Travellers from most European countries need a valid tourist visa to visit Cuba. In order to be eligible for this visa, a series of requirements must be fulfilled. Furthermore, all travellers must fill in the D'Viajeros immigration form before departure.

Apply for your tourist visa for Cuba

Exempted nationalities

Most travellers visiting Cuba need to hold an electronic visa. Only nationals of Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Russia or Serbia are exempted from this requirement, as they may stay in Cuba for 90 days (or 30, in the case of Belarus) without visa. Travellers with Kosovan nationality are not allowed to travel to Cuba, not even for a stop over.

If you want to travel to Cuba, you have double nationality and one of your nationalities is the Cuban or the American (USA) one, you might be subject to different norms and requirements. If you are in one of these two situations, you are advised to consult the Cuban embassy in your country of residence. You will be informed about the rules and requirements applying in your situation.

Reason for travel and validity

As the name suggests, the touristic visa for Cuba is an authorisation permitting to travel for tourism. The tourist visa can be used for a holiday or for a city trip to Cuba. If you do not fulfill the requirements of the Cuba visa because you have a different travel purpose or because you travel to Cuba to study, for an internship or for any other professional purpose, you will have to apply for your visa at the Cuban embassy.

The e-visa has a validity period of 90 days. This period begins on the moment you arrive in Cuba. You may extend the validity of your visa one time, once you are in Cuba. If you need further information regarding this, check the page about the validity of the e-visa for Cuba.

The visa to stay with family or friends

An e-visa does not allow you to stay with family or friends. If you want to do this, you need to apply for a visa familiar or "family visa". Officially, the tourist visa for Cuba allows you to stay only in recognised State hotels, the so-called casas particulares. The tourist visa for Cuba does allow you to travel to the country and ask for a visa familiar in the 24 hours after your arrival to the country, at one of the Immigration Services offices. The cost is 40 USD, and you will need to pay with stamps that you buy in a bank or post office in Cuba. The visa familiar allows you a stay of 90 days.

The visa familiar for Cuba has not the same requirements as the tourist visa. For instance, the family or friends in whose house you will stay must also submit a series of documents. The visa familiar cannot be applied for via this website. If you intend to apply for an e-visa for Cuba and then for a visa familiar on your arrival to Cuba, you should make sure before departure that you fulfill the requirements for both visas.

Filling in the D’Viajeros form

The tourist visa that you will obtain if you apply via e-Visa.co.uk must be activated via the D'Viajeros form. You will receive a reminder email 7 days before your arrival in Cuba. Check the page with the explanation about how to fill in the D'Viajeros form if you need more info about how to do it and what data you need to fill in.

Passport requirements for Cuba

You need to hold a valid passport in order to travel and stay in Cuba. Your passport must have a minimum residual validity of 6 months on the day you leave Cuba. Therefore, make sure your passport will stay valid and renew it on time for your trip if necessary. Minors mus also travel with their own passport.

First night in Cuba

Before arriving in Cuba, you must have already reserved your first night of accomodation in the country. On the immigration form D'Viajeros you will need to enter a series of data regarding your first accomodation. The e-visa only allows you to stay in State hotels and in casas particulares.

Luggage and customs

Anyone travelling to Cuba can check in two pieces of luggage of a maximum of 32 kg each. However, your can't just take anything to Cuba, some products are subject to certain requirements. Learn more about the customs regulations in Cuba and the list of regulated and forbidden products on the Cuban government web page.

Requirements on arrival to Cuba

If you enter Cuba on a visa, they will take a number of biometric data, like photos of your face, for instance. Bear in mind that you might have to wait a certain time before your biometrics are taken and you are allowed to pass through customs.

Cuba and the ESTA

The United States has included Cuba in the list of states that sponsor terrorism. As a consequence, if you have been in Cuba after 11 January 2021, you will not be able to apply for an ESTA anymore, regardless of whether this stay was only a stopover or a long period. If you had an ESTA before travelling to Cuba, this document will be invalidated after your visit to the island. If you have been in Cuba after 11 January 2021 and want to travel to the US, you will need a visa. You need to apply for it at the US embassy or consulate in your country.