www射-国产免费一级-欧美福利-亚洲成人福利-成人一区在线观看-亚州成人

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: 国产精品私人玩物在线观看 | 黄色作爱视频 | 一区二区三区国模大胆 | 国产成人18黄网站免费 | 成人性视频免费网站 | 欧美成人午夜在线全部免费 | 欧美大片在线观看成人 | 欧美一级特黄真人毛片 | 日韩欧国产精品一区综合无码 | 毛片三级| 国产在视频线精品视频www666 | 欧美日韩在线播一区二区三区 | 成人三级在线播放 | 九草视频在线观看 | 成人爽a毛片在线视频网站 成人爽爽大片在线观看 | 国产精选经典三级小泽玛利亚 | 日本在线视频播放 | 一本久道久久综合婷婷五 | 国产天堂亚洲精品 | 免费a网 | 成年人在线网站 | 日韩在线视频免费不卡一区 | 污全彩肉肉无遮挡彩色 | www日本高清| 亚洲色在线视频 | 亚洲系列 | 国产成人精品综合久久久 | 免费看a| 国产成人丝袜网站在线观看 | 国产三级a三级三级 | 成人a毛片在线看免费全部播放 | 91人碰 | 欧美大片一级特黄 | 在线观看一区 | 亚洲男女免费视频 | 极品精品国产超清自在线观看 | 国产伦精品一区三区视频 | 失禁h啪肉尿出来高h | 欧美一a级做爰 | 国产真实自拍 | 国产精品高清视亚洲精品 |