Cuba studying ways to allow residents to travel abroad

[Bacchus39]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/americas/05/09/cuba.travel/index.html

Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- The Cuban government said Monday that it plans to study ways to allow residents of the island nation to travel abroad as tourists, suggesting it will ease the bureaucratic hurdles and outright restrictions that prevent many residents from leaving.
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Cubans must obtain an exit visa from the government, known as a "white letter," which costs $150.

In order to acquire the visa, a resident of the country they want to visit must write a letter of invitation and register it with the Cuban Embassy, paying up to $200.

Once the paperwork is in order, the Cuban government still has the right to deny an exit visa, as it has done with many dissidents. Medical professionals are only allowed to leave Cuba to work for the government abroad.


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it sounds like a painstaking decision is the works on whether or not to allow Cubans to exercise their free will.

[dipsydoodle]

1. At one time

the same applied to the whole of eastern Europe. Most things change with time.

[Mika]

2. Something I can pretty much guarantee: if they come to the US they'll return to Cuba for health care

Just like the hundreds of thousands of Cubans per year here in Miami do now. Especially the newer arrivals.

Too bad Americans w/o Cuban ancestry can't do the same (because of the US government travel restrictions placed on Americans w/o direct Cuban ancestry/family).

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[Bacchus39]

3. I bet they would too since they are Cuban and health care is free for them

so I doubt that the Cuban people desire to have the freedom to travel is based on medical tourism. although I imagine bringing back some basic medicines would be in their minds. I bet that if they are allowed to travel they will buy electronic items and small appliances and such that they can't get in Cuba. who knows if Cuba will allow them to bring those items back. they would probably want to get personal items too like clothes and soap. maybe some coffee without any peas.