JAMAICA · CERTIFIED TRANSLATION
Certified Translation of Jamaica Documents for USCIS
Jamaica's official language is English, so records issued by the Registrar General's Department (RGD) and the courts are already in English and, under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), usually need no translation for USCIS at all. Where our help genuinely matters is certified transcription: older colonial-era register entries are handwritten in ledger cursive that a USCIS officer may find illegible, and a typed, certified true-copy transcription (with a Certificate of Accuracy) prevents an RFE. We also translate any non-English annotation and can confirm whether a given document needs translation before you pay for anything. Because Jamaica joined the Hague Apostille Convention on July 3, 2021, authentication is a single apostille from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in Kingston, not consular legalization.
Updated July 11, 2026 · Reviewed by Victor Luján, Founder — certified translations since 2018
DOCUMENTS FROM JAMAICA
Pick Your Document
Jamaican Birth Certificate →
Jamaican Marriage Certificate →
Jamaican Divorce Decree →
Jamaican Death Certificate →
Jamaican Diploma →
Jamaican Academic Transcript →
Jamaican Police Record →
Jamaican Single Status Certificate →
GOOD TO KNOW
Issuing Authority & Authentication
Civil records in Jamaica are issued by the Registrar General's Department (RGD) · official language(s): English. Jamaica is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (in force since July 3, 2021), so documents are authenticated with a single apostille rather than embassy legalization. The competent authority is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAFT) at 21 Dominica Drive, Kingston 5.
Every document above is translated by a native specialist, reviewed by a second linguist, and delivered with a signed Certificate of Accuracy that USCIS accepts under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) — or we fix it free and cover your resubmission fee.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Jamaican documents even need translation for USCIS?
Usually not. English is Jamaica's official language, and RGD, Supreme Court, JCF and CXC/UWI documents are issued in English, which satisfies 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). The exception is older handwritten register entries that are hard to read or any non-English annotation, where a certified typed transcription prevents an RFE. Send us a photo through our free 250-word sample and we'll tell you honestly whether you need anything at all.
Does Jamaica use an apostille or embassy legalization?
An apostille. Jamaica joined the Hague Apostille Convention on July 3, 2021, so a single apostille from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in Kingston replaces the old multi-step consular legalization. Note that USCIS itself does not require an apostille on translations; the apostille is for authenticating the underlying Jamaican original when an agency or court asks for it.
Who issues Jamaican birth, marriage and death certificates?
The Registrar General's Department (RGD), headquartered in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, is the sole authority for registering and issuing certified copies of births, marriages and deaths in Jamaica. Certificates can be requested online or at RGD branches and are printed on security paper.
My Jamaican birth certificate is old and handwritten. Can you help?
Yes. For colonial-era and older ledger entries in cursive, we provide a certified typed transcription that reproduces every field legibly in English and attaches a signed Certificate of Accuracy meeting 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), so a USCIS officer can read a document that might otherwise be questioned. Turnaround is typically 24 to 48 hours.
Where do I get a Jamaican divorce or police record for immigration?
A certified Decree Absolute comes from the Supreme Court Registry on King Street, Kingston, and a Police Certificate comes from the Jamaica Constabulary Force's Criminal Records Office. Both are in English. If they include handwritten endorsements or you need them certified or apostille-ready, email us at info@translationhelpdesk.com and we'll advise before you spend anything.