'I've lost my passport, what should I do?'

Published: Wednesday | October 7, 2009


Q. Last week I was travelling on a bus through Kingston and my passport was either stolen or lost, what should I do? Can I get another passport to replace the one I am unable to find?

Ever so often our offices will receive copies of lost passports that persons have found either on the bus or at some other location. As such, persons who have lost their passport can, in the first instance, check with the Customer Service section of the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) to see if the document is with the Agency.

If we do not have your passport you should go immediately to the nearest police station to report the loss or theft of your document. You will be required to give a detailed report to the police.

Police investigates

You should then visit the PICA offices at 25C Constant Spring Road in St Andrew or at Overton Plaza in Montego Bay to report the matter to a customer service representative. You will then be required to fill out a "particulars of a lost passport" form, after which, you will be handed a letter to take back to the said police station. This letter will advise the police to commence their investigation with a view to verifying the loss or theft of your passport. It is significant to note that no new passport will be issued before a thorough investigation is conducted by the police.

This is important as every effort will be made to ensure that no one is in pos-session of more than one pass-port at any one time. A pass-port is a secure travel document and it is imperative that its integrity is maintained.

Application requirements

After the completion of the investigation, you will be required to submit to our offices: the police statement and the investigating officer's report, along with his recommendation regarding the loss or theft of your passport.

The requirements for obtaining a passport are similar to those for someone making an application for the first time, except for the fact that you must present the police report.

You will need:

Two passport-sized pictures, one of which must be certified

A certified application form

Your Birth Certificate/Adoption Register/Certificate of Citizenship

Marriage Certificate (women using a married name)

There is no additional charge for replacing a lost passport. You will pay the usual cost of $2,500 for your passport. A minor under 18 years pays $1,500.

If you have located your passport or the docu-ment is returned to you after you have received thenew one, then you must report this to the PICA office at 25C Constant Spring Road or at the nearest immigration office. If you have not located the document during the period of the investigation, then you are now free to commence steps in acquiring a new passport.



 
 
 
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