The United States authorities canceled access to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), a way to enter the North American territory without a visa, to some 300,000 European citizens who visited Cuba after 2021.
The figures were confirmed by Pramila Jayapal, who belongs to the Democratic Party, represents the 7th district in Washington state and has criticized the measure since it was implemented.
And the fact is that, a few months before Trump left power, his administration re-entered Cuba on the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, which is why the Department of State (DOS) denies ESTA to those citizens who visit the Island despite be from a country that belongs to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
These people must now apply for a traditional visa from a US embassy around the world if they wish to enter US territory.
In the case of Cubans who have dual nationality with one of these territories, such as Spain, the situation is even more complicated, since they cannot request a non-immigrant visa at the US embassy in Havana because the process is not available for years.
Advantages of an ESTA visa
Those citizens who belong to a VWP member country can travel to the US for tourism or business, for a period of up to 90 days without needing to obtain a visa. However, during that time they cannot work in the territory.
The ESTA is usually valid for two years, after which it can be requested again from the corresponding authorities.
While the Esta takes only 48 hours to be delivered, a traditional visa requires making a consular appointment, which can take up to two years to schedule.
The traditional visa costs $185, while the EAST visa costs $21, so the price also represents a great advantage.
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