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Jamaica: 10 Tips for Living in Jamaica:
Don't move into an expat bubble. Living in Jamaica should mean living Jamaican with Jamaicans. Some of us find a safe place away from reality here in Jamaica and we miss out on the beauty of Jamaica.
Jamaica: How long can a U.S. citizen stay in Jamaica?:
American citizens can stay up to 6 months out of each year on a Tourist Visa by law. That means if you stay for 6 months you are supposed to leave for 6 months before you return. Thats the law but no one actually checks that you leave for 6 months. Many expats live in Jamaica year round on a Tourist Visa but return to the US for at least 30 days every 5 or 6 months. You can get a business visa or work permit for up to one year but both of these are more difficult to attain and require quite a bit of paperwork.
If you are retired or on some form of fixed income it is easier to apply for Permanent Residency.
Read more at these official websites:
Requirements for Entry Into Jamaica:
http://www.congenjamaica-ny.org/visas.htm
US Travel Office:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1147.html
Jamaica: HAVING A BABY:
You would probably be best to start looking for private medical care inthe area where you will live. If you are traveling to Jamaica just to have the baby and can travel anywhere then Montego Bay is known to have the best medical facilities. That does not say much though and you may want to look into what kind of medical care you will get. Jamaica is not known for havig the best hospitals and even the best private care is below the standards of what you will find in developed nations. I recently was involved in a car accident with a broken leg and I have seen the best this country has to offer and it was poor in my opinion.
I would describe the public hospitals in Sav La Mar, Mandeville and Montego Bay to be below human standards. Some of what I saw was archaic if not medieval. Everythng was below US standards and would not be allowed in any hospital in America. I routinely waited 24 hours or more for proper wound care and ended up with infections because of it. I waited a total of 8 days to have a cast put on my broken leg.
I'm sure there is a great private maternity facility somewhere in Jamaica but make sure you find it before you move here to have your baby.
Look in Montego Bay. Ask you insurance company if you have one.
Search these locations online for more hospitals and medical facilities in Jamaica:
http://www.jmmb.com/ib/index.php?parish=Hanover
http://www.bluecross.com.jm/customercare/prosearch/hospitals.html
Jamaica: Moving to JA from the US:
Not very many resources online for cost of living in Jamaica.The trick seems to be in how you live in Jamaica. Some expats seem to adapt well and live Jamaican which saves money. Others cannot change their lifestyle and pay more for it. How do I mean? Well as an example food in Jamaica can be very cheap if you eat like Jamaicans do but if you insist on your American diet with imported foods and trips to Burger King then you are going to spend two or even three times more than others.
Also where you live has lots to do with cost. Cities like Negril are WAY more expensive then even Montego Bay with its large groceries and Freeport full of imports. Housing costs in Hanover and Westmoreland are more than St Anns or Port Antonio.
I have an nice two bedroom apartment in a resort for $500 per month in Negril. I can spend anywhere from $600 to $800 per month on groceries for the wife and two kids but we eat good and feed a few extra kids on occasion. if you have friends or family you'll end up doing the same.
Transportation can be a real hassle. Being stuck at the mercy of taxi drivers and bus routes really sucks. I bought a van and loved every second of it but driving here is tough. Used vehicles are expensive but great to have when you want to travel a lot. There is so much to see here and driving past things in a taxi is no way to learn a place.
Entertainment can be cheap like a walk on the beach or very expensive for those who like to catch all the concerts and music festivals.
I guess finally it would be worth mentioning that some folks have an easier time here because they adapt to Jamaica and others have a real hard time here because they try to change Jamaica into something that fits them. That won't work and in the end it will cost you financially.
Jamaica: Anyone planning or moved to Jamaica:
I'm an American living in Negril for over one year now. Tourist visas only last 6 months but you can leave and return and no one seems to track things. Living in Jamaica is NOTHING like visiting Jamaica and once you are here a long time thngs change. People treat you differently and you can witness the difference in seasons. Summertime is difficult here for many because business is slow and there is no money. You find more beggars and it can become a hassle for some foreigners.
Working here is very difficult unless you have some special skill like a teacher or doctors. I started my own business here and its taken me most of the year to get the paperwork sorted out.My goal is to qualify for a work permit undermy own company. Iwork online and registered my US corporation here as an overseas company to get started.
Research visa restrictions, job and work permits and how you plan to live before you move here.My advice is to make money abroad and live here because there is not much money here to be made.
Running a business is hard with so much competition and foreigners are not very welcomed in the tourism industry.
Read the www.jamaica-gleaner.com each day for whats happening here in country. You'll see some interesting things there. This is a violent country and you are going to see things you won't see at home. Something as simple as a trip to the market can be an adventure in Jamaica. I recommend you stay here at least 3 months before you make a permanent move to Jamaica.
My blog about moving to Jamaica
http://www.jamaicamax.com
Jamaica: Homeschoolers in Kingston or across Jamaica:
We homeschool our 4 and 9 year old sons in Negril. Always looking for friends and ideas. What kind of homeschooling do you do? Do you have a curriculum or not? We do not.
