Latest news with #ElianGonzález
Miami Herald
27-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Cuba adds another travel requirement for Miami flyers after visa change
The Cuban government has released key information about the new electronic visa that goes into effect on July 1, along with a mandatory online form that travelers from Miami must complete before boarding. On Wednesday, Cuba's Ministry of Tourism shared further details on social media regarding the updated entry requirements for visitors arriving on the island next week. Cuba's new electronic visa and changes to tourist card rules Starting in July 2024, travelers can request the new electronic tourist visa through Cuba's official government portal. The Ministry clarified that physical tourist cards will no longer be issued at Cuban consulates. However, those who already possess a valid card may continue using it until Dec. 31, 2025, when it will expire. The new tourist visa allows for a single entry and up to 90 days of stay, with the option to extend for another 90 days. Travelers who hold dual citizenship and maintain Cuban nationality do not need to apply for the visa. However, this requirement does apply to U.S. citizens, as the United States is not among the countries exempt from Cuba's visa requirements. For example, children or descendants of Cuban nationals born in the U.S. would need to apply for the tourist visa in advance and complete the process online before traveling. Read more: Elian González breaks silence 25 years later: 'I'm going through difficult times' Mandatory D'Viajeros form before Miami departure All travelers departing from Miami must now also fill out the mandatory D'Viajeros form before their flight. The online form includes customs declarations related to imported goods and required public health information. According to the Cuban government, this 'advance traveler information' system was developed to streamline procedures at ports of entry. 'Each passenger is required to truthfully complete the form, which provides information to the Directorate of Immigration and Foreigners, the General Customs Office of the Republic, and the Ministry of Public Health,' states the D'Viajeros platform. Cuban officials told state-run media that the introduction of the e-visa marks progress toward 'a more modern consular system adapted to today's needs.' The move comes amid a steep decline in Cuba's tourism sector. Even Spanish hotel giant Meliá, which has a significant presence on the island, recently reported major losses due to empty hotel properties. Read more: Immigrant couples face new hurdles as USCIS tightens rules after Trump orders
Miami Herald
25-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Traveling to Cuba from Miami? This new visa will be mandatory starting July 1
A new mandatory requirement announced by the Cuban government for international travelers — including some residents of Miami and across the U.S. — will soon take effect. The measure changes the entry rules to the island, imposing a major shift in the visa system, as travelers will now need to apply in advance. The Cuban government said the process is available online and must be completed prior to boarding a flight. Cuba launches electronic visa system According to an announcement by Cuba's Ministry of Tourism, starting next week, the island will require an electronic visa for international travelers, who now face new visa requirements before entry. 'As of July 1, you may only enter the country with an electronic visa,' the Cuban government agency stated. The new requirement does not apply to individuals who still hold Cuban citizenship. However, it will affect those who only hold U.S. citizenship, as the United States is not on Cuba's list of visa-exempt countries — a list that includes China, for example. As a result, family members of Cuban citizens who hold passports from other countries — including children born abroad — will need to complete the visa process before traveling to the island, beginning Tuesday, July 1. Applicants must visit the electronic visa website at least 72 hours before arriving in Cuba. The tourist visa is valid for a single entry, allowing a 90-day stay that can be extended for an additional 90 days. Requirements include: ▪ Valid passport: The electronic visa will be linked to the applicant's passport, which must remain valid throughout the stay in Cuba. ▪ Valid email address: Applicants must provide an email address where the visa code will be sent. Read more: Elian González breaks silence 25 years later: 'I'm going through difficult times' Is the traditional tourist card still valid? Cuba clarified that, for now, Cuban consulates abroad will continue to issue the traditional tourist card, in both physical and electronic formats. Separately, the Cuban government also extended until Sept. 30 the exemption from customs duties on food, medicine, personal hygiene products, and electric generators for non-commercial use. Both measures come amid a deep economic crisis on the island, marked by widespread shortages of basic goods and ongoing blackouts. They also coincide with a sharp drop in tourism, as the government attempts to revive what was once one of Cuba's main sources of revenue through new offers and investment efforts.
Miami Herald
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Elian González breaks silence 25 years later: ‘I'm going through difficult times'
Elian González had some surprising things to say on state television as the Cuban government commemorates the 25th anniversary of his return to the island from Miami. The story of Elian González made international headlines in the early 2000s, heightening tensions between the Cuban exile community and the regime in Havana. González praised the pivotal role of the late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, who ordered mass rallies across the island. What did Elian González say? González said he has no regrets about remaining in Cuba, although he hinted that, like other Cubans, he may be enduring hardship due to the severe economic crisis gripping the country. 'What has never crossed my mind is regretting being in Cuba and growing up with my family. I may be going through difficult times, whatever the problem may be, but Fidel taught me to fight, to push forward,' he said Thursday on state television during an event at the Fidel Castro Ruz Center in Havana. González also expressed his 'gratitude' to the late revolutionary leader 'for giving me a place in the hearts of Cubans.' He added, 'What can never be in doubt is my commitment to the people of Cuba.' According to Cuban state news, González criticized the Cuban Adjustment Act, claiming it was the reason his mother left the island on a perilous sea journey. A victory for Castro's regime? The Cuban government celebrates June 28 each year as the anniversary of Elian González's return, describing him as a child 'kidnapped in Miami by distant relatives in collusion with the Cuban-American mafia.' When he was 6, González was rescued off the coast of the United States after his mother died during a shipwreck of the boat they had taken to flee Cuba. The child survived by clinging to an inner tube. His case drew global attention as a bitter legal and political battle unfolded. In the end, U.S. federal agents raided the Miami home of González's relatives and forcibly removed him under orders from the Department of Justice to return him to his father in Cuba — a move that the Cuban government has since celebrated as a symbolic victory. The Associated Press photo capturing the moment agents found the boy in a closet in his relatives' home became world famous and earned a Pulitzer Prize. The photographer, Alan Diaz, died in 2018. Since his return to Cuba, González's life has been periodically covered by the state-run media, often to highlight Fidel Castro's legacy. In 2023, the 'raft boy' was elected to Cuba's National Assembly as a representative for Cárdenas, the municipality in Matanzas province where he lives. Around that time, González told CNN he hoped to help improve relations between Havana and Washington. 'I think I could be a visible face for the American people and help the people of Cuba and the people of the United States become closer,' he said. 'And not just the people, but that our governments reach an understanding, and remove all the barriers that exist between us.'
