POLITICS-CUBA/US: Visa Lottery on Again

By Dalia Acosta Reprint | | Print |

Dalia Acosta

HAVANA, Jun 10 1998 (IPS) - Cubans are suffering again from “the headache” the local term for the U.S. lottery for residents of the island between the ages of 18 and 55 who want to emigrate to the United States.

The fate of potential emigrants will be considered by computer in the United States after June 15 although interviews of those chosen could be delayed until 2000, according to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).

The details of the new Special Program for Cuban Immigration were published at the weekend in the official organ of the governing Communist Party, the newspaper Granma, but the requests will be accepted only after next Monday.

All Cubans born between July 15, 1943 and July 15, 1980 will have the right to participate in the visa lottery, including those who do not have close relatives living in the United States. To be eligible, would-be migrants must meet two of three criteria: be the holder of a technical school, high school, or equivalent degree; at least three years job experience; and/or have a relative in the United States.

In addition to testing their luck with the computer as to whether their number comes up, those chosen will face an interview with the Cuban Interest Section of the United States in Havana and must present the results of a medical examination, any criminal records, and a commitment that once in the United States they will not become a public charge.

Those who are finally selected may travel with their spouse and their children under the ages of 21 who are not married.

This is the third time Cubans have suffered a “headache” and coincides with an increase in tension between Havana and Managua surrounding a proposal of the Nicaraguan President, Arnoldo Aleman, to give political asylum to all Cubans who wish to leave the island.

Security around the Nicaraguan embassy in Havana increased considerably in the past few days with the objective of avoiding the unorganized departure of people who want to emigrate prior to going through all necessary procedures.

Aleman was reacting against the decision of the Bahamas to reinstate deportation procedures last month and deport a group of 264 undocumented Cubans who arrived on the Caribbean island in the hopes of enetering the United States.

The deportations concluded last Friday with the return on the of from the Bahamas of 67 would be emigrants – two children, seven women and 58 men. Officials sources here said that all those repatriated were returned to their homes.

Since the Cuban boat crisis of August 1994, in which some 30,000 Cubans fled the island in boats, Havana has signed several agreements with neighboring Caribbean countries to avoid illegal and disorganized emigration.

These agreements complement accords signed with the United States in September 1994 and May 1995 with the objective of decreasing illegal migration and avoiding another migrant crisis. Under the terms of the agreements, Washington would provide visas for at least 20,000 Cubans each year and would repatriate all those caught trying to enter the United States illegally. Havana, in turn, agreed not to engage in reprisals against those who are repatriated for having committed the crime of illegally leaving the country.

The Cuban Postal Service said last week that it would not organize any special service for those soliciting participation in the visa lottery.

The INS warned that no request would be accepted if it was postmarked prior to June 15, and that any person who submitted more than one request would be disqualified. The INS and the Special Interest Section have approved 29,000 visas to winners of previous visa lotteries.

Official sources cited by the Miami El Nuevo Herald indicate that the first programme, begun in November 1994, registered 189,000 requests, while the lottery carried out in March 1996 registered 435,000 requests.