Jamaican Residency

[johng]

Thanks Rob and everybody else. Does marrying a Jamaican lead to automatic Green Card / Residency in JA or are there still lots of roadblocks in the way??

Odinson, The question is quantity or quality??? Do you want to live a long long time with a less than great quality of life or do you want to enjoy the years you have left having fun and being in a place you really want to be. Off the beaten path in JA you can buy land much less expensive than most everywhere in the US. Depending on who you live with (Family or alone) you can build a really nice place for way less than NA. That is the tough choice. All this is based on getting your paperwork.

I have a friend in the states who I have traveled to JA many times and we often have this conversation. I think being without a lot of money would be easier to deal with in JA then the same situation here. Out in the country you can grow your own food and herbs, fruits, vegetables, etc.. Even the downtrodden in JA are often happy despite their plight. We're not talking downtown in a city but in the country or mountains or even Negril if you can figure out how to do it.

[JDd]

I think that it is a kind of a natural mystic kind of feeling ...........to dream .........>>about living in paradise

[Accompong]

Odinson, The question is quantity or quality??? Do you want to live a long long time with a less than great quality of life or do you want to enjoy the years you have left having fun and being in a place you really want to be. Off the beaten path in JA you can buy land much less expensive than most everywhere in the US. Depending on who you live with (Family or alone) you can build a really nice place for way less than NA. That is the tough choice. All this is based on getting your paperwork.

I have a friend in the states who I have traveled to JA many times and we often have this conversation. I think being without a lot of money would be easier to deal with in JA then the same situation here. Out in the country you can grow your own food and herbs, fruits, vegetables, etc.. Even the downtrodden in JA are often happy despite their plight. We're not talking downtown in a city but in the country or mountains or even Negril if you can figure out how to do it.

It all sounds so nice.... in a Polyanna sort of way but the realities of living in Jamaica are not as easy as one thinks. We all have a little knowledge about Negril and the high cost of living there.

From your post I don't know if you are talking about Negril or somewhere out on the island. You talk about land being cheaper so I assume you mean in rural Jamaica so I will limit this comment to "off the beaten path" as you put it.

The fact is that as a foreigner buying a piece of property and building a house in those areas can be quite dangerous. Even returning Jamaican residents become targets when they bring their foreign-earned money home and build a house even in their own original community.

Being without a lot of money in Jamaica is not (in my opinion) easier that being at home without lots of money. You ask Odinson if it is Quantity or Quality?? That begs the assumption that living in Jamaica might not bring you "Quantity" of life but rather "Quality".

In my community a lot of people are poor as a church mouse but live into their 90's. I think a good number would trade some years to live a better Quality of life like having more money etc. Not everyone considers living a long time "Quality" by scratching out an existence; growing their own food, herbs etc.

Even the downtrodden in JA are often happy despite their plight.

For the life of me, I can't understand that statement. "downtrodden"? "plight"? You say you are not talking about the cities so can you explain what you mean by those two terms? Are you saying "poor Jamaicans are happy"? I would guess that they are not happy being poor but rather happy to be alive rather than the alternative.

I think that marrying a Jamaican for residency is probably the easiest way to get the residence but I also think, "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it!"

Just my opinion.

[jon c.]

Off the beaten path in JA you can buy land much less expensive than most everywhere in the US. Depending on who you live with (Family or alone) you can build a really nice place for way less than NA.

Can you actually build for less? Everything I've seen (which admittedly isn't a great deal) would make me think that construction costs would be higher due to costlier materials and finishings. Labor is cheaper, of course, but with most materials being imported I've always understood costs to be higher by the time the project is completed. (Of course that assumes construction of a house roughly on NA standards.)

[JDd]

everything is relative>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>...you can build anything for" less" ......................how much work are you willing to do

[JDd]

i might even come help you >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>...i will>>>if you buy the beer