United States suspends call system for visa applications

HAVANA, Cuba, June 8, 2006

The US Interests Section suspended the new call system for non immigrant Cubans to apply Taxi Heathrow Airport for visas, including those done from the United States in the Religious Visas program.

In a statement signed June 5 by Robert H. McCutcheon, head of the visas unit, the section indicated that as of June 2 the new system is suspended, including for visas corresponding to the religious section.

The document indicated that while the new system had the support of the public the volume of calls caused it to collapse. On June 2 alone it received 500,000 calls.

The new service allows persons in the United States to make a visa appointment on behalf of Cuban friends and relatives and allows US Churches to request interviews for Cubans who have been invited to participate in religious meetings in the United States.

The section stated that in the six days it was operating, from May 25 - June 2, it programmed interviews to January 2007.

"The suspension of the system affects all visitors, including those who apply under the Religious Visas Program," it said. According to the statement the section will not be able to schedule new interviews until further notice.