The visa for Cuba is rather controversial since there isn’t much information about it on the internet. So here’s my attempt at dispelling all doubts regarding entry requirements into Cuba for Indians.
We travelled to Cuba in January 2012. Since we flew in from Mexico, we were able to purchase what they call a tourist card. This costed us 250 Mexican Pesos (approximately USD 20). The tourist card is available to anyone regardless of nationality. You simply buy it, fill in your details and you’re ready to arrive in Cuba. Present it at immigration in Cuba and they’ll let you in with a stamp on it. You need to keep this card with you until you leave Cuba.
The tourist card acts as your visa for Cuba.
You can also purchase the tourist card on board most flights to Cuba. If you’re flying in from another location, make sure you confirm with the airline that they do indeed have the cards available.
If not, you can also purchase them just before immigration when you arrive at Havana airport.
Just be careful to not make any mistakes while filling in your card. If you make an error, you will need to purchase a new card.
So there you have it. No prior visa is required for Indians (or anyone else) traveling to Cuba. All you need is your passport, USD 20, and the spirit to enjoy a country that is truly unique in this day and age of globalization!
Note: You will have to pay a 25 CUC (25 USD) departure tax when you leave Cuba. Everyone has to pay this at the airport, there are ATMs and currency exchange Cadeca’s at the airport – the counter does not accept cards though.
It is not possible to buy the tourist card on most flights. Most airlines do not allow you to board without a tourist card.
Hi Andrew. Most flights leaving from latin america will sell you a tourist card. Also, like I mentioned in the above post, you can actually buy it at the airport in Havana when you arrive. You just need to convince the airline of this little detail ;) I’m sure it can be done as they can call Havana airport and confirm in the worst case scenario. You just have to be confident of the info you have, and my info is 100% accurate at the time of writing.
Hi Ashray,
Thank you for the information. I have a Chinese passport, live in San Francisco (not a us resident). Do you mean I have to go to Mexico CIty/other cities in Mexico to get a tourist card for Cuba? I don’t really mind and if that’s the only option.
And do they sell in the airport? or on the plane?
Thanks again for helping..
Q
Hi Qinghui
They actually do sell the tourist card on arrival in Havana airport (the counters are right before immigration). The only issue is convincing your airline that you’ll buy one when you get there. (some airlines are very picky about things like this..).
Since you’re in the US, you can’t actually fly directly to Cuba. This means you’ll either go through Canada or Mexico. Wherever you go through – you should be able to buy the card at the airport failing which you can always buy it when you arrive at Havana airport. I don’t think they sell cards in-flight but it’s definitely a possibility – usually they’ll sell it to you at the check-in counter at the airport of your departure.
Hope this helps! Enjoy your travels in Cuba!
Hi Ashray,
Thank you for the reply. So you mean no need to apply for visa in advance? What is said on the Cuban Embassy website is totally useless. I emailed them also and they replied with a form and instruction in spanish that I need to fill out…
If I buy my tickets online, I don’t think they check whether I have a visa or not so it should be fine.
Again thanks for helping.
Q
I’m quite sure that nobody (regardless of nationality) needs to apply for a visa in advance as long as you buy the tourist card.
Also, it’s not when you buy your tickets that the airlines hassle you. It’s at the check-in counter that they usually check your documents. However, if you’re flying through Canada or Mexico, they will sell you the tourist card right there.
As a Chinese national, I think you’re also exempt from the departure tax in Cuba – not totally sure about that though.
What’s it like? I have spent a grand total of 4 weeks in Cuba. 2 one week and atnoher 2 weeks atnoher time. I lived like a native not a tourist.Cuba is a very poor country. It looks unkepted. Most homes look like they are falling apart. There is nothing to buy in the stores. The cars look like wrecks. The sidewalks are busted up. And everyone wears jeans.Life is dreary in Cuba. The place shutsdown at night. There is nothing to do. Entertainment on TV is poor. About the only thing to look forward to in Cuba is rerun of old American TV shows or movies.There are no commercial ads anywhere. Not on the streets or TV or radio. You go place to place and the only ads you do see are political slogans. There is no commercialism. No McDonalds or Burger Kings or Starbucks.Many women try to score with foriegn men in the hope that they can marry their way ou of Cuba. And many men try their best to sell tourist something like cigars.Cuba reminds me of Haiti. I have been in Haiti and you see the same desperation.
The question isn’t eenlrtiy clear. Personal safety risks are insignificant as Cuba is one of the safest countries in the region. Risks associated to the U.S. legislation on Cuba (assuming you are a citizen or a legal permanent resident) would apply only insofar as you are caught violating the Helms-Burton Act, which doesn’t explicitly prohibit travel to Cuba, but prohibits any commercial transactions (including basic purchases while in Cuba) without the expressed consent by the OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) in Miami.The chance of being denied entry into Cuba by Cuban authorities are nil, provided that you have a valid travel document, that you fill out a tourist card, and that you don’t carry prescribed substances or pose a threat to Cuban security.
