The government has forged a partnership with the United States to identify Jamaican immigrants with outstanding student loan payments.

Cheryl Surjue, Manager of the Loan Servicing Department at the Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB), made the disclosure.

The partnership means Jamaicans with unpaid student loans who migrate to the US will face challenges when they seek to update or renew their immigration status.

It comes as the SLB notes that several categories of professionals have migrated to the US and other countries, leaving unpaid student loans behind.

Miss Surjue says when persons who have migrated on the US J-1 visa try to renew their status, there’s an arrangement where the US government will check with Jamaica if the person is indebted to the government.

Persons will be unable to change their immigration status if they have an unserviced loan.

Ms. Surjue emphasizes that clearing the loan would not only involve bringing the account up to date, but also fully settling the debt.

She says the arrangement with the US government has assisted the agency in collecting outstanding loans.

She, however, cautions that it is best that persons notify the bureau before migrating and arrange to service their debt.