日韩精品久久一区二区三区_亚洲色图p_亚洲综合在线最大成人_国产中出在线观看_日韩免费_亚洲综合在线一区

US EUROPE AFRICA ASIA 中文
World / US and Canada

Cuba lifts 50-year-old travel curbs

(China Daily/Agencies) Updated: 2013-01-16 09:36

Exit visa, letter of invitation no longer necessary to go abroad

A new law in Cuba has removed a 50-year-old requirement for an exit visa and a letter of invitation to travel abroad, making it one of the most popular reforms enacted so far.

The law also extends the time Cubans can stay abroad, from 11 to 24 months, and the time Cubans living abroad can stay in Cuba, from 30 to 90 days.

Cuba lifts 50-year-old travel curbs

Cubans queue outside a Migration Office to request new passports on Monday in Havana. A law allowing Cubans to travel abroad without special exit visas took effect in the country for the first time in half a century. Yamil Lage / Agence France-Presse

As the Cold War-era restrictions vanished, some called the reform the most far-reaching change President Raul Castro has undertaken since taking over from his brother, Fidel, in 2006.

But it may be difficult for many Cubans to take advantage of the new law. The average monthly wage in Cuba is $20, and an airline ticket to Florida, where many Cubans have family members, costs at least $500. In addition, they still need visas to get into other countries.

Marta Piloto, a 50-year-old retiree, said she was delighted over the prospect of visiting her mother in North Carolina.

"This is the best thing Raul Castro has done. Now you can go wherever you want and come back whenever you want. Before, my relatives had to come here and see me," Piloto said.

The "upgrade in immigration policy" brings Cuba closer to its goal of facilitating "legal, orderly and safe" travel and of "strengthening its relationship with its emigres," the official newspaper Granma said.

Under the reform, the fee for getting a passport was doubled to $100.

The US State Department said it welcomes any reform that allows Cubans to depart from and return to their country freely. But spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said it was too soon to tell if more people will now get the chance to travel abroad.

Business was as usual on Monday at the US Interests Section in Havana, the de facto US embassy on the island, a diplomatic source said. Hundreds of people showed up to apply for tourist, business or other visas, but they all had made appointments in advance, the source said.

Havana's airport looked no busier than usual, nor did travel agencies or the embassies of Spain, Mexico and Canada - countries that receive many Cuban emigrants.

Cubans have long been separated from relatives living in exile. About one in six Cuban nationals lives abroad - around 1 million Cubans and Cuban-Americans live in Florida.

The reform eliminates red tape for those among the 2 million or so Cubans living abroad who want to visit the island.

The exit visas used to cost up to $200.

The government still retains the authority to restrict travel for reasons of national security or for those deemed "vital", a measure designed to prevent a brain drain.

Countries have the right to act with the "supreme interests of society" in mind by preventing the exodus of "highly qualified professionals, scientists, technicians and athletes, considered key to the socio-economic development of the country," said Lamberto Fraga, Cuba's deputy chief of immigration.

Regardless, "most of the applications will be granted," he said.

Xinhua-AFP


 

Trudeau visits Sina Weibo
May gets little gasp as EU extends deadline for sufficient progress in Brexit talks
Ethiopian FM urges strengthened Ethiopia-China ties
Yemen's ex-president Saleh, relatives killed by Houthis
Most Popular
Hot Topics

...
主站蜘蛛池模板: 夜夜操狠狠干 | 成人毛片18岁女人毛片免费看 | 久久黄色大片 | 欧美日韩不卡 | 亚洲国产第一区二区香蕉 | 欧美偷偷操 | 国产精品成人免费视频不卡 | 欧美特黄一级视频 | 美女网站黄在线观看 | 日本高清无遮挡 | 极品美女aⅴ高清在线观看 一级片片 | 亚洲精品视频观看 | 日韩一区精品视频 | 一区二区三区中文字幕 | 色婷综合 | 日韩福利在线观看 | 国产野花视频天堂视频免费 | 色呦呦tv| 99热综合在线 | 91短视频在线高清hd | 69式互添免费视频 | 日韩欧美大片在线观看 | 欧美日剧在线免费 | 日韩欧美色 | 国产精品一区三区 | 日韩欧美精品综合久久 | 亚洲黄色网址 | 鲁在线视频 | 亚洲欧洲日韩国产 | 欧美18videos性处按摩 | 拍拍拍无挡免费视频网站 | 成人v | 邪不压正免费观看完整高清视频 | 午夜18禁A片兔费看 四虎影视在线看免费完整版 | 国产免费福利网站 | 国产小视频在线观看免费 | 日韩电影免费在线观看中文字幕 | 日韩一级大毛片欧美一级 | 久久精品欧美一区二区三区不卡 | 羞羞视频网站在线观看 | 91精品欧美成人 |