Jamaica is now a step closer to becoming a signatory to the Apostille Convention after Senators voted to approve the bill on Friday.
The Legislation is expected to improve the ease of doing business for Jamaican nationals abroad using public documents as well foreign documents to be used in Jamaica.
The Apostille Convention is expected to remove the inconvenience for Jamaican nationals abroad pursing opportunities and are seeking to authenticate their documents, as well as to increase the efficiency for those conducting business in Jamaica.
Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Foreign Affairs Minister, Kamina Johnson Smith says once Jamaica is a signatory,
An Apostille certificate issued by any Public Authority such as the Registrar General Department will be accepted by all countries which are parties to the convention. There are 118 countries signatory to the convention.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Government agency that receives requests for verifying public documents . As the country of origin for the document, the foreign country would not be able to verify the authenticity of the document.
Additionally, Senator Johnson Smith says that the process takes times and money especially if the documents are needed in multiple countries.
Opposition Senators welcomed the bill, calling it long overdue. Senator Donna Scott Mottley says the coronavirus outbreak has affected consular services abroad delaying the time taken to do business.
CVM LIVE’s Jamaila Maitland:
