2017 Post NOA2 for Cuba K1 - getting ready for interview

[TatiyPablo 32]

On 6/19/2017 at 9:01 AM, eruiz3 said:

How do the changes announced by the President on June 16, 2017 affect individual people-to-people travelers who have already begun making their travel arrangements (such as purchasing flights, hotels, or rental cars)? The announced changes do not take effect until OFAC issues new regulations. Provided that the traveler has already completed at least one travel-related transaction (such as purchasing a flight or reserving accommodation) prior to the President’s announcement on June 16, 2017, all additional travel-related transactions for that trip, whether the trip occurs before or after OFAC’s new regulations are issued, would also be authorized, provided the travel-related transactions are consistent with OFAC’s regulations as of June 16, 2017.

 

Looks like you will be ok.

I am thinking to go as family visit, as i always stay with his family anyway. do they ask you to provide any proof for this?

[forena99 74]

On 6/19/2017 at 5:44 AM, eruiz3 said:

I'm worried too. Our interview is August 21st, I've heard the only change is that we will no longer be able to stay in hotels, which is ok because I always stay with family. As a result, every time I go to Cuba, I have to go to el Carnet office in Santa Cruz and change my visa from tourist to A-2. Not sure if now to travel I will have to solicit the A-2 here from the U.S.

Hi eruiz3,

I only signed up for people-to-people the first couple times I went to Cuba.  Once when I met my fiance and another time when I went to visit him for the first time.  Every time after that, I always checked the 'family' box.  I always put the address of the casa particular I was staying at.  Never stayed at a hotel.  But the ban is for military run hotels.  You can stay at civilian-run hotels, though I have no idea what that means, do you?  

Forena99

[TatiyPablo 32]

3 minutes ago, forena99 said:

Hi eruiz3,

I only signed up for people-to-people the first couple times I went to Cuba.  Once when I met my fiance and another time when I went to visit him for the first time.  Every time after that, I always checked the 'family' box.  I always put the address of the casa particular I was staying at.  Never stayed at a hotel.  But the ban is for military run hotels.  You can stay at civilian-run hotels, though I have no idea what that means, do you?  

Forena99

Did they ask you for any docs when you put family? I always write my fiances home address, but i usually go as people to people

[forena99 74]

1 minute ago, TatiyPablo said:

I am thinking to go as family visit, as i always stay with his family anyway. do they ask you to provide any proof for this?

You are fine if you check the family box on the visa.  This means that you are allowed to stay with Cuban nationals and not required to stay at a casa particular or hotel.  The rule is for American tourists mainly.  No one is going to ask you for proof that you stayed with your family.  I doubt it, anyway...  They might ask a tourist for an address of where they will be staying.  I always have an address of a casa particular to give if needed.  But if you mark the family box, you are allowed to stay in people's homes.  Tourists are not.  And the cubans could get in trouble for housing tourists.

[forena99 74]

4 minutes ago, TatiyPablo said:

Did they ask you for any docs when you put family? I always write my fiances home address, but i usually go as people to people

Odd, the last time I did that, the guardanas said that was a no-no.  If you go people-to-people you can only stay in government approved locations: hotels or casa particulares that have been approved by the government.  Show them the business card with the blue hostel symbol.  

 

If you check the family box, then they don't care as much where you stay.  I always put a casa particular even when I check the family box, because that is where we actually stay 90% of the time.  We may stay one night at this family's place but we leave all our stuff at the casa particular, mainly out of convenience.

 

The one time I marked the people-to-people and put my fiance's address, they flipped out a bit and told me never to do that.  Asked me if I was staying at his place and I said no.  That I was staying at a casa particular but I didn't have the address yet.  All of this was true, I didn't have the address to the casa yet.  They told me I could NOT stay at his house with this visa.  I MUST stay at hotel or casa.  The guardana actually told me, if I just put family, I could stay at my fiance's house, which I though was nice of him to say that.  But I always just put the casa now.

Edited June 20, 2017 by forena99

[TatiyPablo 32]

Ok, thanks! And thanks for sharing your interview information, so helpful!

 

I probably should have been checking family visits everytime?! I have a casa I can use as well. No one has ever asked when I got to the airport. x

[forena99 74]

Just now, TatiyPablo said:

Ok, thanks! And thanks for sharing your interview information, so helpful!

 

I probably should have been checking family visits everytime?! I have a casa I can use as well. No one has ever asked when I got to the airport. x

Thanks @TatiyPablo,

I know it's been so long, sorry, I've been so MIA!  Just working really hard.  Looking for and signing the lease on a new apartment and getting it ready for us.  I also am leaving to FLL this Thursday to go pick up my honey!  We are elated beyond words.  I can't sleep really.  We are flying into LAX together on the same flight this Sunday, meet my parents, then home to our new apartment.  Can't wait.  =)  This is so crazy but am excited.

Forena99

[TatiyPablo 32]

Just now, forena99 said:

Thanks @TatiyPablo,

I know it's been so long, sorry, I've been so MIA!  Just working really hard.  Looking for and signing the lease on a new apartment and getting it ready for us.  I also am leaving to FLL this Thursday to go pick up my honey!  We are elated beyond words.  I can't sleep really.  We are flying into LAX together on the same flight this Sunday, meet my parents, then home to our new apartment.  Can't wait.  =)  This is so crazy but am excited.

