US Resumes 5-Year Visas for Cubans After Years of Suspension
The Biden administration has decided to resume issuing 5-year B2 tourist visas for Cuban citizens, a measure that had been removed in 2019 under the Trump government.
This positive news comes after several years of diplomatic tension between the two countries.
The announcement about the resumption of these visas is expected to be made by the end of August, as confirmed to América Noticias by several anonymous government sources.
Although consular interviews in Havana will not initially resume, this decision will benefit hundreds of thousands of Cubans with relatives in the US.
Details on the Resumption of B2 Visas
B2 visas allow travel to the US for tourism, visits to relatives, medical treatment, or shopping.
Their suspension in 2019 severely impacted Cubans, as the number of B1 and B2 visas issued dropped from 41,000 in 2014 to only 3,000 last year.
With the reintroduction of 5-year B2 visas, the Biden administration aims to ease access to family reunification and legal immigration channels for Cuban citizens.
Other Measures to Expedite Immigration Procedures
Along with the resumption of B2 visas, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the reopening of its offices in Havana.
This will speed up the processing of pending applications in the Cuban Family Reunification Program (CFRP) and the I-730 process for relatives of refugees/asylees.
Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, emphasized the importance of these actions to regulate migratory flows and provide legal pathways for those seeking to reunite with their families.
After years without progress, these new US measures represent a beacon of hope for thousands of separated Cuban families.
While the path to full normalization of bilateral relations is long, the resumption of B2 visas and the reopening of USCIS offices in Havana are significant steps towards the reunification of many family units.
