“ I lost money, I lost my vacation with my partner. It was horrible.” This is how the testimony of a Cuban who decided to share on TikTok the bitter experience she had trying to travel to Colombia.
According to the user @dianeveitia, she left from the United States using her U.S. passport, convinced that she didn’t need a visa to enter as a resident. However, upon arrival, she was held for 16 hours in immigration and ultimately was not admitted into the country.
According to information provided by the authorities, in the immigration records she is linked to a case from 2018, when she reportedly received a transit permit and overstayed the allowed time in Colombia during her journey to the United States. Although she is now a U.S. citizen, her previous immigration history is still present in the system.
"If you made that journey and many years have passed, even though you now live here and have an American passport, the past does matter," he warned.
The woman explained that, as she was informed, she needs to apply for a tourist visa at the Colombian consulate in the United States in order to be able to re-enter the country.
His message was clear: thoroughly research before buying tickets, booking hotels, or planning vacations, especially if in the past one has traveled to countries where a safe conduct was required or the Cuban passport was registered.
In the comments, several users stated that they have experienced similar situations, confirming that immigration records from years past can impact current travel.
The testimony has raised concerns among Cuban migrants who traveled through Latin America before settling in the United States and who may face restrictions when returning to those countries, even with U.S. citizenship.
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