained.

The Full Story

Jamaicans overseas who are now applying to return home under the country’s controlled re-entry programme are being encouraged to desist from applying multiple times on the jamcovid19 application and website.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, while disclosing that close to 7,500 applications have, so far, been received, pointed out that persons who apply more than once are prejudicing their chance for approval.

“I am reiterating that because of the number of applications and because we are managing controlled re-entry, based on the amount of quarantine and isolation capacity which we have in Jamaica, there will not be an immediate response to your application. You will get your case number, that means the application is submitted,” she explained.

The Minister, who was speaking on Monday (May 11), at a virtual press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister Media Centre in Kingston, also appealed to the Jamaicans overseas to exercise patience and understanding.

“You don’t have to keep applying in order to hear from us. Once you have a case number, it is received, but the time that it will take you to get to conditional approval and ultimately to approval where you would have made travel arrangements, will take a bit more time,’ Senator Johnson Smith said.

“So, we’re asking for your patience and understanding. If you keep applying, then you might actually prejudice your application, because you’re going to have multiple hits against your passports and it might raise questions,” she said.

In the meantime, persons who are applying and have questions are also being urged to use the support link instead of reapplying.

The Government closed the borders to incoming passengers on March 14, as part of measures to control and prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Owing to the closure, more than 7,000 Jamaicans have been stranded in several countries across the globe, hence the Government has instituted the controlled re-entry programme by which individuals who are overseas will be repatriated.

Last Updated: May 13, 2020

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