Tips, documents and requirements for a trip to Cuba

Before traveling to Cuba, it is important to know the documentation and requirements. Depending on whether you are from Argentina, Chile, Spain or Colombia, the following steps may vary. Here are some tips to prepare for your trip.

Below you will find an index with all the points we will cover in this article.

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Required documents

All foreign citizens wishing to enter Cuba must have basic travel documents such as a valid passport, visa, health insurance, etc. to carry with you. These are the documents you must have to travel to the country.

This document must have at least six months validity from the date of entry and at least one blank page to place the visa. If you are traveling to Cuba for work, you do not need to bring them with you:

• Under 16 years of age from Germany with a child ID card
• Travelers with a seaman's book o Maritime Book and are on duty
• Travelers with a laissez-passez issued by the United Nations and you are on duty
• Persons with travel documents for refugees and persons without citizenship or nationality, if the document guarantees the return to their country of origin

The rest of the people must present their passport.

Health insurance

It is mandatory to take out travel insurance that covers medical expenses and is issued by recognized insurance companies in Cuba.

It can be purchased upon arrival in Cuba at a travel agency in the country of origin, online or at the airport or port of entry.

Visa

Most travelers must apply for a visa to enter Cuba. There are some exceptions to this requirement, including the following:

• Citizens of Granada who will not stay in the country for more than 90 days
• Persons from Liechtenstein and Malaysia whose stay does not exceed 90 days
• Citizens of Ukraine do not stay longer than 30 days and travel for health reasons
• Nicaraguans, provided they are on an official mission

Depending on the purpose for which the trip is made, there are the following types of visas:

Tourist Visa

As in other cases, you must have a passport with a minimum validity of six months from the date of entry and at least one blank page. However, it is not necessary to send it, since the visa is a tourist card issued outside the passport.

A photocopy of the passport, round-trip flight and hotel reservation or the complete address of the private address where the person will stay are required.

This visa is valid for a single entry into the country for a maximum period of thirty days, renewable for additional XNUMX days at the immigration authorities.

Remember that if you are coming from Venezuela, in addition to the visa, you must request the CADIVI travel quota, which will provide the necessary documents between 30 and 5 working days before the travel date.

Business visa

It is necessary to apply to the Embassy of Cuba to appear at the consulate after its approval. The documents that must be presented or sent are:

• Original passport
• Original photo, printed on photo paper, with white background, passport size and less than six months old
• Letter of presentation from the company on which the applicant depends

Family visa

For spouses or children of Cuban citizens of other nationalities who wish to travel to Cuba and stay with their relatives.

You will need a passport, a photo, a form and a photocopy of the marriage or birth certificate that guarantees the relationship with the Cuban citizen.

Other visas

There are other types of permits such as the journalist visa, student visa or event visa. Information on this can be obtained from the Cuban Consulate. You can access their website by clicking on link.

Methods and costs for issuing the visa

This document can be obtained at the Consulate. Previously, in the case of a business visa, an application must be made to the Cuban Embassy.

If this is done remotely, the required documents must be sent in an envelope with sufficient stamps and the return address for the passport or visa.

The cost of each visa varies depending on the type and country of origin from which it is requested. In the case of the tourist visa it costs about dollars 20.

On the other hand, if the request is made by mail or through a third party, a consular fee will be charged. Payment must be made in cash (if the visa is requested directly at the consulate) or via a bank certificate (means of payment to ensure viability and liquidity when delivering money in foreign currency).

Other requirements

It is not a problem if you want to travel to the country with children. In this case, they must be part of the passport of their parents or have one of their own.

Even if minors appear in their parents' passports, they must apply for their own tourist card or tourist visa.

However, if you want to travel with a pet, you must request an official export certificate from the consulate.

For this purpose, the following documentation must be submitted:

• Pet passport with current vaccinations
• Health certificate for the travel of the animal by a veterinarian
• Health certificate
• a photocopy of the passport of the person who will travel with the animal

The ways to apply for it are the same as in the case of the visa for the person. Likewise, you must pay a consular fee.

Means of transport

The most convenient way to Cuba is by plane. Currently there are commercial and scheduled flights from most countries in the world, including the United States. The main airport in the country is Jose MartI International Airport in Havana.

On the other hand, you can take a cruise to Cuba from Europe or America, where this country is one of the stops on the itinerary. However, there are still no ships that go directly there. In a short time, however, you will have the opportunity to arrive with ferry for residents of the United States.

Both the ports and the airports are well connected to the cities by roads. The most recommended way to get from one point to another on the island is by cab. Also, don't forget that you can find customs agents in both places.