Could not enter Jamaica

I am an American citizen with a US passport. I bought a one-way ticket to Jamaica to visit friends and my boyfriend. He is incarcerated at the moment until October 2018.

I was told that I could not visit someone who is incarcerated and I explained that I understood that but I was also there to visit other friends. They asked me where I would be staying. Who I would be staying with. How much money I had. How I met these people and had I ever met them in person.

I have known them for over 2 years but it's been online communication so I had decided that I was going to go to Jamaica to visit them and take a vacation.

They then put me in a detaining room and then guided me back on the plane and said that I could not enter their country without a return ticket. I asked if I could purchase a return ticket and they refused.

Will I be able to go to Jamaica with a round-trip ticket?

Best Answer

The Consultate General of Jamaica in New York lists what is needed, which does include a round trip or return ticket:

Requirements For Entry Into Jamaica

All visitors are required to be in possession of a national passport or other acceptable travel document establishing nationality and identity, and bearing a photograph. The passport or other travel document must be valid for the period of intended stay in the island. Visitors are also required to show evidence of sufficient funds to support themselves during their stay and be in possession of a return or round trip ticket to another country to which they are admissible.

Online relationships can be considered an issue, when you have never met those individuals in person. Should that arrangement fail, your ability to finance your stay might be questioned. Additionally, visiting an inmate requires prior application and approval by the Correctional authorities; had you done that?

All in all, it seems that a number of elements fell short, and you would want to take care of all of those before trying again with a round-trip ticket in hand.