Our oldest son is autistic and has been on a customized program for some time. Our youngest son does not have enough structure right now so we're considering a tutor to help us out. I have even thought about putting him in a school here for next term just so he can meet some new kids in the area and make friends. I figure he would appreciate it and we can still homeschool what we want him to learn. He's learning to speak patois with his friends and we're ok with it. He's learning english with us and patois with them. I want to find a cuban tutor so he can learn spanish now as well. Our youngest has no developmental delays and seems to be catching on to things fast. I don't know if we are properly prepared for both of them but its nice spending so much time with them and I see them growing in other ways. We're very close with our children and we spend so much more time together I feel we understand our kids better than many parents we know. As a matter of fact we seem to pick up on things with other kids that their parents miss. We have developed some strong bonds to kids in our community because we treat them like our kids. In return we have had some issues with a few parents around here when their kids grew a bit to close to us. We have to be careful to homeschool our kids and not the neighbors.
Jamaica: Moving From CANADA To JAMAICA:
We moved to Negril from Florida in July 2007. I have a blog at http://www.JamaicaMAX.com with lots of information about moving to and living in Jamaica.
I work online and live here on the West End with my wife and two sons. Where will you be? Are you working here? Do you have to quarantine your dog for 6 months?
Jamaica: Living in Jamaica - Consider this First!!!!:
English is not his primary language and maybe there is something lost in translation. I'm pretty sure gustavo did not mean to highly offend anyone when he said "a majority" of Jamaicans are rude towards foreigners. He never used the word all.
We can't say he is wrong when he is speaking about his own personal experiences here in Jamaica. Some folks are treated differently here in Jamaica when others know they are from "farrin". I myself look Jamaican but I am American and I rarely have any troubles here. To but be honest I believe every expat has been victimized to some level here in Jamaica. My wife is a typical White American and when she is with me she never has a problem but when she is alone its another story. She has been a victim of some pretty horrible stuff because of here skin tone and the possibility she has money. We're not rich but many Jamaicans do see foreigners as an opportunity to make money and we are harassed in public places. Many Jamaican men have no respect for women or the fact my wife is standing with her children and next to her husband when they say rude things like let me see your "t_ts" and get offended when she tells them how rude they are. It has no matter where you are from but more about how you look in Jamaica and some of us are treated with less respect than others because of skin color our style of dress or the way we speak. Thats a fact all Expats will have to deal with here in Jamaica.
Regardless of the situation here in Jamaica, being rude is never justified. Harassing people who come here to enjoy the place is ignorant, selfish and akin to shooting yourself in the foot. The entire country is supported by tourists and to scare them away is stupid and it is hurting this place more than anyone cares to admit. The all inclusives are glad to hear about stories like this because it helps them fill in those rooms behind the walls.
I predict a grim future for a country that is so heavily dependent on tourism but continues to disrespect the tourists once they get here.
I know that not everyone has the same wonderful experiences that I have had here in Jamaica. I live here and I'm not leaving but I understand that thats how things are and I accept them for what they are.
Gustavo offers some great advice for new expats moving to Jamaica.
He's absolutely correct when he says you should be aggressive here in Jamaica. I know for a fact my friend "DJ" has had a horrible time here in Jamaica and it is because he is a pushover, a punk by some standards and they take advantage of him every chance they can simply because they can. I on the other hand will not stand for the nonsense and therefore I rarely have any trouble. I no longer support beggars because all it creates are more beggars.
He is absolutely correct also when he says you have to bend the rules here in Jamaica. I will not go so far as to say lie or forge documents but you do have to "make things happen" here in Jamaica or they will never get done.
Patience is a virtue I lack and I take an aggressive approach to everything in Jamaica and I'm sure its why I enjoy the place so much.
Jamaica: Moving to Jamaica?:
Working in Jamaica has become much more difficult with the elections of the new government. the JLP has taken a hard stance on undocumented workers and unless you have some pretty special skills you'll have a very hard time finding work in this country. It's a poor place and mys uggestion is consider how you will earn in your home country and bring something to Jamaica because financially it has little to offer you.
I live in Jamaica and I support my family writing online. I would be glad to show some folks how to do what I do. Just visit my blog at http://www.jamaicamax.com and contact me so we can work online together.
Jamaica: MOVING FROM UK 2 JAMAICA WITH 3 CHILDREN:
Have you or your child ever been to Jamaica? Can either of you understand Jamaicans or patois?
I would consider taking one term off when you move to Jamaica and allow your child to acclimate to the country before being stuck in a school. No matter what school you chose your child will face a lot pf pressures as an outsider and learning to deal with a new school and a new country is a lot. There are numerous private schools in and around Ocho Rios but getting details on which school is best for you child maybe difficult to pick up online. You may need to spend some time locally looking into what school is best.
I live in Negril and I know its hard for kids in the schools here. Many expats send their kids to the same schools so that they have a more international flavor and are not considered so different from the others. This creates an isolation or disconnect from local peoples in many cases and may be unhealthy for kids trying to get to know local people. I know a couple expat kids here that feel like total outsiders because their parents keep them that way.
You can visit our family blog at http://www.jamaicamax.com for more about moving to and living in Jamaica with kids.
Please do contact us when you come to Jamaica as we are always looking for new friends.
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