Jamaica airports install border control kiosks to improve tourism

Passengers arriving at Kingston and Montego Bay, Jamaica, airports can now check in via new automated border control kiosks designed for faster clearance. The Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency of Jamaica announced that the kiosks, installed by air transport and government IT solutions provider SITA, use biometric checks intended to process passengers quickly and securely, SITA said.

Passenger throughput is predicted to increase by 60 percent at the borders.

The kiosks are designed to be easy to use and complete the process in less than 60 seconds. Passengers identify themselves via passport and a camera on the kiosk captures their face biometric. The information is verified through cross-reference of other passport and biometric data as well as government watch lists. Through a touchscreen prompt, users answer immigration questions at the kiosks and, once cleared, receive a receipt to show as they exit the customs hall, bypassing interaction with officials.

SITA installed 15 kiosks at the two airports, which welcome close to three million passengers annually, with just over half identified as international visitors. The introduction of the technology is an effort by PICA to improve tourism for the country. 

Jamaica is the first country in the Americas to allow passengers arriving from any international location to use self-service kiosks for immigration border clearance, negating limited use to select nationalities or trusted traveler programs, as is the case for other countries, the announcement said.