U.S. Embassy in Cuba to increase staff to help process visas  

President Joe Biden is expected to officially announce this week the dispatch of additional personnel to the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Reuters reported on Monday.

U.S. government sources told Reuters that they would send more personnel to their embassy in Cuba to help process visas, a process that has been practically suspended for several years. 

The sources—who declined to be identified as they were not authorized to disclose details—said the plan was expected to be announced in Havana on Thursday, March 3, by high-ranking U.S. diplomats.

A State Department spokesperson said that the Biden Administration is committed "to exploring options to ensure adequate staffing at the U.S. Embassy in Havana."

"These options could include sending temporary and long-term personnel," the official added without giving further details.

The number of personnel to be sent to Havana is unknown. However, the personnel will focus on processing pending visas.

As of November 2021, there were more than 90,000 Cubans on the "immigration waiting list," according to State Department figures.

In February 2022, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Brian A. Nichols told lawmakers that Washington would send “temporary duty consular officers” to the Havana embassy in the “not too distant future” to increase visa processing.

In addition, the White House received recommendations to facilitate the flow of remittances to Cuba and “we await their decision,” the senior official said.