MIAMI, United States. – The removal of Cuba from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism will not have an immediate effect for Cuban citizens with dual nationality who aspire to travel to United States territory through the Visa Waiver Program known as ESTA, according to a report of Martí News which cites government sources.
Thousands of Cubans who have a Spanish passport were hoping to obtain their ESTA after the Joe Biden Administration announced the removal of the Island from the list of States sponsoring terrorismthis Tuesday.
However, a State Department spokesperson assured Martí News that Congress must receive a report 45 days before the proposed rescission takes effect, ruling out immediate changes.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not respond to specific questions about ESTA sent by the Miami-based outlet, but current regulations establish that citizens of countries designated as sponsors of terrorism cannot use the ESTA. travel authorization and must apply for a visa.
In January 2021, when Washington once again included Cuba in that category, restrictions were also implemented on any person who had visited the Island or a Cuban citizen with dual nationality.
At the moment, those who received the automatic revocation of their ESTA and wish to travel to the United States can only opt for a traditional visa, a procedure that includes a consular interview and variable waiting times.
Before the possibility of accessing the United States without a visa was suspended, Cuban-Spanish nationals requested entry permission to the North American country on the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) portal.
“On July 6, 2023, other exceptions to the visa exemption program came into force, according to which, people who have traveled to Cuba since January 12, 2021 or have dual Spanish and Cuban nationality will not be able to travel with an ESTA document, and therefore “These people must apply for a visa,” explained the European Foreign Relations Service at that time.
