Cuba people! Thoughts on how Trump news will affect us?

[eruiz3 24]

My interview is on August 21st and my trips are always considered family visits because I stay with family. The things is here in the US there are only tourist visa sold, which is what I typically buy and then have to change it to an A-2 in Cuba. Think I will be affected in any way?

[eruiz3 24]

On 6/17/2017 at 0:29 PM, C and E said:

Interesting! I have tried using the website and that's where I had to go through the affidavit swearing the receiver was a family member and naming which kind of family member. I live in Europe at the moment and so I have only tried to see if it was possible through the website. I asked at a WU branch in Hungary not long ago and they said I couldn't send it...will have to look into this...

I've sent my fiance money 2 or 3 times and never have had any issues. 

[eruiz3 24]

On 6/17/2017 at 0:26 PM, K1Cuba said:

@C and E Hi...I'm not sure about the new rules, but under Obama's changes non-family members have been able to send money via Western Union. I've done it several times. I don't think you can do it via the website (at least I've never seen a non-family option on the website). But if you go to a Western Union location, they will ask you if you are family or not, and still allow you to send even if you are not family.

I've done it via the western union app and once through Amscot 

[K1Cuba 3]

8 hours ago, eruiz3 said:

I've done it via the western union app and once through Amscot 

Never tried the app. That's good to know.

[C and E 36]

Has anyone thought about applying for the family visa (A2)? Would you be able to enter then under the "family visit" category? Friend of mine (European) got the family visa so she could live with her fiancé in Cuba (before getting married), she applied while in Cuba and all they had to do was show proof of staying in the same casa during her visits. Thoughts?

[DiamondEyes490 126]

39 minutes ago, C and E said:

Has anyone thought about applying for the family visa (A2)? Would you be able to enter then under the "family visit" category? Friend of mine (European) got the family visa so she could live with her fiancé in Cuba (before getting married), she applied while in Cuba and all they had to do was show proof of staying in the same casa during her visits. Thoughts?

I've just always stayed in my husband's house on a normal tourist visa since we met. I don't think they enforce the A-2 requirement very much.

[C and E 36]

3 minutes ago, DiamondEyes490 said:

I've just always stayed in my husband's house on a normal tourist visa since we met. I don't think they enforce the A-2 requirement very much.

 

My question wasn't about getting the family visa with the purpose of STAYING at someone's house, but rather with the purpose of ENTERING as a US citizen as the family visa could potentially count as proof of the trip being "family" related -- one of the 12 (I guess now 11) categories under which Americans are permitted to enter Cuba since independently organized people-to-people is going away. This is my question about the A2 visa -- not if it is enforced. I know it is enforced. 

That said, it's really risky to stay at a Cuban's home who is not licensed to host foreigners. It's against Cuban law. Anyone reports you (i.e. neighbors) and your fiancé could face a very hefty fine and possibly criminal record. I would not take that risk especially when investing so much in the K1 process and needed to show the Cuban police report at the interview. 

[DiamondEyes490 126]

16 minutes ago, C and E said:

 

My question wasn't about getting the family visa with the purpose of STAYING at someone's house, but rather with the purpose of ENTERING as a US citizen as the family visa could potentially count as proof of the trip being "family" related -- one of the 12 (I guess now 11) categories under which Americans are permitted to enter Cuba since independently organized people-to-people is going away. This is my question about the A2 visa -- not if it is enforced. I know it is enforced. 

That said, it's really risky to stay at a Cuban's home who is not licensed to host foreigners. It's against Cuban law. Anyone reports you (i.e. neighbors) and your fiancé could face a very hefty fine and possibly criminal record. I would not take that risk especially when investing so much in the K1 process and needed to show the Cuban police report at the interview. 

Sorry I misunderstood your question. It may count as evidence, but I'm not sure what the Cuban embassy will require as evidence.

 

Maybe it's enforced elsehwere, but my husband "took care of things" a lo cubano with the head of immigration in his town, so everyone leaves us alone. I'm also doing CR-1, not K-1.

