Travel Requirements for Cuba – How do I get my Cuban visa or Tourist Card?
How do I get a visa for Cuba? There is a lot of confusion about this but its not as hard as it seems.
First up – its called a Tourist Card. The details of how to get a Tourist Card and who needs what, the rules and impacts of getting a visa follow – dont be put off by how long this is, it is not hard – you just need to be aware of a few things!
Can anyone go to Cuba?
In a word, YES – almost! People from Kosovo cannot enter Cuba as Cuba does not recognise it as a country.
Do I need a visa or Tourist Card?
Most nationalities require a visa – known as a tourist card but there are some exceptions.
The nationalities that do not need a visa are currently (2024) the following (but please check as this may change):
Entry for 28 days without a visa.
- Barbados
- Dominica
Entry for 30 days without a visa.
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Belarus
- Mongolia
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Singapore
Entry for 60 days without a visa.
- Grenada
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Entry for 90 days without a visa.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Malaysia
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Russia
- Serbia
Namibia also does not need a visa but there is no timeframe given – probably best to assume the worst at 28 days.
Is there a problem with the USA if I go to Cuba?
YES.
If you are not a US citizen and go to Cuba but want to visit the US at any time afterwards, there is a small problem.
Since January 2021 the USA has designated Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST). This means if you visit or have visited Cuba on or after this date you cannot travel under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) using an ESTA, and must apply for a visa to travel to the United States. More details are provided by US Customs and Border Protection.
Can I fly to Cuba from the USA?
YES.
There are a lot of flights from the US to Cuba – around 250 a month from Miami alone. You can also fly direct from Houston, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale.
You can also fly direct to Havana from Cancun, Merida, Monterray and Mexico City in Mexico, Panama City, Bogota in Colombia, Buenos Aires in Argentina, Montreal in Canada, Frankfurt, Rome, Milan, Moscow and Zurich in Europe, Istanbul in Turkey, and many Caribbean countries.
Are there restrictions on people flying from the USA to Cuba?
YES.
You can travel to Cuba from the US, however travelling for tourism purposes directly from the US to Cuba is not allowed under US law.
This applies to US nationals and all foreign nationals who are either resident in the US, or travelling through the US en-route to Cuba on any airline.
If you are travelling to Cuba from the US you must comply with US law and travel for one of the 12 authorised categories of travel. Tourism is not one of these 12 categories. Most people use the category Supporting the Cuban People.
If you are travelling to Cuba from other countries such as Canada or Mexico, you are not affected by this US legislation.
What Does Supporting the Cuban People Mean?
The vast majority of people flying from the USA to Cuba are visiting to “Support the Cuban People.”
This means you stay at casa peculiares, you take language or dance classes at private schools, you eat at paladares (private / home restaurants), you visit private farms or businesses, you go to private museums and art galleries where you talk to the artists, and you spend time talking to and getting to know our casa particular hosts etc. Hence you are there supporting the Cuban people – you are definitely not a tourist!!
Where do I get my Cuban Visa / Tourist Card?
There are four ways to get your Cuba Tourist Card.
1. At the Airport
The easiest way to get your Tourist Card is at the airport. The majority of airlines with direct flights to Cuba have this available at the airport.
For example, you can get your Tourist Card at the airport if you are flying with American Airlines or Delta Air Lines out of Miami Int’l Airport (MIA) or flying with Southwest out of Tampa International Airport (TPA) or Ft. Lauderdale International Airport (FLL). You can also get your Tourist Card at Cancun and Mexico City airports if you are flying with Aeromexico.
Please check before you fly in case this changes.
2. At a Cuban embassy
If you have a Cuban Embassy in your country you can get your visa there. Contact the embassy for the process in your country.
3. From a Travel agent
If you are using a travel agent, most can obtain the visa for you.
4. From an online visa service – including Airlines
Finally, if you want to have the tourist Card ahead of time you can get one through an online visa portal or through the airline. Its very easy – google for your country and you will find a company. Costs vary depending on how you do this. You will need to apply days in advance as the Tourist Card is a document that must be physically sent to you – not an online approval.
If you are flying with American Airlines, it costs $85 to do the visa online and $125 at the airport, so this can save you money too!
The Tourist Card for people flying from the USA is pink.
For people flying from any other country the Tourist Card is green.
You must select what type of card you need when applying online. Make sure you select the right one.
Pink Tourist Cards cost more – $50-120 as compared to $20-50 for the green ones.
Please note when you get your Tourist Card:
Do not detach the two sections of the Tourist Card.
Do not lose the Tourist Card – like I did in Cuba. You need to show it again when you leave. Luckily I must be charming and wiggled my way out of it.
How to get your tourist card at the airport
At the airport go to check in as per usual. Use the self service kiosks and go through the normal questions (did you pack your bags etc). There will be one extra question asking for the reason you are travelling to Cuba. Unless you genuinely have another reason eg visiting friends and family, or education ( and by the way – going to language school does not count as education), choose Supporting the Cuban People.
Get your boarding pass and bag tags and continue to bag drop. On the way to bag drop (all of 5 meters away) there is a desk with (in my case) perfectly friendly officers who will be very happy to relive you of around $125 for your visa, explain to you how to fill in the visa, and send you on your way to drop off your bag. Done. Easy!
Note: This may be slightly different at different airports but in essence it is all set up to be easy for you.
Are there any other restrictions on US Citizens?
YES.
If you are American, you are supposed to have a full-time (six hours per day on weekdays) schedule of approved activities that fit your category of ‘Supporting the Cuban people.’ You are also not allowed to visit the places, buy from the companies, or stay in the hotels that are named on the Restricted List published by the US Department of State.
Finally, you are supposed to keep receipts showing where you have been and what you did for five years as the US government has the right to ask for them for that long! Clearly you can make a small diary accounting for the time during your stay, but I have not heard or seen anything to say that you will be questioned more than as to how many cigars you may have.
What happens when I return to the US from Cuba?
Returning to the USA was simple. This may have been because I am a foreign national (not a US citizen or passport holder), or because it was late in the evening, but I have not heard of any hassles with anyone else and certainly the US citizens I saw from my plane were having no issues either.
This was my conversation with the immigration officer:
”Where have you been?”
”Cuba.”
”Ok.” (As he waved me through.)
”Thanks.”
I have heard of Americans being asked as to how many cigars etc they may have and they should be prepared for questions and proof of their support for the Cuban people. Have a diary of notes of where you stayed, private farmers, tour guides, paladores (restaurants), artists etc that you meet, spoke to and supported. Make sure you have no evidence or do not mention any of the places on the Restricted List.
Summary
Its not hard to get your visa or Tourist Card to Cuba. The easiest way is probably at the airport. If you are not a US citizen and want to visit the US after your trip to Cuba you will not be able to use the ESTA electronic visa system and will have to apply for a visa.