Forena99

Congrats that is so wonderful! A long journey but sooooo worth it  and congrats on the apartment and all!!! How come he's flying through FLand not direct? Just wondering cause my fiance will need to come to New York haha 

 

x

[forena99 74]

On 6/15/2017 at 5:49 PM, Joqui said:

I also put the carnel number... I got my appointment for the 15th of august... fiancée is gathering all the stuff on her end. Thanks for the info in the message. One question I have, when and if she gets approved, can I buy her a flight to any international airports in the USA or does it have to be Miami or Florida?

@Joqui and @TatiyPablo,

Hi, I bought a round trip ticket for my fiance to Fort Lauderdale.  I got the 2nd half of his trip refundable ($$$$) so that I could get 100% of the money back when we cancel it at the airport.  Then I'm flying to FLL to meet him.  We are doing this because he has family in FLL and we will be staying with them for the weekend.  Then we fly to LAX from FLL together on the same flight.  Hopefully we won't have any problems on the flight to LAX because he would have already passed through customs, etc., plus I will be with him.  But his POE process will be in FLL.  It kinda worked out because JetBlue flies out of FLL.  The only thing was that I needed to get a roundtrip according to JetBlue policy.  They wouldn't let me order it online, I had to call customer service to buy the ticket.

 

Luckily, I think, now that there are commercial flights to other cities from Cuba besides Miami, I imagine, your POE can be anywhere a plane lands or a boat docks from Cuba to the US.  It's just that most flights from Cuba were chartered in the past.  So they usu. went through Miami first.  

 

After all this, the bummer is that my flight arrives 4 hours after his does.  Ugh!  His aunt and uncle will be there to receive him, but I won't till I get there.  So dumb!  But I looked at all the other options and any flights that got there earlier were not only way more expensive and took longer (+1 stops with 4+hr layovers), they got me there at 5:30 am (overnight flight), which meant I'd have to take another vacation day, etc.  just wasn't worth it (sorry honey!) and wait 10 hours in the airport just so I could be there before him!!  Can't believe it, but I've had to suck it up and get over it.  Plus side, is that someone will be there to greet him and he won't just be waiting for me at baggage claim or something for two hours.

 

Anyone know how long it takes for the POE process and pass through customs?  His aunt told me just a couple hours.  Anyone have any experience with that?

 

Thanks,

Forena

[forena99 74]

On 6/6/2017 at 4:40 PM, TatiyPablo said:

Hi all, thank you guys for sharing all of this information! Congratulations @forena99 that is so wonderful!  very happy all went well!

 

i wanted to ask your guys advice on when to fill the I-134. Our interview is at the end of July, do you suggest preparing it closer to the date or would now be ok? My other question is more specific. My current job is a long term contract position that endangers in June 30. If I don't find a new position before the interview, how should I explain and fill out the form? Everything is a bit uncertain now. Regardless of what my new position will be in the next two months, it will differ from my current role. 

 

 

Another question - where is the consultoria juridicia in Havana? My fiancé doesn't know and thinks it's not necessary to go there but I'm telling him it is! Haha

 

thanks xx

 

 

@TatiyPablo,

Not sure if this question was already answered, but I had my employment verification and bank document printed about 2 weeks before our interview day (closer to the date is better, I presumed).  However, you can fill in and start gathering all your info for the 134 affidavit form as soon as possible.  Tax info, all the proper documentation, payment stubs, letters from your boss, if you have any, saying that you got hired or anything like that, though that last one isn't necessary, just if you have something, doesn't hurt.

 

When is your interview?  And when do your payment stubs become available for you to print?  If your appointment is in mid July, and you can have a late June payment stub, you may be fine.  They probably won't ask you anything.  But if your appointment is in August and your payment stubs end in late June, then you may be asked for a payment stub for July 2017, which you may not be able to provide.  You may be fine either way, but just be honest and as prepared as possible.  =)

[eruiz3 24]

Just reading the comments about traveling. I always travel with the tourist card and stay at my Tia's house. Every time the guardana in camaguey makes me change my visa to an A-2 at the carnet and I have to go with my tia, my health insurance proof & her property proof. Every single time! I called Marazul yesterday (Cuban flight company) & they said I can travel the same way as always that I might be asked proof within 5 years that I actually stayed with family, but this was something that was already in place prior. My suegra went to el carnet today & tales to the lady that does my visa every time & there's a document you can get that shows you stayed with family but it cost $175!!! I don't even know if I should get it? Or if I would really need it? This all sucks. 

[Joqui 4]

I haven't had to change my visa in Cuba in 2 years, I don't think you need to do that anymore. A question I have for all of you is did any of your significant others have the papers legalized? The birth certificate or the police report or the certificado soltería? Shes asking about that and i honestly don't know...

[Joqui 4]

Never mind just saw about the legalization a few pages back... so that's not needed now.

[Mayeli 1]

Here goes my first post!

Hi everyone!  I've been following the thread closely and have been so thankful for all the information and advice everyone's posted.  

A couple of questions for those that have gone through the interviews and were approved (congrats by the way): 

1. Did any of you include in your supporting evidence a letter or affidavit of support from a family member or friend validating the relationship?
2. Would anyone be willing to share an example of a letter or affidavit they used (or have seen used)?

Thanks all!

 

 

 

[forena99 74]

On 6/21/2017 at 4:43 PM, Joqui said:

Never mind just saw about the legalization a few pages back... so that's not needed now.

Yes, @Joqui it doesn't seem like it.