While most travellers need an official visa or tourist card to visit Cuba, the following countries are exempt.
In most cases, a visa or tourist card is required to travel to Cuba. But of course, some countries have visa-free access to the destination. To be clear, the UK is not one of these countries in the same way that other EU countries are not. On this page we will tell you which countries do and do not have a visa waiver for Cuba.
As mentioned above, most foreign travellers need a visa to enter Cuba. Depending on the type of trip, its purpose and duration, there are different types of visas. The tourist card is the type of visa most often requested by travellers who simply wish to visit the country or spend their holidays there.
The tourist card will allow you to stay in Cuba for 30 consecutive days as a European traveller. One of the advantages of this type of visa is that it can be applied for directly online using a form and a quick procedure.
The visa is a mandatory document for Cuba that concerns most citizens of the world. The online procedure is also available to all international travellers, with a few exceptions, including travellers from Pakistan, Iran, Somalia, Syria, the Philippines, Guinea, Iraq, Cameroon and Kenya. The latter must apply for a visa at the Cuban embassy in their country.
The tourist card can actually be considered a form of visa exemption as it is a simplified procedure for staying in the country. It does not require a visit to the nearest Cuban embassy or consulate. In most cases, it is possible to obtain a tourist card for Cuba in just a few days.
However, there are some exceptions and some trips cannot be applied for online. These include travellers from the United States or from the United States. Depending on the diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States, the formalities for entry from that country may vary. In order to enter Cuba, the traveller must comply with the rules, specifying that their stay is for one of the 11 authorised reasons. The visa required if your trip includes a passage through the United States before going to Cuba is the pink visa.
Several countries have signed bilateral agreements with the Cuban authorities to allow their citizens to travel to Cuba without a visa. However, there are of course maximum length of stay conditions associated with such travel.
This applies in particular to citizens of Barbados or the Dominican Republic and for stays not exceeding 28 days. Citizens of Antigua, Barbuda, Mongolia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Singapore, Russia and Belarus can also travel to Cuba without a visa and for a maximum stay of 30 days.
There is also a visa exemption for citizens residing in Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. They can stay up to 60 days in Cuba without the need for a visa.
Finally, the travellers who can stay in Cuba for the longest period without a visa are those from Benin, Bosnia, Macedonia, Malaysia, Montenegro and Serbia. These citizens can travel to Cuba without a visa for stays of up to 90 consecutive days.
It should be noted that all the nationalities mentioned above in the list of visa-free countries for Cuba are still required to have a valid passport when travelling to the country.
Also, if you are not one of the nationalities listed above, you will need to have a residence permit such as a tourist card or business visa to travel to Cuba.
If you are not a national of a visa-exempt country to enter Cuba, you will need to obtain a visa before travelling to that country. There are several ways to obtain a visa for Cuba, but the easiest way is to apply for a Cuban visa online. Here are the steps to follow to obtain a visa for Cuba online:
It is important to note that requirements and processes may vary depending on your nationality and the length of your trip to Cuba, so it is always advisable to check details with the relevant Cuban authorities and consult a travel advisor for more details.
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.
The UK is not a visa-free country for Cuba. However, you will not need to apply for a traditional visa at the Cuban embassy or consulate in order to visit the country as a tourist. You can apply for a tourist card online in a simple procedure in a few minutes from our partner's website.
Apart from the visa or tourist card discussed in this article, most travellers wishing to visit Cuba are required to have a valid passport which is valid for a minimum of seven months after their arrival date in the country.
The tourist card offered to travellers who wish to visit Cuba for tourism purposes is of course a form of legal residence permit for Cuba. However, it differs from the traditional visa in that it is applied for directly online and without the need to visit a Cuban embassy or consulate in the traveller's home country.
