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I got an invitation to visit a friend in Jamaica from Nigeria. I currently don’t possess any visa to any country as I’m trying to apply to get a Jamaican visa. I need to submit a flight itinerary.

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  • are you a Nigerian citizen?
    – mlc
    Commented May 11, 2023 at 22:12
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    Given the cost of tickets from Nigeria to Jamaica, if you can actually afford that (and prove it) you can probably get a transit visa from the UK. It then becomes a lot simpler. But you do indeed need to get your visa from Jamaica first.
    – jcaron
    Commented May 12, 2023 at 22:46

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Assuming you are a Nigerian citizen, this will be very difficult.

You will need to find a routing that only touches countries that offer visa free transit for Nigerians and there aren't many. Most long haul flight to Jamaica either come from Europe or from North America and most countries will require a transit visa. The other options are going through a different Caribbean country or maybe Panama, but you need to figure out how to get there first.

Unfortunately the requirements aren't well documented so this will be a tedious search. You can put different itineraries together and then check them at https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/passport-visa-health-travel-document-requirements.htm

I did quick search and there was only one-stop flight between Lagos and Montego Bay was Virgin Atlantic through London Heathrow, which does require a Direct Airside Transit Visa for Nigerians.

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  • Remember too that your ability to transit in some Country X will depend on the laws and regulations of Country X: Nigerian citizens may be admissible (either as a destination or for transit) without a Country X visa, but may have to satisfy Country X's medical requirements. While there don't appear to be any Covid requirements at this moment, you may encounter requirements for a Yellow Fever vaccination, which may (in turn) depend on where you've been before you came to Country X. As Hilmar correctly observes: this will be a difficult calculus.
    – DavidRecallsMonica
    Commented May 12, 2023 at 17:30
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    LOS-IST-PTY-KIN/MBJ looks like a possibility. Kind of indirect geographically, but AFAICT Turkey and Panama would both allow visa-free transit. Or HAV in place of PTY may also work.
    – Nate Eldredge
    Commented May 12, 2023 at 19:27
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    Or through Angola and Cuba: Wikipedia says there are seasonal flights LAD-HAV, so LOS-LAD-HAV-KIN/MBJ could work. (In the itineraries via Turkey, ABV-IST is also possible if Abuja is more convenient than Lagos.) There are some interesting routes between Angola and Brazil, but sadly no direct flights from Brazil to Jamaica so you'd be up to three stops.
    – Nate Eldredge
    Commented May 12, 2023 at 19:49
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    @NateEldredge the issue is that Turkish airlines apparently won’t sell a ticket to Jamaica via Panama (at least not online), so it would be a self-transfer, and OP would then need a visa for Panama. It may be possible via Cuba if Turkish Airlines accept their TWOV rules even if they consider Cuba to be the final destination.
    – jcaron
    Commented May 12, 2023 at 22:41
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To apply for a visa to visit Jamaica the following documents are required:

  • One (1) photograph
  • Valid passport (validity should cover the period of travel to and from Jamaica)
  • Letter from employer (for business purposes) / Work Permit (if the applicant will be employed in Jamaica)
  • Return ticket/itinerary with re-entry visa for persons who are not nationals of their present country of residence, or onward ticket with visa for another destination
  • Bank Statement (most recent) - Proof that sufficient funds are available for the visit
  • Hotel booking confirmation (if staying in a hotel) or proof that adequate arrangements have been made for accommodation and maintenance during the visit.

http://www.jhcuk.org/visitors/visa-requirements/

If the person inviting you is also sponsoring the trip financially and/or providing accommodation, an Affidavit of Guarantor form is also required:

https://www.pica.gov.jm/sites/default/files/Forms/Affidavit-of-Guarantor-Form.pdf

Coming from Nigeria, you’ll also need to provide proof of Yellow fever vaccination: http://www.jhcuk.org/visitors/yellow-fever-entry-requirement

The typical rule is to apply for your visas in reverse order, starting with your final destination and then working backwards through your transit point(s), each of which will want to see evidence that you have the necessary permission to enter your onward destination.

When making visa applications, it is essential to present credible plans and usually best to keep things as simple as possible. As @jcaron has commented, if you are granted a Jamaican visa, applying for a visa to transit airside in Heathrow becomes possible. Therefore, if I were you, I would avoid the more complicated flight options and I would present a flight itinerary via Heathrow; once you receive your Jamaican visa you can then apply for a Direct Airside Transit visa https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/direct-airside-transit-visa, which costs £35.

If the UK refuses you an airside transit visa, you will still have your Jamaican entry visa and can look for an alternative, such as those mentioned in various comments.

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