11.00am - 3.00pm Monday - Friday. If you come to the UK on or after 1 January 2021, you may need to apply for a visa. Citizenship in Case of Doubt. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation Award; The United States Government Gives an Additional US $1 Million in Assistance to Jamaica to Respond to COVID-19; The United States Hands Over Emergency Equipment to the Government of Jamaica in Response to COVID-19 Each country has its own laws surrounding citizenship. John S. Bassie is a barrister/attorney-at-law who practises law in Jamaica. Consular (Passport and Visa) Section. Dual citizenship can also offer additional security in the face of political instability. Dual citizenship may not be permitted by certain countries, depending on where the second citizenship is obtained. The Jamaican Constitution does not specifically refer to dual citizenship, but it does not prohibit citizens from acquiring a second nationality. In the 10 years of legislation examined (1998-2008), potential conflicts were found in less than one per cent of the legislation debated. Dual (or multiple) citizenship occurs when a person is a citizen of two or more countries. The most common ways to get dual citizenship is through ancestry, marriage, and naturalization. Who is eligible for dual citizenship? Persons do not need to apply for dual citizenship. Registration (Minor) Based on Descent. This means that persons are able to be a British citizen and also hold citizenships of other countries. The community is well into its sixth generation and consists of around 300,000 individuals, the second-largest Jamaican population, behind the United States, living outside of Jamaica. I started travel blogging in 2015 with the aim to build a great travel community and resource of travel tips, visa and travel guides for travellers. The United States does not formally recognize dual citizenship. A. Jamaica permits dual citizenship. Countries like Saudi Arabia, India, Austria, and Singapore can disallow dual citizenships, which leads to an automatic loss of domestic citizenship when a new one is obtained. For example, if a person holds both British and Chinese citizenship, those persons cannot get diplomatic help from the United Kingdom when they are in China. Inspired designs on t-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. Once you obtain Jamaican Citizenship you no longer require a work permit to work in Jamaica; If you are married and have obtained your Jamaican Citizenship you can also register your non-Jamaican husband or wife for Citizenship; Opportunity to have dual citizenship; It’s a pretty straightforward process and it can be done fairly quickly. 21 UK residents get Jamaican citizenship. Naturalisation of Aliens to the Commonwealth requires that: The applicant should have attained the age of eighteen (18) years, should have lived in Jamaica for a minimum of five (5) years on aggregate and for 12 months immediately preceding submission of the application and, be of good character. Naturalization. This means you can be a British citizen and also a citizen of other countries. There are a number of countries which don’t allow dual citizenship, regardless of the circumstances. Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone. Check with the country’s consulate or embassy in the UK to find out about that country’s laws on dual nationality. You were born in the UK They can apply for foreign citizenship and keep their British citizenship. Would I be penalised or have my Latvian citizenship revoked if I declared my UK citizenship from now on. Naturalisation of Aliens to the Commonwealth requires that: The applicant should have attained the age of eighteen (18) years, should have lived in Jamaica for a minimum of five (5) years on aggregate and for 12 months immediately preceding submission of the application and, be of good character. If you’re from one of these countries, you can’t take up British citizenship alongside your original citizenship. It’s best to check with an immigration lawyer, or your local embassy or consulate, if you … Marriage. To get British citizenship in the UK, check how to apply in your situation. Jamaican Citizenship by Birth refers to the following: Any person born in Jamaica prior to August 6, 1962, who was on that date a citizen of the United Kingdom and its colonies. Dual citizenship, or multiple citizenship, is when a single person is legally recognized as a citizen of two or more countries at the same time. For more information. Other countries operate restricted and highly selective eligibility criteria, such as Spain, which only permits dual nationality with selected Latin American countries. You don’t apply for dual citizenship, and there is no related certificate. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. Dual nationality can impact how and when we can help you overseas. Dual citizenship, which is also known as dual nationality, is allowed in the United Kingdom. A member of the RJRGLEANER Communications Group. Dual citizenship is when a person is a legal citizen of two countries. However, it also has not taken any stand against it, either legally or politically. Blog. Dual citizenship is not regulated in the Constitution of the United States, but Americans are more interested than ever in getting a second passport. Can I have dual citizenship in Jamaica and the United States once I naturalize? In testing the commitment argument, CaPRI's 2008 paper, Dual Citizenship and Political Representation in Jamaica, analysed legislation to determine how frequently such conflicts of interest arose. I am a British citizen, but I would like to hold citizenship from another country. I’ll discuss the steps on how to do this in another post. As a dual national you cannot get diplomatic help from the British government when you are in the other country where you hold citizenship. Check with the country’s consulate or high commission in the UK to find out about that country’s laws on dual nationality. It depends on where and when you were born, and your parents’ circumstances. If things go wrong and you need help overseas, turn to local resources for help first. Canadians are allowed to take foreign citizenship while keeping their Canadian citizenship. Jamaica accepts dual nationals. They can apply for foreign citizenship and keep their British citizenship. The Jamaican Constitution does not specifically refer to dual citizenship, but it does not prohibit citizens from acquiring a second nationality. It is important to double check whether your country permits dual citizenship before seeking to acquire one. You may be eligible for British citizenship if you have a British parent. Recognition of Dual Citizenship in the U.S. In terms of citizenship, all Jamaicans who moved to the UK prior to Jamaican Independence in 1962 were automatically granted British citizenship because Jamaica was an overseas colony of the country. Jamaican law states that any Jamaican who acquires a foreign citizenship will be subject to all the responsibilities of the new citizenship and cannot claim any exemptions on the basis of their Jamaican nationality. Staff - Jul 29, 2015. Dual citizenship in Germany, unlike before, is widely practiced. Dual citizenship (also known as dual nationality) is allowed in the UK. If you would like more information on Jamaican citizenship, please contact us. Automatic acquisition. Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is not legal advice but general information on issues commonly encountered when dealing with immigration matters. I never declared my dual nationality to Latvia but Latvia accepts dual citizenship now. If there are no laws, we check what the Supreme Court has said about it. It is worthy of note that in some countries, a married person is automatically counted as having their partner’s nationality. You can hold dual citizenship in the United Kingdom, if you fulfil the criteria and submit an application. Tweet. (i) She / He was born outside of Jamaica before the 6th August 1962 (ii) His / Her mother or father on the 6th August 1962 became or would have, but for his/her death, become a citizen of Jamaica. In this case, you might be forced by the law in your home country to give up your original citizenship … You were born in the UK It is important to note that many countries do not accept dual citizenship. Multiple citizenship, dual citizenship, multiple nationality or dual nationality, is a person's citizenship status, in which a person is concurrently regarded as a citizen of more than one country under the laws of those countries. Dual citizenship, which is also known as dual nationality, is allowed in the United Kingdom. An applicant qualifies for Citizenship by descent where: (i) He or she was born outside of Jamaica before 6th August 1962 and was on 5th August 1962 a citizen of the United Kingdom and its Colonies; It is important that persons check with the country’s consulate or high commission in the United Kingdom to find out about that country’s laws on dual nationality. Not all countries allow its citizens to hold dual citizenship – China and India, for example, where attained foreign citizenship leads to automatic loss of citizenship. UK nationality law bestows British citizenship by birth, naturalisation, adoption, registration and descent. If you’re a British citizen living in a country that doesn’t allow this, and you want to become a citizen of that country, you will need to renounce your British citizenship. Persons do not need to apply for dual citizenship. The U.K. does not accept applications for dual citizenship for children. The U.S. does not restrict foreign citizenship. Dual citizenship, marriage and dependents. Multiple citizenship, dual citizenship, multiple nationality or dual nationality, is a person's citizenship status, in which a person is concurrently regarded as a citizen of more than one country under the laws of those countries. New border controls could penalise Britons with dual nationality. Dual citizenship can give you more control and independence, whether that means added freedom to fly to more countries, to live in other jurisdictions or the freedom to choose the lifestyle that you wish. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Typically, no American will forfeit his or her citizenship by undertaking the responsibilities of citizenship … To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Woohoo! Registration (Minor) Based on Descent. All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated, Give up (renounce) British citizenship or nationality, Check if you can become a British citizen, Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance and support, Transparency and freedom of information releases. They will need to apply as the spouse of a British citizen. Under chapter 2 of the Constitution of Jamaica, a person born in Jamaica after 5 August 1962, or born outside Jamaica after that date to a father who is a Jamaican citizen, is automatically considered a Jamaican citizen at birth.Those born in Jamaica or born to Jamaican fathers before 5 August 1962 acquired Jamaican citizenship on that day. WhatsApp. A List of Countries That Allow Dual Citizenship (And Those That Do Not). By law, all persons born outside of Jamaica, who have a claim to Jamaican citizenship by descent, whether through parents or grandparents, are required to formally apply for the Certification of Jamaican Citizenship. Copyright © 2020 The Gleaner Company (Media) Limited. Some nations allow dual citizenship under specific conditions. Your application must then be approved before you are considered to hold UK citizenship.But - and it’s a big but - whether or not this works for you will depend on your original citizenship, as some other countries don’t accept dual nationalities. In fact, Canadian citizens cannot lose their citizenship unless they voluntarily renounce it via a complicated legal procedure. This is because both Canada and United Kingdom are part of the Commonwealth and there is no law within the Canadian or British constitution prohibiting dual citizenship with Jamaica. Select the correct answer to the questions below then click share and post your result on Facebook. The UK is a signatory to the Convention on the Reduction of Cases of Multiple Nationality and on Military Obligations in Cases of Multiple Nationality. Dual citizenship allowed as long as the other country allows it too. You need to apply as the spouse of a British citizen. British Jamaicans (or Jamaican British people) are British people who were born in Jamaica or who are of Jamaican descent. Jamaican Citizenship by Birth refers to the following: Any person born in Jamaica prior to August 6, 1962, who was on that date a citizen of the United Kingdom and its colonies. These include applications for citizenship: Descent. Ultimately, whether you can take dual citizenship of the UK, depends in part on your country of origin. Other countries operate restricted and highly selective eligibility criteria, such