The Honorary Consulate of the United Kingdom in Reading is an honorary consular post of the United Kingdom in Reading, St James parish. It is run by an honorary consul – not a career diplomat – who helps British citizens locally; passports, visas and most other formal consular services are handled by the High Commission of the United Kingdom in Jamaica.
Contact Details
| Address | Anchor Listing, Content, Reading, St James, Jamaica |
| Telephone | +1 876 381 3246 |
| nigel.knowles@fcdowebmail.fcdo.gov.uk | |
| Honorary Consul | Nigel Knowles |
Opening Hours
No regular opening hours are published for the honorary consulate. Call or e-mail to arrange a visit.
Location of the Honorary Consulate
Before your visit
- Location: The honorary consulate is in Reading, in the parish of St James; the nearest international airport is Sangster International Airport (MBJ), about 8 km in a straight line from the centre of Reading. (distances: OpenStreetMap)
About the Honorary Consulate of the United Kingdom in Reading
The honorary consul is Nigel Knowles, according to Jamaica’s foreign ministry. Jamaica’s list of 3 July 2025 gives the address as “Anchor Listing, Content Reading, St James” and the office hours as four hours per week; GOV.UK does not list this honorary consulate. The United Kingdom’s high commission is in Kingston.
Which British office handles passports and visas?
For passports, visas and other formal consular services, contact the High Commission of the United Kingdom in Jamaica. The honorary consulate in Reading can help with first steps and pass on documents, but it does not replace the high commission’s consular section.
Contact details of the British High Commission in Kingston, as listed on its page in this directory:
- Address: 28 Trafalgar Road, Kingston 10, Jamaica
- Telephone: +1 876 936 0700
- Email: pa.kingston@fcdo.gov.uk
- Website: www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-high-commission-jamaica
What can an honorary consul do?
An honorary consul is not a career diplomat but a local resident – often a business person or lawyer – appointed by the United Kingdom and approved by the host country. Depending on the powers granted, the honorary consul can help British citizens in an emergency (lost passport, accident, arrest), pass on applications and documents to the embassy, and certify signatures or life certificates. Passports and visas are not issued by an honorary consulate; they remain the responsibility of the embassy or a career consulate.
Closing days
Honorary consuls set their own office hours; the honorary consulate is usually closed on Jamaican public holidays (Holidays (Public General) Act) and may also close on public holidays of the United Kingdom.
Emergency assistance
In Jamaica, dial 119 for the police and 110 for an ambulance or the fire service (GOV.UK travel advice). Jamaican citizens who need consular help in the United Kingdom can contact the High Commission of Jamaica in London.
Diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom in Jamaica
The United Kingdom in Jamaica
Measured in a straight line from Reading, the nearest other British office is the High Commission in Kingston (about 130 km). Distances in brackets are straight-line distances from Reading.
- Kingston (130 km) – High Commission of the United Kingdom in Jamaica
- Reading – Honorary Consulate (this page)
Frequently asked questions about the Honorary Consulate of the United Kingdom in Reading
Can I apply for a British passport or visa at the honorary consulate?
Regular passport and visa applications go to the High Commission of the United Kingdom in Jamaica.
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Details checked on 25 October 2026. Sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, Protocol Department – Consular Posts in Jamaica (list of 3 July 2025), Holidays (Public General) Act, as summarised by the Jamaica Information Service, GOV.UK foreign travel advice: Jamaica (getting help).
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