Cuba Visit Visa
A Tourist Card is required. We can assist in processing this document.
Travel Document Type
Pink Tourist Card (Arriving from USA)
Government Fee
USD 0.00
Byevisa Processing Fee
USD 23.00
Processing Time
1 business day
Travel Document Type
Green Tourist Card (Arriving from Outside USA)
Government Fee
USD 0.00
Byevisa Processing Fee
USD 23.00
Processing Time
1 business day
All About the Cuba Tourist Card
Please note that at the time of writing we’re unable to process Cuba Tourist Cards. We offer this helpful information for if you’re planning a trip to this Caribbean island, and for when you can obtain your travel document right here with Byevisa!
Do you intend to visit Cuba as a visitor in the foreseeable future? If so, you’re obliged to acquire a Cuba visa, more commonly called a Tourist Card, ahead of your arrival.
This travel document is valid for 180 days from the date of issue, and enables you to visit for up to 30 days, although you can extend your stay by another 30 days by visiting immigration authorities once you arrive. This travel pass is Single Entry, meaning that you can only enter and exit once with it.
There are 2 kinds of Tourist Card, and which one you apply for depends on where you’re arriving from, rather than your nationality. First, if you’re arriving in Cuba from the USA you’ll apply for the pink card. Please note that, under US law, it’s illegal to travel from the USA to Cuba for tourism, although you can visit for reasons including visiting family, journalism and educational activities. See the 12 valid reasons for visiting below.
Alternatively, if you’re arriving from anywhere else you’ll apply for a green card. In this case, please note that this travel authorisation only allows you to enter this Caribbean island country for leisure and recreational purposes, not business or other activities.
Obtaining your pass with Byevisa is a cinch. Here we’ll guide you through the simple steps for how to apply for a visa to Cuba, and the supporting documents you need. Filling in our online form takes just a few minutes, and you’ll receive your document in your email inbox! Then, you just print it to show to border checkpoint authorities once you arrive.
Contents
What Is the Difference Between a Cuba Visa & a Travel Card?
Some nationalities need a Tourist Card to enter Cuba, while others need a traditional visa. For the full details, please see our ‘Cuba Visa Requirements and Eligibility’ section below.
Also, as we mention above, there are 2 kinds of Tourist Card for this Caribbean country, depending on where you’re arriving from rather than your nationality.
Namely, if you’re flying into Cuba from a United States airport, you apply for a pink card. If you’re arriving from anywhere else, you apply for a green card.
So for example, if you’re an American flying into Cuba from Canada, you apply for a green card even though you’re a US citizen. Yet on the other hand, if you’re a Brit catching a plane into La Habana from the USA, you apply for a pink card as you’re flying in from the USA.
When you apply with Byevisa, be sure to select either the pink card or green card to obtain the right travel authorisation, depending on if you’re arriving from the USA or elsewhere.
Cuba Visa Requirements and Eligibility
Fortunately, the citizens of most of the world’s countries are eligible to apply for the Tourist Card, including the United States, United Kingdom, EU, Australia, New Zealand and Canada*. To find out do you need a visa to go to Cuba, you can use our convenient checker tool here.
*Please note that if you’re from Canada, you’re eligible to stay for 90 days, rather than 30 days like everyone else. So residents of the Great White North can plan an extended stay, with just a single Tourist Card!
As we mention above, it’s illegal to visit Cuba from the USA for tourism. However, you can still apply for a pink card if you’re visiting for one of the following motives, under the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)’s rules:
- Family visits.
- Official business of the US government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organisations.
- Journalistic activity.
- Professional research and professional meetings.
- Educational activities.
- Religious activities.
- Public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions.
- Support for the Cuban people.
- Humanitarian projects.
- Activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes.
- Exportation, importation, or transmission of information or informational materials.
- Certain authorised export transactions.
You’ll also require the following supporting documents to apply:
- An email address to receive your validated travel authorisation.
- A passport with at least 6 months’ validity from your intended exit date.
- Proof of your flights into and out of the country.
- Proof of health insurance for yourself and all your companions for the whole trip. Your health insurance can be issued anywhere except from a US company.
If you’re flying into Cuba from a country at risk of yellow fever, you’ll also need to be vaccinated beforehand. The World Health Organisation (WHO) offers a handy list of countries this applies to, so be sure to check. If you find that you need the vaccine ahead of your trip, consult your doctor.
If you’re a citizen of one of the following countries, you’re not eligible for the Tourist Card and will instead have to apply for a traditional visa. However, you can apply for the Tourist Card, if you’re a citizen of one of these countries and hold a valid residence permit from the US, EU member state or Canada:
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Cameroon
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- India*
- Iran
- Iraq
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- Sri Lanka
- Syria
- Uzbekistan
- Yemen
*Please note that all nationalities travelling to Cuba from India require a traditional visa, not a Tourist Card.
Lastly, citizens of the following countries are exempt from needing a traditional visa to visit Cuba. Lucky you!
