Dual Citizenship Necessary - Cuba

[Beau & Digna 5]

My Cuban wife and I are currently lifting conditions on her US residency. She entered the US on a K-1 visa. My question is more of a forethought…Once she has US citizenship/passport, is it still necessary for her to maintain Cuban citizenship/passport to be able to enter/exit Cuba for family visits?

My understanding under current Cuban law is that there is no dual citizenship, and once a Cuban you are always a Cuban. However, as a born US citizen myself, I have no problem coming to, or going from Cuba with my US passport…I’m just afraid my wife might have problems visiting Cuba with only a US passport since she was born in Cuba. I hope that makes sense. Any help is appreciated.

Best wishes to all,

Beau and Digna

PS...tried to post in Cuba specific portal, but not available. I hope this is the right place.

[jxn 86]

Cuba requires those who have ever held Cuban citizenship to enter Cuba on a Cuban passport, if I'm not mistaken. My Cuban-American family that left Cuba very young complain about the expensive passport fees and overall bureaucracy of it all. Since your wife's American passport will list Cuba as her country of birth, I think it's a bad idea to have her go back on anything but a Cuban passport, even though she would never use it for any other purpose.

[Beau & Digna 5]

Cuba requires those who have ever held Cuban citizenship to enter Cuba on a Cuban passport, if I'm not mistaken. My Cuban-American family that left Cuba very young complain about the expensive passport fees and overall bureaucracy of it all. Since your wife's American passport will list Cuba as her country of birth, I think it's a bad idea to have her go back on anything but a Cuban passport, even though she would never use it for any other purpose.

Cuban passports are the most expensive in the World to maintain...the last I read a couple years ago at least. Thanks for the info. I appreciate it very much, but not what I was hoping to hear...what I expected though. Very stupid of me, but I actually didn't think about passport listing place of birth...I was just thinking she has a new last name on a US passport. Bummer...Thanks though...exactly the enlightenment I was looking for. Anymore experience is very welcome too.

[jxn 86]

Info from the Cuban Interests Section in Washington, DC (like a diet version of an embassy): http://www.cubadiplomatica.cu/sicw/EN/ConsularServices.aspx

And info from the U.S. Interests Section in Havana: http://havana.usint.gov/travelling_cuba.html

[Beau & Digna 5]

Info from the Cuban Interests Section in Washington, DC (like a diet version of an embassy): http://www.cubadiplomatica.cu/sicw/EN/ConsularServices.aspx

And info from the U.S. Interests Section in Havana: http://havana.usint.gov/travelling_cuba.html

Yeah...trust me that I've had experience with both sources many times already. Thank you for providing the perfect links for my question though. I should've/could've looked more thoroughly before asking. I've been a bit lax for our "waiting period" to Lift Conditions of Residency, but getting focused again.

I'm going by memory, but I think a 6 year Cuban passport costs about $300+, and needs to be updated every 2 years (within the 6 years), for about $200+/2yrs., which is more than US$1000 for 6 years. Not to mention, the Cuban Interest Section in DC just closes down occasionally for extended periods without notice...so no one can update/renew a Cuban passport in the US.

[jxn 86]

Yeah...trust me that I've had experience with both sources many times already. Thank you for providing the perfect links for my question though. I should've/could've looked more thoroughly before asking. I've been a bit lax for our "waiting period" to Lift Conditions of Residency, but getting focused again.

I'm going by memory, but I think a 6 year Cuban passport costs about $300+, and needs to be updated every 2 years (within the 6 years), for about $200+/2yrs., which is more than US$1000 for 6 years. Not to mention, the Cuban Interest Section in DC just closes down occasionally for extended periods without notice...so no one can update/renew a Cuban passport in the US.

The Cuban Interests Section recently had the last bank it did business with choose to stop working with them (due to the embargo) since I suppose it took too much meticulous bookkeeping for the bank. The U.S. government had to somehow encourage a bank to work with the Cuban Interests Section, but for months at a time earlier this year the Cuban Interests Section had no way of engaging in financial transactions. It's bizarre.

[Beau & Digna 5]

The Cuban Interests Section recently had the last bank it did business with choose to stop working with them (due to the embargo) since I suppose it took too much meticulous bookkeeping for the bank. The U.S. government had to somehow encourage a bank to work with the Cuban Interests Section, but for months at a time earlier this year the Cuban Interests Section had no way of engaging in financial transactions. It's bizarre.

I wasn't aware of that. I sort of just took a break from immigration for about a year and a half or two. Yes, immigration things always caught my eye in the news, but I only heard of the Cuban Interests Section in DC being "unavailable" by a couple friends we've made here on visajourney.com. I had no idea why, but it doesn't surprise me...Interesting. I'm curious to learn more about you, and how you know so much about Cuba...Will you PM me?

[jxn 86]

I'll be happy to PM you, OP.

I'll be following this topic as well in case anyone has extra insights regarding the process of a former (or residing abroad) Cuban going to Cuba on a Cuban passport.

[mmoreu 1]

Hello,

I was born in Cuba. Yes, your wife needs both a Cuban and US Passport to enter and exit Cuba. I got my Cuban Passport last year thru an agency here and cost me $430 valid for 6 years and every two years you have to do "prorroga" for the Passport to maintain valid. It is cheaper to get it done in Cuba.

[Elyse 0]

Dual citizenship is necessary if she is planning to visit again.

[Beau & Digna 5]

Hello,

I was born in Cuba. Yes, your wife needs both a Cuban and US Passport to enter and exit Cuba. I got my Cuban Passport last year thru an agency here and cost me $430 valid for 6 years and every two years you have to do "prorroga" for the Passport to maintain valid. It is cheaper to get it done in Cuba.

Hello mmoreu,

Thanks for the confirmation. It's pretty much what I thought...but the laws can change rapidly, and I haven't been following recently. We were in the midst of immigration when Cuba changed the "carta blanca / exit permit" (Dec/2012?). We've already visited Cuba once since our marriage, but it wasn't comfortable going through immigration on either end...actually most uncomfortable reentering the US. We've done a "prorroga" on her passport as well (via mail to DC), but we need another one soon (how quick is TWO YEARS!...#######). My math was wrong in the original post, but I know it's $1000+ for a 6-year Cuban Passport. You're Cuban born...Are you petitioning for your fiancé as a US citizen or resident?...just curious. Thanks for your help so much.

Beau and Digna

[Beau & Digna 5]

Dual citizenship is necessary if she is planning to visit again.

Hi Elyse,

Thanks for confirming Elyse. We appreciate it!

Beau and Digna