I am a Jamaican citizen living in the US undocumented over 20 yrs now by my father wanting a better life for me. Unfortunately he did not file citizenship for me because he had taken me away from my abusive mom, but ended up getting life in prison. I want to go back to Jamaica because I am not getting through with my immigration as I have no solid proof on where I entered the US per USCIS. Will I be able to travel back to Jamaica without a passport? I do not have one. I only have my Jamaican birth certificate and US driver license.
-
3Have you checked with the Jamaican embassy what they need do get you a passport? This would likely be by far the easiest option. However, it's unlikely you can return to the US afterwards.– lambshaanxyCommented Nov 1, 2019 at 4:13
-
9Also, your title says "expired passport", do you mean you have a previous Jamaican passport?– lambshaanxyCommented Nov 1, 2019 at 4:14
-
How did you get your US driver license, without a passport? And, BTW, you cannot enter to US without a passport (your title says "expired passport", though)– JuanCaCommented Nov 1, 2019 at 19:27
-
2@JuanCa A passport is not universally a requirement for a driver's license– Azor Ahai -him-Commented Nov 1, 2019 at 19:37
-
1@JuanCa, depends on the state. AFAIK CA decided they'd rather give licenses without proof of immigration status than have people drive unlicensed (and without testing).– The PhotonCommented Nov 1, 2019 at 21:56
|
Show 2 more comments
1 Answer
If I were you I would not leave the US without first talking to a US immigration lawyer. Depending on your age and other circumstances (your arrival in the US and your father's status in the US, for example) you may have other options that you are not aware of. If you leave the US you will trigger a 10-year ban, after which you will probably continue to have difficulty getting a US visa.
That said, to answer your question:
will I be able to travel back to Jamaica without a passport? I do not have one I only have my Jamaican birth certificate and US driver license.
Generally, no, you won't be able to do that. To go to Jamaica, you would normally therefore need to get a passport. You can do this at a Jamaican consulate or embassy in the US. For example, the Consulate General of Jamaica in New York has a page about adult passport renewals and one about new applications.
Similar information may be found on the sites of the embassy in Washington and the consulate general in Miami. It also seems that some honorary consulates may process applications.
-
23Not leaving the US without the advice of an immigration lawyer can't be emphasized enough. It is all too easy to get into a situation where it is then impossible to return to the US legally. Beyond that, for someone living in a Caribbean island, this also has the effect of severely curtailing future travel as it is very often necessary to transit the US to travel almost anywhere else in the world (at least, without paying exorbitant rates for tickets that don't transit the US). Commented Nov 1, 2019 at 4:57