PICA Corner - Passport service now available at two tax offices

A: The information your friend gave you is indeed correct as the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) began offering passport service at two tax offices in August of this year. Residents of Portmore, May Pen and their surrounding areas can now visit the tax office in Portmore Pines and the revenue centre on Windsor Avenue in May Pen to apply for their documents.

The decision was taken to introduce the service in an effort to regionalise the operation of the agency, thereby allowing customers to do business with PICA at greater convenience. Previously, applications for passports were accepted at PICA's head office in Kingston and at the agency's branch office in Montego Bay only.

Passport applications are accepted each day at both tax offices except the 13th-16th and 28th-31st of each month. This is to accommodate the increased volume of persons carrying out tax transactions at the tax offices.

Customers in Portmore have the added convenience of being able to submit applications on Saturdays. Regular opening hours are: Monday to Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Portmore office only.

To apply for your passport, whether first time application or renewal, involves the same procedure as applications sent to our offices in Kingston and Montego Bay. One difference, however, is in the turnaround times. Standard turn-around times for processing a passport are seven and 14 days, respectively, for applications submitted at the head office in Kingston or the Montego Bay branch.

Turnaround times at the tax offices, however, are 11 and 14 days, respectively, at the Portmore and May Pen tax offices.

Additionally, the Tax Administration of Jamaica requires that persons conducting business at their offices present their taxpayer registration number. Note also that expedited service is not offered at the tax offices and is available at PICA's head office only.

Application process

To apply for a passport, persons must submit the following:

• Application form (certified)
• Two passport-sized photos (one certified)
• Original birth certificate
• Old passport (if renewing)
• Marriage certificate
• Deed poll (where applicable)
• Police report for lost passport
• Valid ID for lost and first-time applicants and also for parents/guardian identifying their children

Children who are three years and older must appear in person when applying.

The costs for passports are $4,500 and $2,700, respectively, for adults and children.

For further information, please visit our website at: www.pica.gov.jm. You may send queries to info@pica.gov.jm