Cuba Immigration Policies Still on Hold

HAVANA TIMES, Dec. 23 — The long awaited relaxing of Cuba’s policies on travel by its citizens living on the island and regarding its emigrants abroad continue to be under study, assured President Raul Castro this Friday at a session of the Cuban parliament.

Numerous foreign press had speculated earlier in the day that Castro might use the occasion to announce new policies, but also noted that another possible benchmark date is the upcoming Communist Party Conference in January 2012..

Cubans must request an exit visa to travel outside the country, which can be denied without recourse.  Likewise, many Cuban emigrants are treated as deserters or traitors and must request permission to visit their country of birth.