Starting today (September 1), all travellers must fill out Jamaica’s new digital entry form online at www.enterjamaica.com. 

The form can be completed after booking flights up to one year before departure or on arrival in Jamaica at the airport through a mobile kiosk or on cellphones, though it’s recommended it be completed before departure. The new process replaces the old online or paper copy at the airport and is meant to make arrival a smooth and seamless one.

The new online passenger declaration form is aimed at easing and hastening the entry process for all arrivals at the country’s airports. The Online Passenger Declaration (C5) Platform was conceptualised by the Passport, Immigration and Citizen Agency (PICA), in collaboration with the Jamaica Customs Agency.

Both agencies launched the online version of the C5 Form back in July 2019, designed to capture the same information as the manual version. This system is a first in CARICOM, which will allow for more efficient processing of air passengers and baggage at the island’s international airports. 

Director of Tourism Donovan White explained that the new process will “allows us to have more control. It also verifies the traveller to us. It will help to get you into a fast-track lane to get you out of the airport much faster.”

The changes are in addition to new highways, airport expansions, increased capacity and new hotel brands entering Jamaica for the first time.