Havana, October 30 (RHC-Minrex), -- As part of the continuous and irreversible process of updating the country's migration policy, the Cuban Government has decided to approve the following measures, which will take effect on January 1, 2018:

1) Eliminate the "Validation" of the passport for trips to Cuba by Cuban emigrants.

2) Authorize the entry and exit to Cuba by Cuban citizens residing abroad in pleasure boats, through the Hemingway and Gaviota-Varadero International Tourist Marinas. Once the conditions are created, it would be progressively extended to other marinas.

3) Allow the entry to Cuba of Cuban citizens who left the country illegally, except those who left through the United States Naval Base in Guantánamo.

4) Eliminate the requirement of registration, so that children of Cubans living abroad, who were born abroad, can obtain Cuban citizenship and their identity document.

With these decisions, continuity is given to those adopted in January 2013, as part of the efforts made by the country to further strengthen Cuba's relations with its emigration, a process initiated in 1978 by the Commander-in-Chief of the Revolution , Fidel Castro Ruz.

On the other hand, the US government has decided to drastically reduce the personnel of its Embassy in Havana and suspended the issuance of visas at its Consulate. The transfer to Colombia of Cuban citizens to obtain immigrant visas, and to third countries for other types of US visas, without any guarantee of their granting, besides making travel considerably more expensive, makes them practically nonviable. This will directly affect Cuban families who, in the future, will not be able to obtain their visas in Havana and will face greater obstacles to visit their relatives, and even for those who wish to emigrate.

The unfounded and arbitrary decision to expel from its territory 17 officials of the Embassy of Cuba in Washington, including an important part of the Consulate's staff, will have a negative impact on consular services, and will make travel to our country particularly difficult for Cubans resident in the United States.

The Government of Cuba will continue studying new measures to update its migration policy.

Soon, the different legal norms that will accompany the implementation of these measures will be published in the Official Gazette and the population will also be offered additional information on the procedures that will be put into effect.

This information will also be available in the 189 Procedures Offices of the MININT, with representation in all the municipalities of the country; in the Population Assistance Office of the "Identification, Immigration and Aliens" Directorate, through telephone number 18808; as well as on the website "Nation and Emigration" http://www.nacionyemigracion.cu/ and on the different websites of Cuban Embassies and Consulates around the world.