Constitution of Jamaica 1962, as amended to 2023
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    1. A person may, in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter2, become a citizen of Jamaica by-
    a. birth;
    b. descent; or
    c. registration as a citizen of Jamaica based on marriage to a citizen of Jamaica.
    2. Parliament may make provision for the acquisition of citizenship of Jamaica by persons who do not become citizens of Jamaica by virtue of the provisions of this Chapter.
    3. Subsection (1) shad not affect the right of any person who, before the 26th day of March, 1999, was entitled to Jamaican citizenship by virtue of any provision of the Constitution in force before that date. (Sec. 3)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    1. A person-
    a. who was born outside Jamaica before the sixth day of August, 1962;
    b. who was not before the 1st day of March, 1993, entitled to Jamaican citizenship by virtue of any provisions of this Constitution in force before that date; and
    c. whose father or mother, on the sixth day of August, 1962, became or would but for his or her death have become a citizen of Jamaica in accordance with subsection (1) of section 3,
    shall become a citizen of Jamaica on the 1st day of March, 1993.
    2. Subsection (1) shall not affect the rights of any person who, before the 1st day of March, 1993, was entitled to Jamaican citizenship by virtue of any provision of this Constitution which was in force before that date. (Sec. 3A)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    1. Every person born in Jamaica shall become a citizen of Jamaica-
    a. on the sixth day of August, 1962, in the case of a person born before that date;
    b. on the date of his birth, in the case of a person born on or after the sixth day of August, 1962.
    2. A person shall be deemed to be born in Jamaica-

    b. if at the time of his birth his mother-
    i. is a citizen of Jamaica residing in a country other than Jamaica by reason of her employment in the diplomatic service of Jamaica; or
    ii. whether or not a citizen of Jamaica, is residing in a country other than Jamaica by reason of her being married to a citizen of Jamaica who is residing in that country by reason of his employment in the diplomatic service of Jamaica.
    … (Sec. 3B)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    Every person born outside Jamaica shall become a citizen of Jamaica-
    a. on the sixth day of August, 1962, in the case of a person born before that date; or
    b. on the date of his birth, in the case of a person born on or after the sixth day of August, 1962,
    if, at that date, his father or mother is a citizen of Jamaica by birth, descent or registration by virtue of marriage to a citizen of Jamaica. (Sec. 3C)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    1. Any man or woman who, on the fifth day of August 1962 is or had been married to a person-
    a. who becomes a citizen of Jamaica by virtue of section 3 of this Constitution; or
    b. who, having died before the sixth day of August 1962 would, but for that person’s death, have become a citizen of Jamaica by virtue of that section,
    shall be entitled, upon making application in such manner as may be prescribed and, if he or she is a British protected person or an alien, upon taking the oath of allegiance, to be registered as a citizen of Jamaica.
    2. Any person who, on the fifth day of August 1962 is a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies-
    a. having become such a citizen under the British Nationality Act, 1948 by virtue of his having been naturalised in the former Colony of Jamaica as a British subject, before that Act came into force; or
    b. having become such a citizen by virtue of his having been naturalised or registered in the former Colony of Jamaica under that Act,
    shall be entitled, upon making application before the sixth day of August 1964, in such manner as may be prescribed, to be registered as a citizen of Jamaica:
    Provided that a person who has not attained the age of twenty-one years (other than a woman who is or has been married) may not make an application under this subsection himself but an application may be made on his behalf by his parent or guardian.
    3. Any man or woman who on the fifth day of August 1962 is or has been married to a person who subsequently becomes a citizen of Jamaica by registration under subsection (2) of this section shall be entitled, upon making application in such manner as may be prescribed and, if he or she is a British protected person or an alien, upon taking the oath of allegiance to be registered as a citizen of Jamaica. (Sec. 4)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    1. Any man or woman who, after the fifth day of August, 1962, marries a person who is or becomes a citizen of Jamaica shall, subject to subsection (2), be entitled, upon making application in such manner as may be prescribed and, if he or she is a British protected person or an alien, upon taking the oath of allegiance, to be registered as a citizen of Jamaica.
    2. A person may be denied registration under this section if-
    a. there is satisfactory evidence that-
    i. the marriage was entered into primarily for the purpose of enabling that person to acquire Jamaican citizenship; or
    ii. the parties to the marriage have no intention to live permanently with each other as spouses, after the marriage;
    b. the person has been convicted in any country of a criminal offence specified in any law which makes provision for such denial on the ground of such conviction.3. Subsection (2) shall not affect the right of any person who, before the 26th day of March, 1999, was entitled to apply for Jamaican citizenship by virtue of any provision of this Constitution in force before that date. (Sec. 7)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    1. No person who is a citizen of Jamaica by virtue of section 3 (1) (a), (b) or (c) shall be deprived of his citizenship of Jamaica.
    2. A person who is a citizen of Jamaica other than by virtue of section 3 (1) (a), (6) or (c), shall not be deprived of his citizenship except by or under the provisions of a law-
    a. specifying the grounds on which such deprivation may take place and the procedure for such deprivation; and
    b. securing to any person affected thereby a right of access to the Supreme Court for the purpose of reviewing the decision to deprive him of his right to such citizenship. (Sec. 8)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    Parliament may make provision-

    b. prescribing the grounds on which and the procedure whereby a person may be deprived of his citizenship of Jamaica;
    c. for the renunciation by any person of his citizenship of Jamaica. (Sec. 11)
Links to all sites last visited 10 November 2023
2
Chapter II: Citizenship.
3
Chapter III: Chapter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
4
Chapter III: Chapter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
5
Chapter III: Chapter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
6
Chapter III: Chapter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
7
Chapter III: Chapter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
8
Chapter III: Chapter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
9
Chapter III: Chapter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
10
Chapter III: Chapter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
11
Chapter III: Chapter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
12
Chapter III: Chapter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
13
Chapter III: Chapter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
14
Chapter III: Chapter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
15
Chapter III: Chapter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.