[C and E 36]

20 hours ago, DiamondEyes490 said:

Sorry I misunderstood your question. It may count as evidence, but I'm not sure what the Cuban embassy will require as evidence.

 

Maybe it's enforced elsehwere, but my husband "took care of things" a lo cubano with the head of immigration in his town, so everyone leaves us alone. I'm also doing CR-1, not K-1. 

3

Nice, unfortunately mine isn't able to do the same.  Does the Trump news affect any plans you have to go to Cuba?

[DiamondEyes490 126]

2 hours ago, C and E said:

Nice, unfortunately mine isn't able to do the same.  Does the Trump news affect any plans you have to go to Cuba?

It doesn't, thank god. I am covered under family visits, so I can continue my monthly trips.

 

To be honest, I was very tempted to do K-1 since I knew it would be quicker, but my fear of just this happening (and the fact that his family wouldn't be at our wedding) stopped me.

 

I honestly wouldn't worry too much though. People still did K-1 prior to Obama without any trouble due to their visits. Just go via a third country if possible. Also, if you aren't on CubaAmor.org, they are very helpful over there.

 

Also, I did Google around about the A-2 visas, and it sounds like the easiest way to get one is to actually change it once you are in Cuba at the immigration office.

[SazKap 75]

On 6/21/2017 at 9:13 AM, DiamondEyes490 said:

my husband "took care of things" a lo cubano with the head of immigration in his town, so everyone leaves us alone.

I think we may need to do something like this soon but I don't think my dude is as savvy as yours on that front... going to do the regular a2 route for this weekend for now but may try to get some advice from y'all.

[MehgandMarcos 4]

Hi Everyone!  Has anyone been to Cuba recently, that is under the family category?  I will be going next week.  Please let me know how your process went getting into Cuba, since I am not really clear on these new rules.  I just want to make everything goes smoothly.

[DiamondEyes490 126]

1 hour ago, forthesoul said:

Hi Everyone!  Has anyone been to Cuba recently, that is under the family category?  I will be going next week.  Please let me know how your process went getting into Cuba, since I am not really clear on these new rules.  I just want to make everything goes smoothly.

I went over 4th of July and nothing had changed from my 12 previous trips. I signed the form where you check which one of the 12 reasons, and that was it. No one asked me anything.

[Sarah&Michel 6]

The regulations have not been rewritten yet and so there is still a lot of confusion as to what will be permitted.  For those that have made travel arrangements before Trump's June 16 speech for a later date, for example, under the individual people-to-people category, you can still travel without repercussions.  See No. 4: https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/cuba_faqs_20170616.pdf

 

The category "support for the Cuban people" still exists.  Marco Rubio himself tweeted on June 16th that individuals can still travel legally to Cuba under this category so long as they stay in casa particulares/Airbnbs. 

 

Finally, there is no correlation between the US license category (authorizing travel to Cuba) and the Cuban visa.  Entering Cuba with a Cuban family visa does not mean anything to the US, unless you are actually family (not just fiancé). 

[MehgandMarcos 4]

38 minutes ago, Sarah&Michel said:

Finally, there is no correlation between the US license category (authorizing travel to Cuba) and the Cuban visa.  Entering Cuba with a Cuban family visa does not mean anything to the US, unless you are actually family (not just fiancé). 

 

My fiancé is in Cuba but I actually have family in Cuba as well as traveling with a Cuban born family member.   I understand that the Cuban visa and the US license does not go hand in hand. But then you mentioned unless actually family.

 

I went to Cuba around December, I was asked my reason for going to Cuba but never asked to show anything. When it came to the Cuban visa, I had the tourist visa.  Now fast forward to this trip I have the Cuban tourist visa again. Is it better to have the Cuban family visa?

 

*My last trip to Cuba I did no planning, I literally just showed up to the airport and was handed everything.  It was planned by my uncle but he is now on vacation and I am not able to reach him.