The general director of Consular Affairs and Cubans Living Abroad, Ernesto Soberon, today offered new details on the migratory measures regarding the extension of passport validity.
In a direct transmission on the social network Facebook, Soberón said that passports with 10-year validity will be those issued as of July 1.
He explained that it was decided that those documents with six-year validity and those to be issued soon will coexist in time, until the first half of 2029.
He pointed out that it would be impractical to ask a citizen of the island to carry out an additional procedure to place a sticker indicating that the validity of the passport is extended.
The Caribbean nation, he added, cannot shift the responsibility to the airlines and immigration authorities of the countries where Cubans are going to go to take account of whether that document was issued on a certain date and when it is due to expire.
"The most functional and practical thing is for these two passports to coexist now," he stressed.
He indicated that people with valid passports have the option of requesting one that is valid for 10 years.
He reiterated that as of July 1 there is no need to extend any passport and it will maintain its current cost.
Regarding the measure to equalize the length of stay on the island for Cubans living abroad with that of their relatives and foreign spouses and children, he announced that it will be extended up to one year in the country.
He also informed that the measures for people who emigrated before January 1, 1971 will allow eliminating the requirement of having to request an entry permit every time they enter the island.
He explained that they will be granted facilities for one year so that they can come to Cuba and carry out the passport procedures.
Soberón commented that there is a good level of acceptance to the measures and the willingness of the Cuban Government to strengthen the link with foreign nationals is recognized.