According to a source close to OnCubaToday, the Biden administration is announcing changes in policy towards Cuba, including the processing of immigrant visas at the Embassy in Havana, the resumption of commercial flights to the provinces and the end of the limit on remittances.
Professional and educational trips to the Island will also be authorized, as well as group trips with a general license, suspended by the Trump administration.
Likewise, an expansion of the trips of Cubans to the United States with multiple entry permits will be announced.
And, finally, economic assistance to Cuban entrepreneurs with bonuses for US banks, as well as virtual banking and payments.
Late in the afternoon, the following official statement:
“Today the United States is taking a series of steps to increase support for the Cuban people in line with our national security interests. The Cuban people face an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, and our policy will continue to focus on empowering the Cuban people to help them create a future free from repression and economic suffering.
“Specifically, the Administration will take the following measures: Facilitate family reunification by reestablishing the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program (CFRP) and continue to increase the capacity of consular services. Limited immigrant visa processing resumed in Havana on May 3, 2022. We will reinstate CFRP and increase visa processing in Havana while continuing to process most immigrant visa cases at the U.S. Embassy. in Georgetown, Guiana. Strengthen family ties and facilitate educational connections for Americans and Cubans by expanding authorized travel in support of the Cuban people.
“We will authorize regular and charter flights to locations outside of Havana. We will also implement regulatory changes to reinstate group “people-to-people” travel and other categories of group educational travel, as well as certain travel related to professional meetings and professional research, including to support expanded Internet access and remittance processing businesses. and provide additional support to Cuban entrepreneurs. We are not going to reinstate individual people-to-people travel.
«Increase support for independent Cuban entrepreneurs. We will encourage business opportunities outside of the state sector by authorizing access to cloud technology, application programming interfaces, and e-commerce platforms. We will explore options to expand support for additional payment options for Internet-based activities, electronic payments, and business with independent Cuban entrepreneurs. We will work to expand entrepreneurs’ access to microfinance and training.
“Ensuring that remittances flow more freely to the Cuban people without enriching those who commit human rights abuses. Specifically, we will eliminate the current limit on family remittances of $1,000 per quarter per sender-recipient and will authorize donations (ie, non-family) remittances, which will support independent Cuban entrepreneurs. We will engage with electronic payment processors to foster greater accessibility to the Cuban market. We will not remove entities from the Cuba Restricted List. The Administration is working expeditiously to effect these changes, which will be implemented through the steps that are taken and the regulatory changes made by the relevant Departments and Agencies in a short time.
