Cubans Are Newest International Travelers

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There's a new entry on the international travel scene. And it's a country with people hungry to see the rest of the world, after decades of restrictions on travel.
 
Cuban leadership has enacted a new law allowing its citizens to travel abroad - without an exit visa, and without an invitation from a relative or friend in another country. There is, of course, one country that stands to benefit from this more than any other - the United States. The 90 miles between Cuba and Florida may as well have been 90,000 previously. But now Cubans will now be able to travel to and from the U.S....and, potentially, even establish residency there.
 
An old "migratory" law limiting Cubans' ability to travel abroad has been repealed, and Cubans will no longer need a "white card" exit visa - hated by most of them - to visit other countries.
 
However, Cubans will still need a visa to travel to all but 15 countries - Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Slovakia, Barbados, Liechtenstein, Malasia, Grenada, Saint Cristobal and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Moldavia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
 
Cubans can now be off the island for 24 months, instead of the previous 11, without losing residency rights. That will make it easier for people to work or study abroad. And it will generate a potentially-large source of income for the island, as well; people who work in other countries will no doubt be sending money to their families at home...and, perhaps, bringing money back to invest in the island.
 
The new law also has implications for U.S.-Cuba relations. Those Cubans who reach American soil typically gain U.S. residency within a year...which means there will be a one-year overlap in which people can establish U.S. residency without losing their right of return.
 
The U.S. legislation known as the Cuban Adjustment Act was enacted specifically to provide refuge for those fleeing oppression. At that time, no one considered the possibility that Cubans might one day be able to travel freely between the two countries. And some Cuban-American lawmakers are now talking about changing the policy.
 
However, don't expect an immediate flood of Cuban travelers to the U.S. Putting a law on paper is one thing; how it works in the real world is another. Cubans will still need entry visas to travel to most countries, including the United States. And the law includes a "national security" clause that could be used to bar exits by dissidents and skilled workers, along with people facing criminal investigations and those with outstanding debts. In addition, this provision may mean that people in strategic professions, such as military officers, athletes, or government figures with access to sensitive information, could be turned down, just as in the past.
 
For Cubans, however, the problem has not generally been obtaining an exit visa; it's been paying for one. In a country where the average monthly salary is $20, application fees can run over $300. In addition, Cubans often had to pay another $200-$300 to procure invitation letters. A quick look at the math shows that the process can cost the average worker two-three years of wages.
 
The new law, however, scraps the exit visa, and Cubans will no longer need an invitation from someone in the country they wish to visit. They'll only be required to pay a one-time passport fee of $100, renewable for $20 every two years.
 
At first glance, the law appears to be a public relations coup for Cuba, which vehemently protests outside criticism of its human-rights record. Leadership is probably also hoping that the law will stand in stark contrast to U.S. travel restrictions on travel to the island.
 
As to whether the law is primarily for PR purposes, or a genuine loosening of the reins, we'll just have to wait and see.
 
For many Cubans, though, the thought of seeing long-separated relatives in Florida is going to prove a very attractive lure.