Only one in four roundtrip passengers who left Havana, Cuba on Cayman Airways actually used their return ticket back to Cuba, according to data from Customs & Border Control and Workforce Opportunities & Residency Cayman.
Starting in August, those passengers will face more scrutiny when departing Cuba for Cayman. In an effort to prevent irregular migration and avoid sanctions, Cabinet has approved in-transit visas for Cubans travelling to the Cayman Islands.
The new measure, an amendment of the Customs & Border Control (Visas, Entry and Landing) Regulations, 2019, will take effect 5 August 2024.
The announcement, made Thursday by the Ministry of Border Control, Labour & Culture, comes amid concern over regional migration flows and large numbers of people attempting to leave Cuba, about 230 miles northeast of the Cayman Islands.
From November 2021 to November 2023, only 3,116 of CAL’s 12,381 roundtrip fliers from Havana travelled back to Cuba using their CAL ticket, according to CBC and WORC.
“Statistics show that Cuban nationals are travelling through the Cayman Islands and then onto other South American or Central American countries on a return ticket, but in some cases, are not returning,” a ministry press release said.
“The amendments to the Regulations are to ensure that the visa application poses the appropriate questions and includes the pertinent data points to assist the Customs & Border Control (CBC) Visa Officer in making the decisions to approve or deny visas.”
Irregulation migration of Cubans poses various risks to the Cayman Islands, the ministry said, including, “reputational risk, risks of sanctions, risk of cancellation of routes for CAL, risk of visa restrictions for Caymanians and risk of increased applications for asylum by Cuban nationals in-transit”.
The ministry recognised, “migrants are risking everything to escape conflict, disaster, poverty, or hunger”, and that steps must be taken to “disincentivise” passengers from exploiting the Cayman Islands or CAL during irregular migration attempts.
Dwayne Seymour, Minister for Border Control, Labour & Culture, said, “Securing our borders isn’t just about lines on a map; it’s about safeguarding our nation’s integrity and ensuring the safety of our citizens. By taking proactive measures to manage irregular migration, we not only mitigate risks but also uphold the values of order and security that define us as a nation.”
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