Prepare your trip to Cuba efficiently by completing the necessary formalities and entry requirements for this country.
While Cuba is a dream tourist destination for many travellers, a trip to this country requires certain formalities and conditions to be met. To help you better prepare your trip to Cuba, we suggest you find out what these requirements are, what documents you will need for your trip and other legal specificities for travellers to this country.
Let's first look at the official documents and proofs required to travel to Cuba. Indeed, to travel to Cuba, you will need two main documents, namely a passport and a tourist card or visa.
As far as the passport is concerned, every traveller to Cuba, including minors under 18, must have a passport in their name. It is not possible to travel to Cuba with a simple national identity card, as the country is not part of the European Union. The passport must be valid for the duration of the stay in Cuba, but also for 7 months from the date of entry into the country.
In addition to this passport, entry into Cuba requires a visa. For business travellers, a business visa is required and for tourist travellers, a tourist card. As we will see below, this card is requested directly online from a specialised website, by filling in a simple form and will allow you to stay in Cuba for 30 days. It should be noted that it is not possible to apply for this visa directly on site and that this procedure must therefore be carried out before your departure. Minors are also concerned by the visa to Cuba.
For minor children travelling to Cuba, other documents may be requested by the authorities upon arrival in the country. For example, if a child is travelling to Cuba accompanied by only one parent, it will be necessary to provide an exit permit signed by the other parent. As mentioned above, children must also carry their own passports in addition to the form signed by one of the parents with parental authority and a photocopy of the signing parent's identity document.
It will also be essential for travellers to Cuba to have travel insurance. Indeed, this country is one of the countries that require a document attesting to the subscription to a travel insurance policy in order to cover medical expenses and assistance in case of repatriation. It should be noted that some Visa or Mastercard bank cards include this type of insurance directly; otherwise, you will have to take out such an insurance policy with a private insurer.
A certificate of insurance will be required if you wish to extend your stay in Cuba beyond 30 days. Moreover, this insurance will clearly be indispensable in case of health problems in the country, given the very high costs of health care facilities.
Whether you want to travel to Cuba for business or tourism, you can apply for a visa directly online.
Of course, it is always possible to obtain a tourist card from the Cuban consulate or embassy, either in person or by mail. To do this, you must first present your passport and the flight ticket or a certificate from the airline or travel agency with which you are travelling. If you are applying by post, don't forget to add a stamped envelope with the current postage for the return of the documents. If you are unable to go to the consulate in person, you will have to pay an additional €25.
As part of a tour package to Cuba, your travel agency may take care of the application process for a tourist card.
Finally, the easiest way to obtain a visa for Cuba quickly is to apply online through a service provider like the one we recommend on this page. All you have to do is fill in a simple online form with your identity details, contact details and passport number. You will also need to upload a copy of your ID in digital format and without going to the office.
The processing time for this online Cuba visa application is extremely fast as it never takes more than 3 working days. You will therefore be able to receive your visa for Cuba as soon as possible.
The visa for Cuba, which you can obtain online, will allow you to stay in the country for 30 days. However, if you wish to stay longer than one month in Cuba, it is also possible to extend this period by another 30 days.
To do this, you must go to one of the Cuban immigration offices. You will be able to fill in a visa extension request by bringing your passport, your insurance certificate as well as your return ticket and a 25 CUP tax stamp.
Of course, you cannot stay in the country for longer than two months and must leave the country after 60 days.
Adeline HARMANT
As a web writer and globetrotter with a passion for travel and tourism, I have acquired in-depth knowledge of the procedures that are essential for travellers. I help travellers to complete all the formalities required for a successful trip, particularly when it comes to obtaining a visa online. With several years' experience in this field, I'd like to offer you some valuable advice to help you discover the world with complete peace of mind.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to travel to Cuba with a simple identity card. As Cuba is a country outside the European Union, you will need a passport in your name which will be valid for 7 months after the date of arrival in the country in order to travel there.
It is no longer necessary to go to the Cuban embassy or consulate to complete the necessary formalities to obtain a visa. Indeed, there are now sites offering online tourist card application services, such as our partner's site, which allows you to complete this process in a few minutes without having to travel.
It is possible to travel to Cuba via the United States, but in this case you will not be able to use a simple tourist card and will have to apply for a specific visa with higher fees. This is one of the specificities and peculiarities of the tourist card or online visa for Cuba.
