# Negril.com Message Board Forums > Living in Jamaica >  Moving back to negril..Questions!

## sierraja

Hello everyone, so I need some in site from people who have accomplished what I am wanting to do. I have done a ton of research but nothing beats first hand experience. 

To get a general idea of the situation, here goes:
My husband and I have two children(1,3) and we are wanting to move back to Jamacia. I lived in Negril as a child(1-9 years old, 3/4 the year in Jamacia and 1/4 in the states ) with my parents and it was the most amazing childhood! I have gone once or twice a year, of course, since we moved to the states from JA.  Why they never got us citizenship..question I've been asking for years. We have owned there for more than 30 years and still have our estate. I went to private school and intend to do the same with my kids. Obviously growing up there i speak fluent patwa, so this is not a problem most white expats probably have issues with. I also know the runnings of Jamacia so this is also not going to be an issue either and have many close, close friends down there. I work online for a corporation and are financially stable myself, which will continue in Jamacia. My Husband is currently a US Marine of 11 years and he is wanting to get out of the Marine Corps and finally "Be a Family" since he is gone all the time. He will be using his G.I Bill and going to online school via a US school to get his degree. So here is where my questions start. We are wanting to sell everything except our home in NC( to rent out) and move. 

I am wanting to get my citizenship in Ja and have dual citizenship, Understanding it correctly.. I can either apply for permeant residency or Naturalization. Naturalization is 5 years, correct? and residency is 3?  Is there any cases where anyone became a citizen sooner?  Or can anybody give me examples of how they went about it??

I am also wanting to know if i can return to the states with the kids for "vacation" to see their grandparents without interrupting my path to citizenship in JA? is this where the multi entry visa comes in? 

My husband is not wanting to have dual citizenship due to the fact that he has a high security clearance with his job in the USMC. And he states that if he has dual citizenship also it will highly interfere with keeping his credibility to have his current clearance and working for a company in the future back in the states after he graduates. Is it possible for him to come 6 months at a time, go back to the states for a week or so, then come back to Jamacia with no problem? Has anyone done that or continues to do that? I understand the bureaucracy and that its kinda up to the immigration agent if he/she only allows 3 or 6 months, but we can get it extended at the immigration office correct? Or could he use a multi entry visa? 


Basically i would love to hear first hand experiences with getting your citizenship/Residency! 

Thank you everyone!

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## Rob

Sierra,

Wow, this is quite a question! Lots of questions actually... (grin)

When you wonder why your parents never got your citizenship, I am guessing that at least one of them is Jamaican. If so, citizenship through Descent (blood relationship with a Jamaican citizen) would be by far the easiest route. You just need to have birth certificates from the parent(s) and  then it is relatively smooth sailing.

Once you get your descent citizenship, then your husband can apply for a spouse waver without applying for citizenship.

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## sierraja

Hello Rob!
 no, my parents are both americans and owned a business in jamacia. When i made reference to why they never got it for "us", as in them and me, i was speaking in terms about the amount of time we lived there and could have easily gotten it by naturalization.

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