Carta Blanca Process?

[Tiffany&NicK 0]

Hi, does anyone know what the carta blanca process is for Cuba?

[Barbara y Alexis 1]

i hope edwin or someone with a newly arrived spouse can come on here and explain it better.

the carta blanca is actually a slip of white paper that gets put into the cuban's passport as just about the final step of them leaving.

it's part of the process of them going to an immigration office and asking for a visa to exit. there are 2 kinds of exit visas -- one to visit (11 months, then renew at an embassy/office) and the other is a visa to reside abroad.

the visit abroad visa (PVE) -- don't need the $400 medical stamp for cuban authorities; do need to pay a fee for every month outside of cuba; must go back to cuba within 11 months of leaving (legally impossible for folks living in the US); can keep their property back in cuba. (maybe they can also keep their ration card, family can still use it?)

the reside abroad visa (PRE) -- do have to pay for the $400 medical stamp; do not need to pay a monthly fee; no problem if they don't get back to visit within 11 months; must give up any housing back to the cuban government (even if it was in your family for generations). the housing issue is done through something called Vivienda. i don't know what kind of agency does that. must give up their Cuban ID card and their ration card.

so i think they get the carta blanca after they have the visa from the US; plus after they've gone through the process with cuban immigration, and get a "letter of liberation" from work to show they don't owe anything and there are no problems there; and have a flight ticket out to show.

then there's also something called "Salida Definitiva" and "Salida Indefinitiva" -- i don't know if that is something different, or just different names for the PVE and PRE

sorry...to not be totally clear.

but the carta blanca is a white slip that goes in their passport. i assume it comes from the immigration office. you cannot leave the country without it.

however there are big big rumors that the carta blanca and exit visa process is about to become much less restrictive, so perhaps this will all be moot.

El Pais newspaper from Spain (very reputable) published that the changes would be in days or weeks, and that was on April 18th

Edited May 19, 2008 by Barbara y Alexis

[EdwinandMary 0]

Hello Friends,

Barbara has done an excellent job explaining the Carta Blanca. But just to add a to it.

The way I understand it, Mary first received a white card in the mail (didn't say anything on it) she took the white card to the office of immigration, paid 150cuc , and they took here passport for a couple of days. When she pick up the passport, her passport had a stamp that said permission to leave Cuba. In the past there was a white card placed in the passport, which i had a long time ago.

But before you make it to that stage, there is alot of forms to fill out, traveling to the office of immgration (a few times) and waiting on long lines. The Carta Blanca is not that difficult to get unless you or your family are involve in politics or have an important position in the government. Don't get to stressed about the Carta Blanca, it just takes time and forms to filled. Best of luck to you. Edwin&Mary

Oh, just to give everyone an update..........

Mary arrived in Miami on April 29. She had no problems at the point of entry except the long 3 hour wait to enter. The only thing they said to her that she had 90 days to get marry. We are now in Mass very happy, Mary is fascinated with the unlimited use of the internet here, and that we have more that 4 T.V. channels……hahaha