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Jamaica now offers an online version of the Immigration and Customs Declaration form (C5) for arriving travelers at the island’s international airports.
The online form will enable passengers to be processed more seamlessly through the arrival process (Immigration and Customs) in the island. This will also lead to a reduction in waiting and processing times in both Immigration and Customs.
The form is currently (available here: https://c5online.pica.gov.jm/apply/) provides travellers with the option to be completed prior to their travels to Jamaica (once their travel has been booked) as opposed to filling out the physical form upon arriving at their respective airport.
The Online Passenger Declaration Form captures the same information as the current paper Immigration and Customs Passenger Declaration Form. The electronic format, once completed, is then submitted to Immigration Officers and Customs Officers and when passengers arrive at the airport in Jamaica, they are processed by designated officers.
“As Jamaica’s arrivals numbers continue to soar, it’s important that we offer a speedier process at our airports, so our visitors spend less time waiting in immigration and customs and more time enjoying the destination,” said Elizabeth Fox, Jamaica Tourist Board’s UK and Northern Europe regional director. “We’re continuously seeking ways to enhance our visitors’ experience while in Jamaica and we hope this improved experience also promotes greater return visits for our guests.”
“The new system is efficient because it is user-friendly and requires minimal effort on the part of the traveler,” said Andrew Wynter, CEO of Jamaica’s Passport, Immigration & Citizenship Agency. “Once you click on one of the boxes, it moves you onto the next option; we don’t want people spending too much time on the form, we want them focusing on their stay and experience in Jamaica.”
According to PICA, the system was created and designed by the Information and Communication Technology staff at both PICA and JCA, in consultation with other stakeholders. As part of its continuing efforts to improve the arrivals experience, the customs agency’s next project is to launch a mobile application.
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