Cruise Worker Says Cuba Imposed Five-Year Return Ban

A Cuban woman residing in Malta said she was barred from returning to Cuba for five years after leaving her cruise ship employment and staying overseas. She said Cuban authorities did not notify her directly about the alleged restriction.

According to the woman, her mother visited an immigration office in Cuba and received a document stating that her daughter had been penalized for five years. The document has not been released publicly, and Cuban authorities have not commented on the individual case.

The woman attributed the penalty to rules requiring some Cuban employees working aboard ships to return to the country. She said the restriction required her to go back to Malta and wait five years before traveling home again.

Cuba introduced a Migration Law in May 2026 that eliminated the general 24-month limit on time spent abroad. The law retained authorities’ powers to restrict entry or departure on specified grounds, including national security, public order and public interest.