Embassies and consulates · Jamaica
Kingston: U.S. visa waits, scheduling and visas issued
As of September 17, 2026, the State Department lists a wait of 15 days for student visa appointments and 1 month for visitor visas at Kingston. 0 of 186 posts list a shorter student wait.
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
By visa type
Student and exchange visas
15 days wait
11,602 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Visitor visas
1 month wait
55,909 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Temporary work visas
15 days wait
16,291 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Immigrant visas
Scheduling Apr 2026
10,951 issued in the past 12 months
Details →
Appointment waits at Kingston
The State Department lists how long applicants at each post wait for an interview, in months. It published these figures for Kingston on September 17, 2026.
| Visa class | Kingston | Median post | Posts with a shorter wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available | 1 month | 1 month | 86 of 187 |
| Student and exchange (F, M, J) | 15 days | 15 days | 0 of 186 |
| Petition-based work (H, L, O, P, Q) | 15 days | 15 days | 0 of 184 |
| Crew and transit (C, D, C1/D) | 15 days | 15 days | 0 of 174 |
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
Kingston student wait over time
Kingston has ranged same day to 1.5 months across 24 months on record, so treat today's figure as a snapshot rather than a guarantee. The median over that time was 10.05 days.
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-09-17 · Coverage 2022-11/2026-09
Immigrant visa interview scheduling at Kingston
In its October 7, 2026 update, the State Department listed the month a case had to become documentarily complete for the National Visa Center (NVC) to be scheduling its interview at Kingston.
Immediate relative
April 2026
6 months behind
Family-sponsored preference
March 2024
31 months behind
Employment-based preference
April 2026
6 months behind
Source: U.S. Department of State: IV Scheduling Status Tool · Published 2026-10-07 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-10-07
Earlier scheduling months at Kingston →Visas issued at Kingston
The State Department reports how many visas each post issues every month. These counts are where visas were issued, not the nationality of the people who received them.
Nonimmigrant visas, February 2026
5,327
24% fewer than February 2025 (6,978). 86,301 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).
Immigrant visas, February 2026
10
99% fewer than February 2025 (994). 10,951 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).
Sources: U.S. Department of State: Monthly Immigrant Visa Issuances and U.S. Department of State: Monthly Nonimmigrant Visa Issuances · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2022-10/2026-02
Every visa class issued at Kingston →Visitor visa refusal rate for Jamaica nationals
The State Department publishes refusal rates by nationality, counting applicants at every post, not by post. A refusal is what applicants usually call a visa rejection. This is the rate for nationals of Jamaica wherever they applied, not a rate for Kingston.
Adjusted B visa refusal rate, FY2025
44.26%
Ranks 69 of 199 nationalities, highest first.
How the rate is calculated →Source: U.S. Department of State: Adjusted Refusal Rate, B-Visas by Nationality · Retrieved 2026-07-24 · Coverage FY2025
Get an email when Kingston changes
Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available: 1 month now
We email you once each time the State Department publishes a different figure. Every email has an unsubscribe link.
Where these figures come from
- U.S. Visa Appointment Wait Times by EmbassyPublished 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
- U.S. Student Visa Appointment Wait Times Over TimePublished 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-09-17 · Coverage 2022-11/2026-09
- U.S. Immigrant Visa Interview Scheduling by EmbassyPublished 2026-10-07 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-10-07
- U.S. Visa Issuances by Post, MonthlyRetrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2022-10/2026-02
- U.S. Nonimmigrant Visa Refusal Rates by NationalityRetrieved 2026-07-24 · Coverage FY2025
The State Department publishes each of these separately, on its own schedule. We show each one with its own date and never add figures from one to another.