Who is eligible for the Returning Resident Concession?
Returning Resident Registration and Application Process
To be considered a Returning Resident, and to benefit from the concession afforded to Returning Residents, you must satisfy one of the following conditions:
- Be a Jamaican national who has attained the age of 18 years, and who
- has been residing overseas for the last 3 consecutive years and is returning to Jamaica to reside permanently.
- Be a Jamaican student who has attained the age of 18 years and who has studied abroad for more than one year but fewer than 3 consecutive years and has returned to reside permanently.
- Be a non-Jamaican whose spouse is a Jamaican Returning Resident.
- A Deportee who has been residing overseas for the last 3 consecutive years
Note: A couple – husband and wife- will be counted as one family if returned together and will only get one concession. Spouses not returning together, but within three years of each other, are treated as one family and will also get only one concession.
Documents Required for Returning Residents
Returning Residents must visit the Jamaica Customs Agency Returning Residents Unit and submit the following:
- Valid Jamaican Passport or foreign passport that is endorsed with the unconditional landing stamp.
- Validated Bill of Lading or Airway Bill
- Taxpayers Registration Number (TRN)
- Last three (3) years tax returns accompanied with W2/1099, T4, P60 or any other document deemed appropriate by the relevant authority.
- Tax Return Transcript from the relevant authority.
- Letter of separation from employer, outlining duration of employment on the company’s letter head, stamped and signed.
- Current retirement papers/ pension advice/social security letter
- Any other document to substantiate residency abroad.
- Proof of local address
Returning students
Returning Students should present:
- Transcript/certification
- Student’s I-20
- Confirmation letter of attendance from last institution of study
- Identification card issued by the institution
- Passport
- TRN
- Proof of local address
- Validated Bill of Lading/Airway Bill
Student’s Entitlement:
- Reasonable quantity of used household effects
- One of each of the following electronic items new or used:
- Television set
- Video recorder
- Component set
- Personal computer
- Computer stand
- Printer and Stand
- A reasonable quantity of musical instruments
Deportees
- Deportation Order
- Case file
- TNR
- Identification (Passport/picture certified by Justice of the Peace/Drivers Licence/ Voters Identification)
- Validated Bill of Lading/ Airway Bill
Deceased
Family of the deceased is entitled to USED personal and household effects eg. worn clothing, used appliances (of the deceased), providing that the following are submitted:
- Death Certificate
- Passport/ Proof of Jamaican Nationality
- Letter from a Notary Public substantiating death of the individual
Click here for Entitlement/Motor vehicle
- NB: The benefit should be claimed within six(6) months after approval have been granted.
- Qualified applicants can benefit only ONCE from this concession.
- All returnees are subjected to an interview
Motor Vehicles
Motor Vehicle up to 10 years (FULL DUTY AND TAXES PAYABLE):
The Motor Vehicle Importation Policy is primarily administered by the Trade Board Limited, which is responsible for granting Import Licences for motor vehicle importation. Import Licence should be obtain prior to importation .
Pets:
Importation of pets or other animals will require an Import Permit from the Veterinary Services Division of the Ministry Of Agriculture prior to importation.
Plants:
Importation of plants will require a Permit from the Plant Quarantine Division of the Ministry Of Agriculture.
Important Content Information
Returning Resident Unit
Jamaica Customs Agency
Myers’ Wharf, Newport East
Kingston 15
Telephone: (867) 750 3098 or (876) 750 3005
(876) 922-5140 extensions 2520 to 25
or
Jamaica Customs Agency
Montego Bay Revenue Service Centre Bldg
18B Howard Cooke Blvd., Montego Bay, St James
Telephone: 952-0000 extension 2023
