Visa-free entry to Cuba for tourists

America

Cuba is beautiful at any time of the year. It's always warm and sunny here. This is a paradise for those who like to spend their holidays in exotic countries. First of all, when planning a trip to the island of Cuba, you need to find out what documents you need to take with you and whether Russians need to apply for a visa in 2017.

There has been an agreement between Russia and Cuba for a long time, according to which tourists from Russia do not need a visa to visit Cuba for a period not exceeding 30 days. Those people whose purpose of travel is not related to tourism should definitely apply for the most suitable purpose of the visa.

Visa-free entry to Cuba for tourists

What documents are required for the trip?

To enter the territory of Cuba, a Russian tourist must have the following documents with him:

International passport. It must remain valid for more than a month from the end of the trip to the Republic of Cuba;
Airplane tickets. Round trip. As confirmation that you will meet the thirty days allotted for a visa-free visit to the country;
Migration card in 2 copies. To be completed in English. One is given at passport control in the building of the airport of the Republic of Cuba, and the second is kept until the end of the trip. It is presented on the way back to Russia;
A document that confirms the solvency of the tourist. This may be a credit card statement, a check or documents from a bank, from which it should be clear that you have sufficient funds to live in Cuba. These funds should be enough for your entire vacation, assuming that you will spend a minimum of $ 50 per day per person. If you are flying to rest from a travel company, then you do not need such a document;
Insurance policy. A must for tourists visiting Cuba.

No entry fees to Cuba. But when leaving the country, you will have to pay a special airport tax of 25 Cuban convertible pesos (CUC) per person (rate ~ 1 USD = 0.75 CUC). So you should not spend all the money, but it is better to immediately set aside the required amount.

How to fill out a migration card?

The migration card is filled in Latin, always printed, letters. The pen used to fill out the migration card must have either blue or black ink. Each person must correctly enter their data in both copies of the card. Even for a child. If you have any difficulty filling out the card correctly, you can ask the flight attendant for help or take a printed sample with you to fill out. It is best to fill out the cards on board the aircraft.

Sample for filling out a migration card

Contents of the migration card:

Surname. Ivanov
Name. Ivan
Floor. Male ( male) or female ( female).
Country and date of birth Russia, 21.01.1987
Citizenship/Series and Passport Number. Russia / 7500 111111
Profession. manager
Purpose of the trip: tourism
Departure city for Cuba: Moscowow/ City of arrival to Liberty Island: ( Habana or Varadero)
The country. Cuba
Do not fill.
The address where you will be staying in Cuba (name of the hotel). CubaHotel
Your address in the Russian Federation. Russia, Moscow, Turgenev st., 67, apt. 5.
Do not fill.

Traveling to Cuba with Children

To visit the Island of Freedom, a child under the age of fourteen must have a birth certificate and a passport. Or it must be entered in the parents' foreign passport. A child over the age of fourteen must have a personal passport with him.

If a child older than six years old is included in the parent's foreign passport, then his current photo must also be placed there.

If the child is going on a trip to Cuba with one parent, then it is necessary to have with him a written and legally certified consent to leave Russia from the second parent, if any.

If a child under the age of majority does not travel to Liberty Island with their parents, then these people need to have with them a notarized consent from both parents.

Extension of visa-free stay in Cuba

If you really need to stay in Cuba for any serious reason, then you can extend your stay in Cuba for a maximum of 60 days. To do this, you must first contact the Migration Service in Cuba. Every extra 30 days in Cuba will cost you 25 CUC.

There is another, more entertaining, way to extend your stay in Cuba. It will cost significantly more. You just need to fly once every two months to some nearby countries with free entry (Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Jamaica), and then fly back to Cuba. Upon returning, the period of stay is reset to zero, so you can stay in Cuba for at least six months. This method costs about 300 CUC.

Registration of a regular (guest) visa

If you want to visit relatives or friends in the Republic of Cuba, then you should apply for a visa to the island without fail. To do this, it is enough to contact the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in Russia and submit all the necessary documents. This can be done from nine in the morning until one in the afternoon on Monday, Tuesday or Friday. It is possible to submit documents for registration in person or through a proxy.

