Contributed
From left: Former United States ambassadors to Jamaica, J. Gary Cooper (left), Stan M McLelland (second left) and Sue McCourt Cobb (right) officially cut the ribbon at the opening of the new US Embassy yesterday, with current US Ambassador Brenda LaGrange Johnson (second right) and Charles Williams, director of overseas building operations in the US Department of State.

The United States Embassy yesterday completed its move from 2 and 16 Oxford Road, to its new home at 142 Old Hope Road in Liguanea, St. Andrew.

All offices of the embassy, with the exception of the USAID and the Peace Corps, completed the move to the new compound which has a US$72 million (J$4.7 billion) price tag.

The embassy, which was temporarily closed last week, is expected to return to normal operations on Monday, December 18. The public is however being advised of the following changes which have been made in relation to visa interview processes.

Schedule on-line

All non-immigrant visa (NIV) applicants from Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, including tourists, students, skilled workers, and crew members, must schedule interview appointments on-line through the embassy appointment system at https://evisaforms.state.gov/default.asp?postcode=KNG&appcode=3 effective immediately.

Emergency window walk-in services are no longer available. Additionally, the U.S. Department of State has mandated that all NIV applicants must have their application forms filled out electronically. Hand-written forms will no longer be accepted.

Electronic versions of all application forms can be found at http://evisaforms.state.gov.For those having trouble filling out forms electronically, Paymaster and other local services will assist for nominal fees.

No walk-in visa services of any kind will be provided. All persons seeking visa services, including non-immigrant visa renewals and immigrant visa information, must have an appointment, without exception.

Information regarding pending immigrant visa cases will now be provided by appointment only. Persons requiring these services should check the embassy's website for guidance and submit a request for an appointment to KingstonIVInfo@state.gov.

NIV applicants, who have genuine emergencies, should now send a request via e-mail to kingstonvisa@state.gov or by fax to 935-6019. This e-mail address and fax number is for emergency appointment requests only. Other inquiries will not be answered (all other inquiries may be sent to consularkingst@state.gov).

All emergency window e-mails and faxes must contain the following information: