Cuba Switches to eVisa from 6 May 2024: What You Need to Know
Cuba will replace traditional tourist cards with an eVisa starting 6 May 2024, streamlining entry for visitors.
Starting 6 May 2024, Cuba will replace its traditional paper tourist cards (green and pink) with a modern eVisa system. Announced at the FITCuba 2024 travel trade fair following earlier speculation, the move reflects Cuba’s adaptation of consular services to the digital era.
According to Cuba’s Minister of Tourism Juan Carlos García Granda, this rollout will be gradual, with full deployment expected by the end of June 2024.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCs3GqaxKu0
What Is the eVisa and Why Now?
The introduction of the Cuba eVisa aims to increase efficiency and security. Travellers will be able to complete their legal entry requirements entirely online from any connected device. Designed to shorten border wait times and reduce administrative delays, the eVisa should improve the visitor experience while enhancing border controls.
https://twitter.com/CubaMINREX/status/1786075998150103275
Details of the document type and the official application site have not yet been released. If the eVisa follows the format of the current tourist card, it will likely grant stays of up to 90 days, extendable on the island for the same period.
Unanswered Questions Remain
No official fee has been announced, but the government will likely refrain from setting a price far above the current US$25 charged for the physical tourist card, especially after recent backlash over Sri Lanka’s Visa e-Visa hike. Another key issue: how will travellers pay the fee, given most Western banks do not process transactions with Cuban entities? Options may include using local embassies or approved travel agencies.
Based on screenshots shared by the minister, the new eVisa will be a QR code that can be displayed on a phone screen or printed. The existing D’Viajeros entry declaration—mandatory until now—could still be required, though both forms share overlapping data fields.
An unresolved concern: will the eVisa keep travel to the U.S. straightforward? Travellers who have visited Cuba since 2021 must apply for a full U.S. visitor visa instead of using the ESTA system. For years, this rule has led to countless ESTA rejections for Europeans. Some travellers once tried to circumvent it by requesting blank stamps on loose sheets of paper at Cuban airports 😅
Can Cuba’s Tourism Bounce Back?
While Cuba’s tourism recovered in 2023, the sector continued to feel the drag of ongoing international pressures. The new eVisa could simplify entry, making Cuba more accessible and boosting its appeal to international visitors—key steps in reviving its battered travel industry.
