Cellphones, smart watches, baby food on approved list for US embassy visits

  KINGSTON, Jamaica — The United States Embassy says previously banned cellphones and smart watches will now be allowed inside the embassy following a September 1 advisory. In the advisory, the embassy said visitors attending their visa appointments will now be allowed to take their phones inside the building but will have to abide by rules governing their usage. The list of items that visitors are allowed to carry includes:

•      Cellphones, earbuds, smartwatches.
•    Medical devices and non-liquid medication (pills), which must be declared before security screening
• Small quantities of baby formula, baby food, milk
•      Small quantities of diapers
• Money (bills and coins)
•  Belts
•     Watches
•      Keys
• Baby carriers and baby strollers that can be folded small enough to pass through an X-ray machine

There are certain items, however, that visitors will still not be allowed to enter with, including:

• Computers, intelligent eyewear, and other electronic devices not specified below
•   Media devices such as compact discs (CD’s), thumb drives, memory cards, flash drives/USBs, headphones, speakers, etc.
•      Cameras or video equipment
•   Flashlights
•   Lighters and matches
•    Weapons (guns, pepper spray/mace, etc.)
• Knives and other sharp objects
• Purses and bags larger than 18” x 18”
•     Alcoholic beverages of any kind
• Liquids, gels, aerosols, oils, lotions, or powder (exceptions above)

In the past, cellphones were prohibited inside the building, with visitors reporting having to pay vendors outside the embassy to hold onto electronic devices.