A visa to Cuba consists of two parts. The first part comes off at the Cuban border, the second part is a must-have for the rest of your trip around the island.

The list of documents required for obtaining a visa is as follows:

Foreign passport, which must remain valid for at least another six months from the moment of crossing the border of Cuba;
Photos 3×4, two pieces. Available in both color and black and white. The face must occupy about 70% of the entire photo;
Host invitation. A document with the seal and signature of the person who will be responsible for you in the Republic of Cuba. A hotel booking confirmation will also work;

Remember: All documents must be submitted immediately. If any document is missing or incorrectly filled out, you will have to re-submit all documents the next time.

Processing time

A visa to Cuba is made quite quickly. No more than five working days from the date of submission of the application.

Registration cost

If you submit documents yourself, you must pay a consular fee of $30. If you submit documents through a third party (travel agency, courier, etc.), then this fee will be $50.

Validity

Typically, visitor visas are issued for a period of stay in Cuba equal to one month. The visa itself is valid for six months.

You can familiarize yourself with the visa application.

Registration of a certificate of absence of Cuban citizenship

Such a certificate is issued if if a person was born on the territory of Cuba, but does not have a Cuban passport. Such a person does not have the right to freely enter the country. Also, this certificate is issued to those whose spouses live in Cuba and are citizens of this country.

What documents do you need to provide?

In order to obtain a certificate of absence of Cuban citizenship, the following documents must be presented:

International passport;
Copies of an identity document of a citizen of the Russian Federation;
Photos 3×4, two pieces;
Correctly completed application;
Documents with which you can confirm kinship;
Marriage document;
Proof of payment of the consular fee;
Insurance policy and its photocopy.

Deadline for issuing a certificate

The certificate is issued a little faster than a regular visa, it will take about 3 working days to produce it.

The cost of issuing a certificate

If you want to issue a certificate of absence of Cuban citizenship, it will cost you $100.

Certificate validity period

This certificate is not a one time use. It can be used every time you arrive in Cuba.

Business visa processing

For people who plan to travel to Liberty Island for business negotiations or to perform certain work, there is a business visa.

What documents need to be provided?

To obtain a business visa, you must:

A foreign passport that will be valid for at least another six months after the end of the trip;
Copies of an identity document of a citizen of the Russian Federation;
Photo 3×4, two pieces;
Correctly completed business visa application;
Photocopies of plane tickets in both directions;
Copy of hotel booking confirmation;
Proof of payment of the consular fee;
Business invitation. Signed and certified letter from the host company in Cuba. It should describe in detail the purpose of the visit and indicate the length of stay on the island;
A document from a place of work or from an educational institution, signed and certified. It must state that you have been granted leave. If you are self-employed, you will need to provide a copy of your tax return and a copy of your business license. If you are a pensioner, you will need to present a document from the pension fund.

Processing time

The visa is issued in about seven calendar days. Sometimes the deadline can be extended by another seven calendar days.

Registration cost

The cost of obtaining a business visa does not differ from the cost of obtaining other visas. Personal registration will cost $ 30, registration through a courier or any company costs $ 50.

Validity

A business visa allows you to spend up to 30 days in the Republic of Cuba. The term of stay can be extended by a maximum of two months. The visa is valid for six months.

Applying for a student visa

For those who want to visit Cuba for the purpose of receiving additional education, or participating in any educational events taking place on the territory of the island, or participating in special educational programs of Cuba, a student visa is provided.

What documents do you need to provide?

To apply for a student visa, you will need the following:

A foreign passport valid for another six months after the end of the trip;
Photos 3×4, two pieces;
Completed form;
Copies of an identity document of a citizen of the Russian Federation;
Certificate of completion of secondary education;
Certificate of good conduct. Issued by the competent authorities;
Medical certificate confirming the absence of various infections. Issued only by a doctor who is recommended by the embassy;
Information about economic viability. Such a certificate is optional only if the student is provided with a scholarship and accommodation from the university;
Original and copy of a letter of acceptance from a university or other educational institution in Cuba sent personally to the applicant;
Insurance policy and its photocopy;
Proof of payment of the consular fee;

Processing time

The visa is issued in 5 working days.