as Spain, which only permits dual nationality with selected Latin American countries. We use cookies to collect information about how you use GOV.UK. Please be aware that persons do not automatically become a British citizen when they marry a person from the United Kingdom. As a dual national, a person cannot get diplomatic help from the British government when they are in the other country where they hold citizenship. Not all countries allow its citizens to hold dual citizenship – China and India, for example, where attained foreign citizenship leads to automatic loss of citizenship. Some countries don’t allow dual citizenship under any circumstances, including China, India, Japan, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Jamaica permits dual citizenship. Proof of citizenship: (i) She / He was born outside of Jamaica before the 6th August 1962 (ii) His / Her mother or father on the 6th August 1962 became or would have, but for his/her death, become a citizen of Jamaica. THE dual citizenship debate has come to the forefront in Jamaica once again with elections anticipated to be around the corner. Similarly, if you’re seeking Irish citizenship as a second citizenship, and your country of origin doesn’t allow dual nationality, or has its own restrictions in place, this could get tricky. Applications for Jamaican Citizenship are done in different categories. Ask the embassy of your country of citizenship about its rules before applying for Canadian citizenship. You do not automatically become a British citizen when you marry a person from the UK. (UKC-Commonwealth Nation) BY BIRTH: Child born in the territory of Jamaica, regardless of the nationality of the parents.. BY DESCENT: Child born abroad, at least one of whose parents is a citizen of Jamaica.. All Rights Reserved. Once you have applied and become a Jamaican Citizen you can then go ahead and apply for your Jamaican Passport, thus making you a dual citizen. He is a justice of the peace, a Supreme Court-appointed mediator, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a chartered arbitrator and a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (UK). In fact, persons can also have dual citizenship with Jamaica and Canada as well as Jamaica and the United Kingdom. Dual british citizenship in the uk has been a rather important subject since the United Kingdom is home to several ethnic groups from all over world who acquire UK citizenship, and acquire UK dual citizenship. Guinea: N/A: Guinea-Bissau: Yes: Dual citizenship allowed if emigration occurred for economic reasons. B. Citizenship by Descent for persons born overseas of Jamaican parentage Qualification. Holding dual citizenship makes an individual legally obligated to more than one state and can negate the normal consular protections afforded to citizens outside their original country of citizenship. This means you can be a British citizen and also a citizen of other countries. », Wanted man killed in Manchester police shootout, Police appeal for help to identify body of man found in St Andrew, Attorneys slam gov’t over detention of Jamaicans by US Coast Guard, 200 St Catherine families receive care packages, Three more COVID-19 deaths, nine new cases, High turbidity forces shutdown of some NWC plants in St Mary, Savage Pen road upgrade delayed - Residents want urgent completion of alternative route to Gordon Town main road as NWA struggles to get job done, Embrace the vaccine - Caribbean medical practitioners urge community to take COVID-19 shot, Manchester Health Services honours 41 staff for sterling service, Digital Archives: Online editions 2006-Now. Under chapter 2 of the Constitution of Jamaica, a person born in Jamaica after 5 August 1962, or born outside Jamaica after that date to a father who is a Jamaican citizen, is automatically considered a Jamaican citizen at birth.Those born in Jamaica or born to Jamaican fathers before 5 August 1962 acquired Jamaican citizenship on that day. RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR. In some countries, a married person is automatically counted as having their partner’s nationality. You do not need to apply for dual citizenship. My wife has dual Philippines and UK citizenship. I’m a dual citizen (British – Filipina) living in the UK. B. [ citation needed ] Jamaican immigrants must now apply for citizenship … Any person born in Jamaica after August 5, 1962 Proof of citizenship: Opening times High Commission. You’ve accepted all cookies. A person with dual citizenship is a citizen of two countries at the same time, which has both advantages and disadvantages because it is a complex legal status. Dual citizenship refers to a person who is legally recognised as a citizen in two countries at the same time. However a person may be a national of one country by being born in that country but also a national of another country because his/her parent is a national of another country. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Many countries do not accept dual citizenship. Under Chapter two of the Jamaican Constitution, persons born in Jamaica and persons born outside Jamaica of Jamaican parents have an automatic right to Jamaican citizenship. For example, if you hold both British and Chinese citizenship you cannot get diplomatic help from the UK when you’re in China. Email: lawbassie@yahoo.com. We use this information to make the website work as well as possible and improve government services. The second excuse given is that people with dual citizenship “can just pass bad laws and leave the country”. Automatic acquisition. Any person born in Jamaica after August 5, 1962. Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. This means that persons are able to be a British citizen and also hold citizenships of other countries. The only way to have a passport from two different countries is through dual citizenship. Requirements for Citizenship by Birth / Adoption / Descent. Owning second citizenship is a step towards more freedom. Contact Us about contact us privacy policy. Dual citizenship is recognized and dual citizens can vote in national and regional elections, but are not allowed to sit in parliament or become ministers of government. «No ‘British’ link in Sunday’s gunfire - St Andrew South police commander says division experiencing several violent conflicts, Immigration Corner | Can a visitor apply to stay in Canada? An applicant qualifies for Citizenship by Descent where: A. 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