The United States has begun issuing fast track visas to Cubans who have
relatives living in America.
The first three sets of travel permits were issued by the US Interests
Section in Havana on Thursday.
The Cuban Family Reunification Programme is partly aimed at discouraging
illegal immigrants.
US officials say there has been a 20% increase this year in the number
of Cubans trying to cross the Straits of Florida by boat.
They said the figures showed Cubans had little faith that life would
improve under Raul Castro, who officially succeeded his brother Fidel as
Cuba's leader in February.
Havana accuses the US of encouraging Cubans to risk their lives trying
to emigrate by quickly granting residence to those who successfully make
the crossing.
Thousands of people who left Cuba over the years still have wives,
husbands, and children left behind.
No home visits
Current visa applications can take between three and seven years.
The new scheme is aimed at processing claims in just a matter of months.
Two families with young children were amongst the first to receive
travel permits to join their relatives in the US, the BBC's Michael Voss
reports from Havana.
According to US consular officials in Havana, as many as 40,000 Cubans
could be eligible under the scheme, which was first announced late last
year.
There is a longstanding agreement between the US and Cuba to allow
20,000 people to emigrate legally each year.
Those granted visas under the new family reunification scheme will be
part of rather than in addition to this number.
So far though there are no plans by the Bush administration to lift the
restrictions it imposed on family visits home by Cuban Americans.
At present they are only allowed to return to Cuba once every three years.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/7341843.stm
Published: 2008/04/11 00:06:35 GMT
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