Marrying a Cuban

andrea.mcmillan · #1 (**permalink**) 4th April 2008, 09:29 AM

Hi,I'm from UK and in August I will be marrying my fiance in Havana. I have two sons aged 10 and 8 and my eldest treceives disability living allowance and I receive Invalid Carers Allowance.

Ideally we want to divide our time between UK and Cuba and I have already found a school in Miramar that is perfect for the boys.

Can anybody offer any advice on how to do this without my son losing his benefit? I also have a lovely flat in Brighton which I receive housing allowance for, though I'm fairly sure that I will have to give that up..if anyone knows any different, please let me know.

Many thanks, Andrea

Bevdeforges · #2 (**permalink**) 4th April 2008, 10:18 AM

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

Have you taken a look at the Cuban Embassy website in the Uk: consuladoin

It's not terribly clear, but it seems to say that you can only stay in Cuba for 90 days at a time. (Probably it's more clear if you read the Spanish version.)

But I think to keep the disability allowances, you're going to have to maintain your residence in the UK - which may mean that you have to be sure and be physically present in the UK at least 183 days a year.

Hopefully someone with a bit more experience with the various allowances will wander by and fill us in.
Cheers,
Bev

andrea.mcmillan · #3 (**permalink**) 4th April 2008, 10:49 AM

Hi Bev, your right in that its not very clear, I've been to the website numerous times but never seem to find the advice I need!

I'm going to ring the Cuban consul later today and hopefully they'll be able to help me. Meantime if anyone has more info, please get in touch.

Thanks Bev.

Andrea

synthia · #4 (**permalink**) 5th April 2008, 01:03 AM

The Cubans aren't going to have anything to do with your payments. You need to coordinate all that with the agency that provides the payments, and probably notify them every time you leave the country. There was a thread long ago about a man getting stranded because he didn't report that he was leaving for a while, and the payments were stopped. Be sure you research this thoroughly.

I suggest you post in the UK forum and see if anyone there knows anything about collecting these sorts of payments. There are some people there who are expats in other countries offering advice to the dreamers.

andrea.mcmillan · #5 (**permalink**) 5th April 2008, 04:22 AM

Hi Synthia. Thanks for the info..you know, its not really a case of dreaming. I know the Cuban government won't have anything to do with my benefits, they barely look after their own! If it means us staying in Cuba so we can all be together, then so be it..We've already agreed to stay in the UK if thats how it has to be. Whatevers best for my two boys.

Thanks again, Andrea

synthia · #6 (**permalink**) 6th April 2008, 02:11 AM

I´m glad that you realize there are obstacles that may keep you from doing what you want. Unfortunately we see a lot of posts here from people who have their hearts set on things that are going to require a near miracle to accomplish, or at least years of effort.

andrea.mcmillan · #7 (**permalink**) 6th April 2008, 11:00 AM

I know its not going to be easy..the Cuban Consul said we'd have to apply for residents permits and from what I can gather, my sons disability and my carers allowance are allowed as long as we're not out of the country for more than 26 weeks per year. I expected that would be the case, though I still don't know what would happen to my flat..

As for the boys schooling I think that I have to provide their English school with proof that they are being schooled in Cuba. Again this is only sketchy info. Has anybody had experience with this?

Hope someone can help..

Thanks again, Andrea

synthia · #8 (**permalink**) 8th April 2008, 03:49 AM

And you will recieve this money for the whole year, or only while you are in the UK?

oddball · #9 (**permalink**) 8th April 2008, 04:30 PM

The man who got stranded for not notifing he would be out of the country ? There was a lot more than that to it , a person on physical/mental disability , even though deemed 'Long time' by a medical practitioner , is not allowed to leave the country for more than 2 weeks , even if he does report his intentions to the office . To do so means 'Loss of benefits' , dig deep into this part of the equation , his problems started when the council found out he had not lived at his maisonet for quite some time , another violation of the law . Having 'It made' so to speak in England , why would you leave the country , only to struggle and maybe not be able to live there full time ? Cuba ? Colin

andrea.mcmillan · #10 (**permalink**) 8th April 2008, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oddball

The man who got stranded for not notifing he would be out of the country ? There was a lot more than that to it , a person on physical/mental disability , even though deemed 'Long time' by a medical practitioner , is not allowed to leave the country for more than 2 weeks , even if he does report his intentions to the office . To do so means 'Loss of benefits' , dig deep into this part of the equation , his problems started when the council found out he had not lived at his maisonet for quite some time , another violation of the law . Having 'It made' so to speak in England , why would you leave the country , only to struggle and maybe not be able to live there full time ? Cuba ? Colin

Hi Colin. The reason I'm prepared to leave the country is because the man I love is prepared to leave his for me. I may "have it made", tho having a disabled son I really don't think thats the case, but you have to make sacrifices if need be. Both of my children love Cuba and J, so I have no problems with them. As for me, I'd live in a hut as long as we were all happy.

We would have a relatively middle class life in Cuba as my husband to be is involved with property with a friend from Canada. I was just asking if it were possible, and as you've pointed out that its not, we'll just have to decide between all four of us, where its going to be.

I'll let you know our decision.

Andrea