Havana, December 25 (RHC)-- The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the temporary suspension of operations at its field office in Havana, effective immediately, arguing that the decision was due to staff reductions at the U.S. Embassy in the Cuban capital.

During that time, they said, the USCIS field office in Mexico City will assume Havana’s jurisdiction, which includes only Cuba.

The announcement was published in the official USCIS website under the title 'Updated USCIS Procedures for Cuba,' with a list of filing instructions that people living on the island should follow.

The release mentions the so-called Cuban Family Reunification Parole (CFRP) Program, saying USCIS is working with the U.S. Department of State to ensure that the Program continues to operate. It adds that USCIS will soon announce arrangements regarding interview or travel document processing for beneficiaries of the Program.

On November 16th, the U.S. Embassy in Havana canceled all scheduled visa interviews and designated its embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, to schedule the interviews and handle the visa process for Cuban applicants, complicating and delaying a procedure that has not even started yet.