Jamaica: Nigerians Scramble For Jamaican Citizenship

crossorigin="anonymous"></script>

Jamaica - The majority of applications for citizenship were from the United States of America, Cuba and Nigeria, according to Director of Citizenship at PICA, Carol Hammond along with five other PICA representatives, said this while addressing Jamaica Observer journalists and editors at the newspaper's Beechwood Avenue headquarters in St Andrew on Monday, Jamaica Observer reports.

“We received approximately 3,350 applications last year. Most of them are from America, and there are Cubans, British, Canadian, Bahamian, Cayman, and Dutch nationals… those account for persons who are descendants.

“For those who are just desiring of acquiring citizenship for Jamaica, we find the highest number coming out of Cuba, followed by the Americans, then Nigerians,” Hammond revealed.

She said that people usually qualify for citizenship based on requirements established by law, for persons to apply for consideration at the minister's discretion.

“We check their antecedents, so if they say they are doctors and employed somewhere, we do look into that. We look into the background of where they live, where they work, and the qualifications given to us supported by any professional organisation that govern their employment or their profession — we ask for their comments,” Hammond explained.

She said that a small percentage of applicants are refused entry, but did not provide exact numbers. A small number, too, were refused citizenship, Hammond said.

Disclaimer: Stories culled and pictures posted on this blog will be given due credit and is not the fault of drifternews.blogspot.com if website culled from misrepresents source of story.