{"id":213239,"date":"2020-02-05T10:56:36","date_gmt":"2020-02-05T15:56:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/?p=213239"},"modified":"2020-02-05T10:56:36","modified_gmt":"2020-02-05T15:56:36","slug":"families-divided-between-cuba-and-canada-due-to-immigration-procedures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/world\/canada\/families-divided-between-cuba-and-canada-due-to-immigration-procedures\/","title":{"rendered":"Families divided between Cuba and Canada due to immigration procedures"},"content":{"rendered":"

Although the focus of attention has mainly been about families separated between Cuba and the United States, the problems caused by the decrease in consular services on the island after the mysterious health incidents suffered by U.S. diplomats have also affected those who try to reach a little further north: <\/span>Canada<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the families affected by this situation is that of Canadian Laura Silver\u2015who lives in the city of Calgary with her son Tito\u2015and her Cuban husband Carlos Gonz\u00e1lez Trenzado, father of the child. Although they were married in 2018, they have barely been able to see each other three times since then and Gonz\u00e1lez’s application for permanent residence in Canada filed shortly after the marriage has no answer yet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA growing mountain of delays in the immigration system has left this Canadian-Cuban family in limbo, with no idea when they will meet again,\u201d Canada’s public television network CBC <\/em><\/span>said this Monday<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe federal government says that the average processing time in the case of a spouse living outside Canada is 12 months. This family has waited 16, so far,\u201d adds the report, in which Silver says she feels \u201cdepressed and overwhelmed\u201d by this situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Canadian Laura Silver, along with her husband, Cuban Carlos Gonz\u00e1lez, during their wedding in 2018. Photo: cbc.ca<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Immigration and visa applications for Canada from Cuba have been at a standstill in the last year, since Ottawa reduced its diplomatic staff in Havana due to the strange health problems reported by Canadian and United States officials, whose cause still hasn\u2019t been determined and which Washington initially described as <\/span>\u201cacoustic attacks.\u201d<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Last May, the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada (IRCC) <\/span>drastically reduced<\/span><\/a> its programs and services in the Cuban capital, due to a previously announced reduction in personnel.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to an <\/span>official statement<\/span><\/a> issued at that time, services for visa procedures for temporary visits, study and work permits would no longer be offered in Cuba, and permanent residence interviews were canceled.<\/span><\/p>\n

This reduction quickly caused problems for the family of Silver and Gonz\u00e1lez Trenzado, when a consular appointment in May for him and his eldest son was canceled without prior notice due to embassy problems.<\/span><\/p>\n

Months later, the diplomatic headquarters <\/span>restored some <\/span><\/a>visa and biometric services, but it still doesn\u2019t give interviews or other procedures and the closest offices for them are outside of Cuba, in Mexico or Trinidad and Tobago. This is a challenge for Cubans, who require travel permits to enter most countries, \u201cwhich means they have to obtain a second visa just to complete the process for their Canadian applications,\u201d explains CBC News.<\/span><\/p>\n

The situation, similar to that suffered by Cubans who wish to emigrate or reunite with their families in the United States, does not seem to have a quick solution. It has even provoked protests by Cubans residing in Canada.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cubanos en Canad\u00e1 piden a Trudeau reconsiderar visados en La Habana<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n