Have your plane tickets been booked? It’s time to take care of the necessary paperwork to enter Cuba.
Which visa is required for Cuba? How can you obtain your Cuba tourist card? What medical insurance certificate is necessary to enter Cuban territory? Captain Ulysses will provide you with all the information!
💡 Planning Your Trip to Cuba 💡
✈️ Flights: To find the best deals on flights, Captain Ulysses highly recommends using Skyscanner or Omio.
🇨🇺 Visa: Before you depart, be sure to apply for your tourist card (which is your visa for Cuba). You can easily order your tourist card online through CubaVisa.
🛏️ Accommodations: To book your accommodations in Cuba, the Captain recommends Expedia.
📸 Activities: To book your activities, the Captain highly recommends Civitatis.
The tourist card, the Visa for Cuba
The tourist card, also referred to as a tourist visa, is the required visa for visiting Cuba. It allows for a maximum stay of 30 days (with the option to renew once) and permits a single entry into the country.
The tourist card is a personal document and carries a cost of €22 / £19 / CAD 32.
Getting your tourist card/visa at the local Cuban Embassy
Be prepared to wait in the small waiting room along with other tourists on the quest for the coveted tourist card for Cuba. Patience is key!
To obtain the tourist card for Cuba, you will need to present the following at the embassy:
- Completed application form
- Passport
- Flight ticket
Credit card payment is accepted.
Getting the tourist card / the visa for Cuba remotely or online
If someone other than the cardholder handles the application at the consulate, an additional fee of €25 / £21 / CAD 37 per card will be charged, except in cases involving a minor or a person with a disability.
You can also apply for your Cuba visa by mail at the consulate, but there will be an additional €25 / £21 / CAD 37 fee for the “non-personal procedure,” along with shipping and delivery charges.
Therefore, it’s more advantageous to utilize an agency that can handle the process for you. The Captain highly recommends CubaVisa.
If you’re traveling with a tour operator approved by the Cuban authorities, they will handle the administrative procedures to obtain the visa for Cuba on your behalf (unless otherwise specified).
Extending your Cuban Tourist Card
Once you’re in Cuba, you have the option to extend your Cuban tourist card for an additional 30 days. To do this, you’ll need to visit the Immigration Office in Havana or one of the major cities in the country.
During the renewal process, you’ll be required to present your passport, health insurance information, flight ticket, and a fiscal stamp valued at 25 CUC.
Keep your tourist card safe
It’s crucial to keep your visa secure throughout your stay in Cuba. The Cuban authorities will check it when you depart from the island.
As a precaution, consider making a photocopy or taking a photo of your Cuban tourist card before traveling to Cuba.
Apart from the Cuban tourist card, the other essential documents
Medical insurance
The administrative requirements for entering Cuba go beyond just the tourist card! The Cuban authorities also require foreign tourists, including children, to present a medical insurance certificate upon entry. You can obtain this certificate online from your insurance provider or through Visa/Mastercard credit card companies. The certificate serves as proof that you are covered for repatriation or hospitalization if needed.
A valid passport
It may sound obvious, but make sure to check the validity of your passport! It would be unfortunate to complete all the necessary paperwork to enter Cuba and then get stuck at the airport due to an expired passport. Your passport must be valid for the entire duration of your stay in Cuba. Children must have their own individual passports as well.
👉 Book now:
✈️ Flights
🇨🇺 Visas
🛏️ Accommodations
📸 Activities
Leave a reply