Hi Ashray
Thank you for your helpful post. I am an Indian passport holder planning to travel to Cuba from the UK. Do any of the airlines give out tourist cards.
many thanks
Prathima – Thomas Cook and other tour operators include the tourist card in their prices. Scheduled airlines, I hear that Virgin sell them close to check-in. Otherwise you need to buy the tourist card in advance – from the Cuban consulate, or there is an online agency in the UK.
As Ashray says, if travelling to Cuba as a tourist, you just need the tourist card which can be bought at most gateway airports in Latin America (or gets given out on the planes from Canada) – it is more complicated if coming from Europe.
My situation is a little different. I am currently in the process of getting my GC and am planning to go to Cuba next month. Will this affect my process of getting my GC? Will they decline it because I went to Cuba? And if the answer is, how will they know that I went to Cuba since I won’t have a Cuban stamp on my passport, then my question would be that there would be two entry stamps on my passport, how would I explain the second stamp to them? Especially since I’m pretty sure they’ll keenly look through my passport since I’m brown and not a US Citizen. I really want to go, but I’ve been getting very contradictory answers during my research.
I think you’re being super paranoid. First of all, I believe the US embargo on citizens/residents traveling to Cuba was partially lifted earlier this year. However, I’m not an expert on US law by any measure so do please google this info.
Where are you entering Cuba from ? Mexico for example does not stamp your passport on exit. So if you go through Mexico, there’s no evidence of when you left the country. The airline takes your entry slip and that serves as proof that you’ve left. There’s no evidence of when.
Also, the likelihood of a US immigration officer noticing that you have two entry stamps is extremely low. Especially if those stamps are of a 3rd country. Different countries have different rules regarding stamping your passport and these are not standardized across the world. However, your story should be believable.
Besides, back to the main point. Why would you get into any trouble if it’s not illegal for you to travel to Cuba (do the restrictions apply to US citizens or US residents as well ?) ? :)
“I think you’re being super paranoid. First…”
Yes, I’ve done research on the embargo being partially lifted. It is still a difficult process, you need to get a license, costs more money, and there are way too many restrictions of what you can and cannot do. I do not believe it is worth the effort and money to get a license to travel to Cuba and then have restrictions to top it off. Don’t you? I mean IT IS a vacation. I am not traveling there with an agenda or for work.
“Where are you entering Cuba from ? Mexico…”
I am entering Cuba from Mexico.
“Also, the likelihood of a US immigration officer noticing…”
Your answer relieves me a bit. I pretty much have my entire life here in US – everyone who I love is here, so loosing my GC would be the end of my life (not really, but… you know what I mean :).
“Besides, back to the main point. Why would…”
The restriction apparently applies to everyone who is subject to US jurisdiction which includes all the residents of United States – Citizens, Permanent Residents, US Immigrants, Nonimmigrant aliens, etc.
Thank You Ashray for your help and answering my questions :) Do let me know if you have any other tips.
CuriousK – I don’t know what a GC is, but also you don’t say what is your current status.
GC = Green card. I’m not sure what you mean when you “don’t say what is your current status”? You mean don’t talk about it to the immigration officers?
Sorry – of course !
No – I mean are you in the US on a visa already ? If so, then depending on what visa, travel to Cuba might be prohibited. If not, then I can’t see what concern they could have of what you did before.
I have no idea if they examine your passport in any detail. You really need to find others who have gone through that process.
I thought so, but just making sure.
I used to be on a visa, but currently I am on EAD, which makes it legal for me to live and work in US until they approve my GC. Which is what makes it hard for me to research about traveling to Cuba under my category. I practically don’t have a status in US but… I do, if that makes any sense? I am neither living in US on visa nor as a permanent resident/citizen, its a grey area. But like I said in reply to Ashray’s message – Any US resident, regardless of their status is restricted to travel to Cuba since they are all subject to US jurisdiction. This is the reason why I am just a tad bit afraid of going to Cuba.
I’ve read quiet a few posts where they say it can possibly affect the outcome of your residency, but they doubt that it actually affects the results. Here’s an article about a nonimmigrant – visa status (not the same category as me, but I think it might work): http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2251675.
Thanks for sharing, Ashray, this post is very helpful.
I’m still a little paranoid about the airlines being okay with this. I’m an Indian citizen in the US on a visa. If I want to fly to Cuba through Mexico, should I first obtain a Mexican visa? In general, I do need a visa to visit Mexico and have obtained one in the past. Do I need one in this case, too? Will the airlines check me in at San Francisco airport if I don’t have a Mexican visa? Thanks!
If you have a US visa you DO NOT need a visa for Mexico, in general. I don’t know when you last visited Mexico but visa free travel for Indians with US Visas has been in place for a couple of years now. This is clearly stated on the Mexico Embassy website. http://embamex.sre.gob.mx/india/index.php/en/consular-section/visas (this regulation also applies to tourist visas meaning if you have any class of US visa, you can enter Mexico without a visa).
So in summary, you do not need a Mexico or Cuba visa in advance. Just go and have fun :)
i am indianpassport holder residing in india… so what should i do to get my tourist visa for cuba???
Ankita,
The answer is in the post!
If you have any specific questions that we could help with, let us know!