The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it is reopening the USCIS field office in Havana, Cuba. This office had been closed since 2018.
The purpose of this decision by DHS is to allow procedures to expedite the process for thousands of Cubans who wish to emigrate to the United States. Likewise, we recommend that all interested parties contact our immigration law firm in New Jersey to process any immigration process.
Why Is DHS Reopening The USCIS Field Office In Havana?
According to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the administration of the current President of the United States, Joe Biden, is seeking to:
- Take steps to reduce illegal entries into the US.
- Simplify access to legal, safe and orderly routes.
- Deny existing resources to ruthless smuggling organizations. For example, those who live from human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
Through this decision, the office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in Havana helps DHS to fulfill these tasks.
“Cubans, like my family 63 years ago, fled communist power. Therefore, they deserve the same opportunity to follow the legal paths to build a new life in the United States.”
Secretary Mayorkas
Another aspect to note is that the reopening of this office is part of the US effort to restore the presence of its immigration service outside the US.
It is expected that more than 20,000 Cubans are waiting for a response in their family reunification parole process.
Services That The USCIS Office In Havana Will Provide
After the start-up of this office, it is expected that it will help conduct interviews for the following immigration reliefs:
- The different types of American visas.
- Processing for pending cases of the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program (CFRP). This will help certain Cuban beneficiaries with approved family petitions to the United States.
- Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition.
- Other limited services. For example, the collection of biometric data for U visa applications.
It should be noted that all services offered by USCIS will be available by appointment only. USCIS will update its International Immigration Office page in the coming weeks with more information on this.
Why Was The USCIS Office In Havana Closed?
The USCIS office in Havana had been closed since December 10, 2018. This closure occurred due to:
- A reallocation of agency resources, and
- The suspension of its operations in 2017, when the DHS ordered all non-essential personnel to leave Cuba.
Due to this decision, Cubans had to travel to a third country to obtain a US visa.
Contact Curbelo Law Before Carrying Out Any Immigration Process
US immigration procedures are complex and very difficult to navigate on your own. In fact, many immigrants make common mistakes that delay their application, and in the worst case, lead to its denial.
For this reason, it is crucial to contact an immigration lawyer with experience in these matters. Our attorney Carolina T. Curbelo has been successfully helping aliens with their immigration needs for more than 10 years.
Our lawyer will be able to help you from the arduous process to obtain the Green Card to the process to obtain American citizenship.
Call us today so that we can analyze your situation and limit any chance of error in the immigration process.
