How can an american guy bring a cuban woman to the United States to marry?

by rob
(Florida usa)

I am an american man who would like to marry a cuban woman, I have met her on the internet and know that this is risky however besides that fact how would one go about the process. I am confused because it is illegal for me to go to cuba so what steps do i take to request her permission to enter the united states legally and marry her here? And after marrying her would she become a legal citizen? How does this work? thanks alot, Rob!

ANSWER by Vic webmaster Havana-guide.com

WOW, what a difficult situation with many red flags. I will try to give you some guidelines but don't take it as legal advise, too much depend on circumstances.

1) First a warning relations over internet are risky specially in developing countries.
The risk that she only want a relation to get an exit visa is high.

2) Second problem, as a US citizen, you can't travel legally to Cuba, however you can still apply for an OFAC license on humanitarian reasons.
3) To leave Cuba can be a long procedure for a Cuban citizen with a lot of red tape. This procedure can take many months sometimes ...years.
First she need an official invitation to travel abroad, she need an international (Cuban) passport, has to pass a medical examination, have a (immigration) visa for the inviting country (a US visa) and finally she need a Cuban exit visa. The Cuban exit visa is not just a formality, when the Cuban citizen has a criminal record or is working as a medical doctor, teacher, scientist, nurse etc. the visa can be denied.
4) Each of the steps above can take a few months, when there are foreign documents involved, this documenents must have an official translation in Spanish. The total cost can be a few thousand dollar. I am not familiar with the US procedures for immigration, but for Canada and the European countries, the inviter of the Cuban (YOU) has to sign an official document that he is responsible and accountable for the invited Cuban this includes social security, insurance, medical care, unemployment, etc.

This is one of the reasons some Cubans try to escape Cuba by raft, speedboat or...marriage. Marriage or relation is cheaper than an illegal speedboat to Miami.
You can read more on
Cuban Marriage