Rush on Kingston passport office : Thousands of Jamaicans flooded the grounds in a bid to process passport applications before increased fees take effect next Tuesday....the cost of a regular adult passport will move from $4,500 to $6,500

Thursday, May 21, 2015    

THE security forces were yesterday forced to increase their presence at the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) office in St Andrew after thousands of Jamaicans flooded the grounds in a bid to process passport applications before increased fees take effect next Tuesday.

These passport applicants were among the ‘lucky’ ones
 who were admitted to have documents processed yesterday.
Scores were turned back because of a quota system.
 (PHOTO: LIONEL ROOKWOOD)

PICA on Sunday announced that, as of May 26, the cost of a regular adult passport will move from $4,500 to $6,500, while the passport for a minor will move from $2,700 to $4,000. In addition, replacing lost passports for adults will cost $11,500 (up from $9,500) and $7,000 (up from $5,700) for minors.

Yesterday, from as early as 6:00 am members of the public, some travelling from as far as Westmoreland and St James, gathered at the front of the Constant Spring Road passport office to beat the deadline.

PICA on Tuesday introduced a daily quota system to process applications.

"Based on what has been happening over the past couple days we have recognised that we need to institute a quota because. If not we would not be able to balance our staff and the numbers," said PICA CEO Jennifer McDonald.

She added that because of the rush in the last few days staff members have been forced to work way past their regular hours.

"We did close to two-and-a-half times our regular amount yesterday," the CEO told the Jamaica Observer.

According to McDonald, on a regular basis the Kingston office caters to approximately 500 to 600 applicants per day. "The rush pushed those numbers to over 1,400 on Tuesday," she said.

In a release early yesterday PICA said that its Kingston head office had reached its quota of 1,000 applications by 8:00 am and sought to advise the public that individuals who intended to visit throughout the remainder of the day should refrain from doing so.

But the announcement left customers fuming.

"This is unacceptable. How can they treat people like this I have travelled to the location all the way from St Thomas only to be told that they not accepting anymore customers for the day," said Stacy Wright.

"I am basically fed up with what I am now seeing," said Jessica Jonas another disgruntled applicant. more