For the first time since 2017, the U.S. Embassy in Havana will resume full services for full immigrant visa processing in early 2023. There will also be expansion of the usual visas available, and some of these immigrant visas will be issued on a priority basis. . Discouraging illegal immigration from the island of Cuba, which has increased considerably in the last year, is one of the priorities of this new measure by the US government, the diplomatic headquarters explained in a statement.
The US government has already prepared the increase in personnel to process all applications for the different types of visas at the US embassy in Havana. According to the migration agreements established with Cuba, the United States has committed to guaranteeing the legal migration of at least 20,000 Cubans a year, not including direct relatives of US citizens.
With this measure, Cubans who apply for a visa in family preference categories will no longer be forced to travel to Georgetown, Guyana, for interviews, as is happening now. President Joe Biden has announced that once the US embassy in Havana is fully operational, visas related to the processing of Cuban family reunification will be accelerated, among others:
To support the Cuban people & Cuban-American families, the Embassy has been working really hard to expand our consular services & are excited to announce that in early 2023 we will start processing all categories of immigrant visas. https://t.co/hxHcGaTTTe
— Embajada de los Estados Unidos en Cuba (@USEmbCuba) September 21, 2022
CUBAN FAMILY REUNIFICATION PAROLE PROGRAM
▪ To guarantee the migratory agreements between the US and Cuba, the processing of Cuban family reunification will be accelerated through the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program, a 2007 program that allows US citizens and permanent residents legal to request their relatives to come and live in the US.
▪ This parole program, resumed in August 2022, provides a safe and orderly pathway to the US for certain Cuban beneficiaries of family-based immigration petitions that had already been approved.
▪ The application procedure for this parole program allows certain US citizens and eligible lawful permanent residents, who receive a letter of invitation, to request this permit for their relatives in Cuba that allows them to reunite in US territory without having to wait for the time of regular processing of immigrant visas.
▪ USCIS advises that at this time they are not issuing new letters of invitation for the CFRP program. If you have already filed a petition application that is still pending, you should not file a new application.
VISA FOR IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS OF CUBANS
The processing of immigrant visas for an immediate family member, family preference and fiancée continues to be a priority at the US Embassy in Havana.
▪ To meet with your Cuban family member in US territory, you must apply for an immediate family visa, request an appointment and interview through the US embassy in Cuba.
▪ The relative living in Cuba must fill out Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, approved when the applicant in the US demonstrates the family relationship with the person who is going to immigrate to the US.
▪ The petitioner has to wait for the priority date in the immigrant visa category to be updated, which is when the form was filed on her behalf by her US citizen relative with the correct fee and signature.
▪ Since you are outside US territory, the next step is to obtain permanent residence through what is known as “Consular Procedure or Processing”.
VISAS FOR UNMARRIED CHILDREN AND CUBAN SPOUSES
▪ This family reunification program is for first preference non-immediate relatives, such as unmarried children over 21 years of age of a US citizen. ▪ Also, second preference (2A), who are the spouse of a permanent resident —with a green card— and their unmarried children under 21 years of age.
▪ In addition, it welcomes those of third and fourth preference, which are the married children of any US citizen and the siblings of a US citizen, respectively.
HUMANITARIAN PAROLE FOR MIGRATION FROM CUBA
Also, the types of ‘humanitarian parole’ will be available, a permit for admission to the US that benefits Cuban immigration. To enter US territory, more and more Cubans use this temporary humanitarian admission permit or humanitarian parole, a legal route on the rise recognized by federal authorities, which can be requested by foreign citizens inside or outside the US in a wide variety of ways. circumstances. This parole is granted at the discretion of the administration official and USCIS always evaluates on a case-by-case basis.
EMERGENCY NON-IMMIGRANT VISAS
The administration of President Joe Biden has announced that while working to meet all of the goals of the agreement, the consular section of the Embassy in Havana will continue to provide limited processing services for emergency non-immigrant visas.
TRANSITION TO THE US EMBASSY IN HAVANA
▪ During the transition to full immigrant visa processing at the US Embassy in Havana, the National Visa Center (NVC) will continue to schedule appointments for family preference visa applicants at the US Embassy in Georgetown, Guyana.
▪ The NVC will begin scheduling appointments for all family preference immigrant visa applicants and immediate relatives at the US Embassy in Havana in early 2023.
▪ Applicants do not need to contact the embassies in Havana or in Georgetown or with the NVC as they will be notified directly with your appointment information.
▪ The embassy in Georgetown, Guyana will continue to process Cuban immigrant visa applicants in the family preference categories until Havana resumes full immigrant visa processing in early 2023.