Ambassador Marks working to get stranded Jamaicans home from the United States
By Derrick
Scott,
Washington
DC. Friday, April 17, 2020 --- Jamaica’s
Ambassador to the United States Audrey Marks says every effort is being made to
get Jamaicans stranded in the United States home as soon as possible and to
have the US extend the expired temporary visas of Jamaicans caught in the US
due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Ambassador
Marks made her revelations yesterday afternoon at a two-and-a-half-hour online
meeting organized by the Jamaican Embassy in Washington, which saw over three
hundred Jamaicans from around the world, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Europe,
the Middle East and the Caribbean attending the online meeting.
The
meeting was organized by the Ambassador who wanted to reach out to seasonal
workers, cruise ship workers, students and other Jamaicans with Temporary
Status in the US who are waiting to return home.
The
meeting was attended by Jamaica’s Counsel General to New York, Mrs. Alsion
Wilson; Counsel General to Miami, Oliver Mair and Deputy Chief of Mission,
Embassy of Jamaica, Mrs. Andrea Dubidad-Dixon
Ambassador
Marks informed the Jamaicans that there are ongoing discussions between the
Embassy of Jamaica and The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USIS) for
waivers to be granted to Jamaicans whose Visas have expired as a result of the COVID-19 situation.
The
Jamaican ambassador said critical to the discussion was a request for a waiver of
the visa renewal fee in the amount of U$450.00 which many persons may not able
to pay at this time due to the circumstances.
She said
plans to announce a gradual return to the island on a phased basis have been stymied
due to an unexpected increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Jamaica. “But
please be assured that we will be working with the authorities both here and in
Jamaica to get you home as soon as we possibly can,” Ambassador Marks said.
“The
Government and the Embassy are working as hard as possible to ensure that you
make it home, we understand your circumstances and eagerness to return home,”
she emphasized.
The embassy
has established a call center, which will be opened daily from 9:00am to 5:00pm, for persons to inform the embassy of the nature
of their required assistance. Persons are asked to call: 1-877-226-6879 or email counsul@jamaicanembassy.org.
The
Ambassador emphasized that those who have urgent needs should immediately call
so that they can be assisted.
Ambassador
Marks revealed that her office was in contact with cruise line operators with a
view to having one of the lines taking all the cruise ship workers home;
The
Ambassador will be holding another online meeting to advise of additional
information on Thursday, April 23, 2020.
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