Quick answer

The C5 form is Jamaica's immigration and customs declaration. Since September 2023, air travelers complete it online before arriving, for free, through the official site linked from Jamaica's immigration agency, PICA, enterjamaica.gov.jm. If you can't complete it online, a paper form is available at the airport. U.S. citizens don't need a visa for tourist visits of up to 90 days, but do need a passport book to fly there.

It's free. Look-alike websites have charged $35 to $55 for the C5. You don't need them.

What Americans need to visit Jamaica

No visa is needed for tourist visits of up to 90 days. Check that your passport is valid for your whole trip: Passport validity checker →

How to find the real C5 form

Because many copycat sites appear first in search results, start from Jamaica's official immigration agency, PICA, at pica.gov.jm, and follow its link to the online C5 form. Before entering any details, check that:

  • you're not asked to pay anything;
  • the site is the one linked from PICA (a government .gov.jm site), not a site you reached from an ad.

What you'll need

  • Your passport, with details entered exactly as printed;
  • Your flight details;
  • Your address in Jamaica (hotel or resort);
  • An email address for your confirmation;
  • What you're bringing in, for the customs questions (for example goods over the duty-free allowance).

Step by step

  1. Go to PICA's official site, pica.gov.jm, and follow the link to the online C5 form, enterjamaica.gov.jm.
  2. Enter your passport details exactly as printed.
  3. Add your flight and accommodation details.
  4. Answer the customs questions honestly.
  5. Submit, and save the confirmation email on your phone.
  6. At the airport, present your passport. Officers can retrieve your C5 from it.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Paying a website. The C5 is free. If a site asks for payment, you're not on the official form.
  • Clicking the first search result. Ads and look-alike sites often appear first. Start from pica.gov.jm instead.
  • Typos in passport details. Double-check before submitting.
  • Forgetting that a passport book is required to fly. A passport card isn't accepted for air travel to Jamaica.
  • An expiring passport. Check your passport before you book. If it needs renewing, we can expedite it as quickly as 4 business days from when your documents reach us.

Questions

Every arriving passenger completes an immigration and customs declaration. Air travelers are expected to complete the C5 online before arriving; if you can't, a paper form is available at the airport.