General Information :: Customs and Immigration clearance

Unlike airports in the USA and Europe, when the door of your plane opens and you find yourself "herded" up and down impersonal corridors, you will find that upon your arrival in Jamaica things are a little different. The first thing that hits you when the plane door opens is the glare and warmth of the sun.

Arriving in Jamaica:: clearing immigration

Ringing in your ears will be the accented voices of Jamaicans excited about returning to Jamaica. Your flight attendant warmly welcomes you to Jamaica and ask you to watch your step leading down is a flight of steps from your plane to the tarmac.

Upon touching the ground you will walk across the tarmac to a wide entrance where everyone seems to be heading. Just follow your fellow passengers down the long passage way.  You will come into a brightly lit area where officers in white shirts will be sitting behind glass partitioned desks. They are your Immigration Officers. Join the visitors line if you do not reside in Jamaica or hold a Jamaican passort. The visitor's line is to your right. Ensure your air tickets is out and other documents are filled out correctly and if you have anything to declare please state this on your paperwork.

You will be asked a few questions such as how long you will be staying the island and where your flight originated from. Have all your forms filled out and ready or you will be sent back to have it completed.

Arriving in Jamaica:: clearing customs

After being processed by an immigration officer, you will proceed into a much bigger area where you will see luggage going around on a conveyor belts.  Just look for someone who was on your flight and follow them.  You can look for the signs posted above the conveyor belts.  These display the  incoming flight numbers.

Our airports are not very big so you will not get lost. Proceed to the DECLARE or NOTHING TO DECLARE line depending on the items you are bringing into the island. The customs officers have to do their work so be patient as they shift through your things.   PSST! Their supervisors are close by and watching so please understand.

There are porters on hand to assist you in moving your luggage outside. Here you are officially on Jamaican soil and this is where your vacation begins.

Leaving Jamaica

Ensure that when you leave your hotel that all your documents and other belongings are with you. You will be sure to miss your flight should you reach the airport and find that you can't locate something very important.

Ensure that you have your departure tax and your paperwork filled out.

It can be quite amusing to watch Jamaicans coming and going through the airports. We love our luggage and will try every which way to get them on the planes.   Tourists are even more fun to watch.  They are easily identifiable by their wide brim hats, sun-burns, bright smiles and the many craft items being slung around their person.

Boarding announcements will be echoing throughout the airport and persons will be shuffling towards the entrance to where they should board.  There will be sad faces for sure but there is hope on many faces that says that they look to return to Jamaica soon.