The State Department announced last week that it would expand its limited immigrant visa processing at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba.

Key Points:

  • Beginning in July 2022, the Embassy in Havana will begin scheduling interviews for all immediate relative immigrant visa applicants, including spouses and children under the age of 21 of U.S. citizens (IR/CR-1 and IR/CR-2).
  • IR/CR-1 and IR/CR-2 applicants who were notified on or after June 8, 2022, that their case is ready to be processed will have their interviews scheduled at the Embassy in Havana instead of the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown, Guyana.
  • The Embassy in Georgetown will remain the primary processing location for all other Cuban immigrant visa applications.
  • The Embassy in Havana will continue to provide essential American Citizens Services and limited emergency nonimmigrant visa processing.

Background: In March 2022, the State Department announced that it would resume limited immigrant visa processing at the Embassy in Cuba after it had reduced its staff and services because of the unexplained health incidents termed “Havana Syndrome.” In May, the Embassy in Havana began scheduling interviews for applicants in the IR-5 category (parents of U.S. citizens). The Embassy said last week that the expansion of limited services is “part of the broader expansion of the Embassy’s functions to facilitate diplomatic and civil society engagement and to expand the provision of consular services.” More information regarding the expansion of visa processing is available on the Embassy website.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

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