- Antigua and Barbuda***
- Barbados****
- Belarus***
- Bosnia and Herzegovina*
- Dominica****
- Grenada**
- Kenya*
- Malaysia*
- Mongolia***
- Montenegro*
- Namibia (undisclosed period)
- North Macedonia*
- Russia*
- Saint Kitts and Nevis***
- Saint Lucia***
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines**
- Serbia*
- Singapore***
- United Arab Emirates*
*for trips of 90 days
**for trips of 60 days
***for trips of 30 days
****for trips of 28 days
Cuba Visa Online Application Process
If you want to know how to get a visa for Cuba, you’ll be pleased to know that obtaining your Tourist Card with Byevisa is as easy as 1-2-3. Just take the following steps:
- Select a green card or pink card. You can see:
- The government’s fee for the Tourist Card (0.00 USD if you’re arriving from the USA with the pink card, 0.00 USD if you’re arriving from elsewhere with the green card).
- Byevisa’s lowest Processing Fee of 23.00 USD.
- Our fastest Processing Time of 1 business day.
- Click “Apply Now” to go to the personal/passport information form, where you enter your details. Among other things, these will include your full name, your intended entry and exit dates, and your passport number. Importantly this also includes whether you’re entering the country from the USA or elsewhere. Find the full list of details to enter below, in our ‘Cuba Visa Forms and Documents’ section. Be sure to enter your details for yourself and everyone you’re travelling with.
- Select which Byevisa service you require, depending on how fast you want your visa. We offer: (1) Standard to obtain your travel pass in 3-5 business days for 23.00 USD, (2) Rapid to get it in 1-3 business days for 27.00 USD, (3) Highly Rapid to get it in 1 business day for 30.00 USD.
- Enter your debit/credit card or PayPal details to pay for your application. There’s a list of the required details below in our ‘Cuba Visa Forms and Documents’ section.
Cuba Travel Visa Forms and Documents
Here are detailed instructions for how to apply for a visa to Cuba with Byevisa:
A. On Byevisa’s personal/passport details page, you enter information such as:
- Your email address, so that we can send you your validated travel pass.
- Your intended arrival and exit dates.
- Your phone number, in case we need to contact you.
- Your full name.
- Your gender (male/female).
- Your nationality, as it appears on your passport.
- Your date of birth.
- The country where you were born.
- The country where you reside.
- Your passport number.
- Your passport’s issue and expiry dates.
If you’re travelling with more people, enter these details for all your companions. You must also do this for minors, even if they’re listed on your passport. To add more than one person’s details to the Cuba visa application form, just click ‘New Applicant’.
B. You then select which Byevisa processing speed you require. We offer the following Cuba visa services:
- Standard service. Get your Tourist Card in 3-5 business days for a 23.00 USD cost.
- Rapid service. Get it in 1-3 business days for just 27.00 USD.
- Highly Rapid service. Get it in just 1 business day for just 30.00 USD.
If you’re in a rush because you’ve already booked your Cuba flights and hotel, yet you’ve left your travel authorisation to the last minute, we recommend that you select our Highly Rapid service. This ensures that you receive your valid pass in a timely manner for your holiday!
C. Lastly, you pay for your application. To do this, just enter the following:
- Your name, as it appears on your credit or debit card.
- Your credit or debit card’s number.
- Your credit or debit card’s expiry date, and issue date if applicable.
- Your credit or debit card’s 3-figure CVC (Card Verification Code) on the back.
Alternatively, you can pay by PayPal. Just click the “PayPal” button, log in with your usual details and follow the steps.
And that’s it! You know now how to get a visa for Cuba. You receive your validated travel authorisation in your email inbox. Print a copy to take with you to show to border checkpoint authorities when you arrive.
Cuba Tourist Visa Status Check
It’s very easy to check the status of your application with Byevisa. Simply scroll up to the menu at the top of this page, and click ‘Log in’. There, enter your details and enquiry.
You can find out if your Tourist Card has been:
- Approved, in which case you’ll have received your Tourist Card in your email inbox. You can also check when your visa was issued, when it expires, and how many days it’s got left.
- Remains pending, which means that we’re still processing it.
- Was rejected, and the reason why if we know.
In particular, if you’ve noticed that you’ve made a mistake on your visa application, please get in touch as soon as possible. We ask, so that we can amend your application before we process it if possible.
However, if you contact us after we’ve already processed your application, you’ll need to begin a new application from scratch and pay the relevant fee.
How Much is a Visa to Cuba?
The government charges 0.00 USD for the Tourist Card. This is to encourage tourism to the island. However, for Byevisa to handle your application and obtain your validated pass, we charge a Processing Fee. This Processing Fee depends on how quickly you want to receive your validated pass in your email inbox.
If you’ve left getting your visa to the last minute, you can obtain it in 1 business days for 30.00 USD. This will ensure that you obtain your travel pass before your flight, to save you heartache. On the other hand, if you’ve thought ahead and are applying for your travel pass in advance, we also offer our Rapid service to get your visa in 1-3 business days for 27.00 USD, and our Standard service to get in 3-5 business days for 23.00 USD.
More Cuba Visa Online Questions and Information
Would you like to learn more about obtaining your Tourist Card, ahead of your trip? If so you’re in luck, as we’ve put together a list of frequently asked questions and answers. If you have any questions that we’ve not answered here, then please get in touch!
