Cuba Visa

Cuba — Visa Overview

About Cuba

Cuba is one of the world's most extraordinary · genuinely unique · and endlessly fascinating travel destinations — the largest island in the Caribbean and one of the most captivating nations in the Western Hemisphere · a country that has preserved a way of life · an urban landscape · a musical culture · and a human energy unlike anything else on earth. Frozen in a particular moment of history yet simultaneously vibrant · evolving · and intensely alive · Cuba offers the international traveller an experience of such singular authenticity and beauty that it leaves an impression unlike any other destination in the world.

Havana — one of the world's most captivating · atmospheric · and visually extraordinary capitals — stuns every visitor with its incomparable collection of crumbling yet magnificently beautiful colonial architecture · ranging from the Baroque grandeur of the Cathedral de San Cristóbal and the elegant neoclassical proportions of the El Capitolio to the extraordinary Art Deco and Art Nouveau buildings of Centro Habana and the faded Moorish splendour of the Vedado neighbourhood. The legendary fleet of vintage 1950s American automobiles — Chevrolets · Buicks · Cadillacs · and Fords in every colour of the rainbow · perfectly maintained and cruising the wide Malecón boulevards with a style and panache that has become one of the defining images of Cuba — are as extraordinary in person as any photograph has ever suggested. Old Havana — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved colonial city centres in the Americas — is a labyrinth of cobblestoned plazas · baroque churches · colonial palaces · and vibrant street life that rewards every hour of wandering with new discoveries of extraordinary beauty and character.

The Malecón — Havana's extraordinary eight-kilometre seafront promenade where the entire life of the city seems to gather at sunset — fishermen · lovers · musicians · children · and old men playing dominoes — is one of the most atmospheric and emotionally moving public spaces in the world. The music of Cuba — son · salsa · rumba · cha-cha-chá · bolero · and jazz — pours from every doorway · bar · and plaza at all hours of the day and night · a living tradition of extraordinary vitality and beauty that produced some of the 20th century's finest musical artists and continues to generate remarkable talent to this day. The Buena Vista Social Club — the legendary gathering of veteran Cuban musicians whose rediscovery in the 1990s introduced their extraordinary music to the world — is just one chapter in a musical story of incomparable richness.

Beyond Havana · Cuba reveals an island of extraordinary natural beauty and cultural diversity. Trinidad — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved Spanish colonial towns in the Americas — enchants with its pastel-coloured colonial houses · cobblestoned streets · magnificent 18th-century mansions built on sugar wealth · and the extraordinary Valle de los Ingenios stretching beyond the town. Viñales — a UNESCO Cultural Landscape in the far west — dazzles with its extraordinary limestone mogotes rising dramatically from a flat valley floor of tobacco fields and royal palm trees · creating one of the most distinctive and beautiful landscapes in the Caribbean. The beach resorts of Varadero · Cayo Coco · and Cayo Santa María offer pristine white-sand beaches and turquoise waters of the highest quality. Santiago de Cuba — the country's second city and the cradle of the Cuban revolution · of son music · and of Afro-Cuban culture — rewards every visitor with an intensity and authenticity of Cuban life that even Havana cannot quite match. Cuba is a destination of extraordinary · irreplaceable · and genuinely unique beauty — a country where the people · the music · the architecture · and the sheer human vitality of everyday life create an experience that is wholly unlike anywhere else on earth.

What is a Cuba Tourist Card?

Cuba does not issue traditional eVisas for tourism. Instead · all visitors to Cuba for tourism purposes require a Tourist Card — also known as the Tarjeta del Turista — a lightweight paper document that functions as a visa and must be obtained before travel. The Tourist Card is not a sticker placed in the passport — it is a separate paper card that is surrendered to Cuban immigration upon arrival and is not returned. The portion retained by the traveller serves as proof of legal entry and must be kept safely for the duration of the stay and presented upon departure.

Important — Travel Health Insurance Mandatory:
Cuba is one of the very few countries in the world that requires proof of valid travel health insurance as a condition of entry — this is strictly enforced at José Martí International Airport in Havana and at all Cuban ports of entry. Travellers without valid travel health insurance will be required to purchase a Cuban government insurance policy at the airport before clearing immigration. Rayna Tours strongly recommends purchasing comprehensive travel health insurance before travel to Cuba and carrying the insurance certificate alongside the Tourist Card and passport.

Tourist Card Types:

• Pink Tourist Card: For travellers flying directly to Cuba from outside the Americas — including all flights from UAE · India · and connecting through Europe — this is the standard card for Rayna's three markets
• Green Tourist Card: For travellers flying to Cuba from the United States or Canada — not applicable for Rayna's three markets

Submission — All Three Markets:
The Cuba Tourist Card for Rayna's markets is obtained through the Cuban Embassy · the Cuban Consulate · or through authorised travel agencies in the applicant's country of residence. Rayna Tours will obtain and provide the Tourist Card on behalf of the applicant as part of the visa assistance service.

Do You Need a Cuba Tourist Card? — UAE, India & KSA

UAE Nationals — Tourist Card Required:
UAE nationals require a Cuba Tourist Card before travel — obtained through the Cuban Embassy Abu Dhabi or authorised travel agencies.

UAE Residents of Other Nationalities — Tourist Card Required:
All UAE residents regardless of nationality require a Cuba Tourist Card. Applications through the Cuban Embassy Abu Dhabi or authorised travel agencies.

KSA Nationals — Tourist Card Required:
Saudi Arabian nationals require a Cuba Tourist Card — obtained through the Cuban Embassy Riyadh or authorised travel agencies.

KSA Residents of Other Nationalities — Tourist Card Required:
All KSA residents regardless of nationality require a Cuba Tourist Card.

Indian Nationals — Tourist Card Required:
Indian nationals require a Cuba Tourist Card — obtained through the Cuban Embassy New Delhi or authorised travel agencies.

Entry Summary — Rayna's Three Markets

Permitted Activities

• Tourism · sightseeing · beach holidays · cultural visits · and leisure travel
• Visiting family or friends
• Not available for business purposes — a separate business visa required

Not Permitted:

• Paid employment — a separate Cuba work visa required
• Business activities — a separate business visa required
• Journalism — a separate press visa required
• Any activity inconsistent with the declared purpose of tourism

Important Entry Requirements

• Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival in Cuba — with at least 2 blank pages
• Valid travel health insurance covering the entire duration of stay in Cuba — mandatory entry requirement — enforced at all Cuban ports of entry
• Return or onward travel ticket — mandatory — proof of onward travel is strictly required at Cuban immigration
• Proof of accommodation — mandatory — hotel booking or registered casa particular address
• The Tourist Card must be kept safely for the entire duration of stay and presented upon departure — do not lose the Tourist Card
• Extension of stay: the initial 30-day stay can be extended once for an additional 30 days at any Immigration Office in Cuba — a fee applies

Processing Time
2 to 5 working days — through Cuban Embassy or authorised travel agency. Apply at least 2 weeks before travel.

General Disclaimer
All visa decisions rest solely with the Government of the Republic of Cuba. Rayna Tours acts as a professional visa assistance provider only. Possession of an approved Tourist Card does not guarantee entry — final entry is at the sole discretion of Cuban immigration officials at the port of entry.