Cuban Visa Lottery Winners Reach Out to Marco Rubio Over Travel Ban Concerns

Winners of the 2025 Diversity Visa Lottery from Cuba have penned a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, voicing their frustrations over the Travel Ban that partially restricts Cuban entry into the United States. This ban jeopardizes their ability to complete the legal immigration process before the deadline of September 30.

The letter, dated June 14, expresses the grievances of the affected individuals who say the Travel Ban has disrupted their plans. "They inform us that visas are not being issued, yet allow us to attend interviews. Some individuals went believing it might not apply to everyone, but it does, and our process ends on September 30. In fact, it ends sooner when the 55,000 annual visas run out. This is Cuba's last chance since we were excluded from the 2026 draw," explains one of the letter's signatories.

The petitioners are urging former Senator Rubio to advocate for the completion of their visa application process, originally initiated under the 2024 Diversity Visas program, before the deadline. They emphasize that they participated in the lottery adhering to all legal requirements. Furthermore, they request his intervention to ensure acknowledgment that their process includes background checks and submission of criminal records from every country they have resided in. The disruption, they argue, stems from current policies, not from their own non-compliance.

Additionally, they highlight that Cuba is no longer eligible for future rounds of the Diversity Visa program, eliminating any further opportunities. They also point out the lack of local mechanisms within the island to resolve this issue.

Moreover, the U.S. Embassy in Havana continues to deny visas to those affiliated with state institutions. "One case involved a young woman who graduated in 2020, only completed her Social Service, and was denied due to possible Communist Party of Cuba affiliation," one affected individual told CiberCuba.

"Working for the state implies potential PCC affiliation. If you happened to work in Health, Education, or Communications, you're immediately denied due to PCC concerns," they reiterated. "We're required to provide official documents to prove whether we're PCC members or have criminal records. They have their methods to verify. It's unfair to attend an interview, pay substantial fees with minimal hope, knowing the requirements aren't met, and that the Travel Ban affects us. Since June 9, everyone is denied, receiving a paper citing section 212(f) (Travel Ban) as justification."

Regarding the Visa Lottery program, they explain the travel restrictions impact Cubans whether for study or work purposes. "In our case, it's for education. For instance, if you only have a ninth-grade education, don't bother attending the interview. It's only considered valid from 12th grade or equivalent technical education onwards," the testimonial insists.

The situation becomes even more complex with highly qualified individuals such as those with master's degrees and engineering backgrounds being denied despite their educational qualifications. "The program has turned into a lottery within a lottery. We approached with a 99.99% chance of losing and only a 0.01% chance of winning due to PCC issues. Now, we face a 0.00% chance of obtaining a visa," the same person emphasized.

The fiscal year for the visa lottery concludes on September 30. "Previously, the hope for a visa was nearly nonexistent; now, with the Travel Ban, we've been completely shut out. Each visa applicant pays $330, regardless of approval. We were aware of these expenses from the start, but it's unjust to prevent us from completing the process transparently. We face paying without any opportunity for a visa," the letter concludes.

Those who have already undergone the interview received a document explaining that the denial of the Diversity Visa "cannot be appealed."