Registration cost

The consular fee for a student visa is also $30 for personal filing and $50 for third parties.

Validity

The validity period of a student visa is equal to the period of study at an educational institution.

Applying for a child visa

To apply for a child visa, you must provide the embassy with:

International passport. Valid for at least another six months from the time of crossing the border of Cuba;
Copies of an identity document of a citizen of the Russian Federation (passport or legally certified copy of a birth certificate);
Photos 3×4, two pieces;
Photocopies of round-trip plane tickets;
Proof of payment of the consular fee;
Insurance policy and its copy;
If the departure is made with one parent, then permission from the second parent, certified by a notary.

The processing time, cost and validity of a child visa are the same as for an adult visitor visa.

Types of short-term visas

Short-stay visa - a visa in which the total period of stay in Cuba does not exceed three months.

Short-term visas are divided into:

Single entry visa. A visa that allows you to make only one trip to Cuba;
Double entry visa. You can make two trips to the island. The main thing is that between the first trip and the second no more than six months have passed. The total time spent by a person in Cuba must not exceed ninety days;
Multiple entry visa for three months. Valid for three months. During this time, you can come to Cuba as many times as you need;
Multiple entry visa for six months. Valid for six months. During this time, you can come to Cuba many times. The main thing is that the total time spent on the island should not exceed ninety days;
Multiple entry visa for one year. Valid for a year. During this time, you can come to Cuba many times. The total time of stay should also not be more than ninety days.

Who may have difficulty obtaining a visa?

Not everyone can easily get a visa to a particular country. The following people may have difficulty obtaining a visa to Cuba:

unmarried young women;
Married women who did not take their husband's surname;
Persons without work or with a small salary;
Persons with a criminal record.

If you were denied a visa, you may well file an appeal, or apply for a visa again if the reason for the refusal was incorrectly completed documents.

Remember: If you refuse to issue a visa, the consular fee will not be returned to you.

Registration through an agency

You can apply for a visa to Cuba both personally and through intermediaries (travel agency, for example).

Personal registration is cheaper than registration through third parties. But at the same time, you need to independently and correctly fill out all the questionnaires and submit documents to the consulate, often standing idle for a long time in line. This option is suitable for those who have a lot of free time and a desire to save money.

Processing through intermediaries will be more preferable for those who have little free time to process a visa. In this case, the cost of a visa to Cuba will be much more expensive. But on the other hand, this option will not require any effort from you, you will only need to provide the necessary documents and photographs. The application will be completed and submitted for you. All you have to do is get your visa ready.

Insurance

Cuba is a tropical country with high solar activity. Although the epidemiological situation is rather calm, there is still a risk of contracting a fever or other tropical disease. Therefore, since 2010, a mandatory condition for entering the island of Cuba is the presentation of medical insurance, which will be valid throughout the entire stay in Cuba. A health insurance policy must be issued in advance in special organizations that have partnerships with the Cuban insurance company Asistur. In the most extreme cases, it is possible to buy insurance at the Cuban border.

The minimum insurance coverage for Cuba should be 30,000 euros.

Visa relations of Cuba with the countries of the world

Addresses of Cuban consulates

Embassy of Cuba in Russia

The Moscow Embassy is located at the following address:

119017, Moscow, Bolshaya Ordynka street, 66.
Embassy phone: +7(495) 933-7950
Email: [email protected]

Consulate General of Cuba in St. Petersburg

190000, Ryleeva street, house 37.
Phone: +7(812) 272-53-03
Fax: +7(812) 272-75-06

Representative offices of Russia in Cuba

The Russian Embassy in Cuba is located at:

5-a Avenida, N 6402, entre 62 y 66, Miramar, La Habana, Cuba
Phones: (8-10-537) 33-1085, (8-10-537) 33-1749, (8-10-537) 33-2686, (8-10-537) 33-1080
Fax: (8-10-537) 33-1038
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.cuba.mid.ru

Consulate General in Cuba:

Address: Republic of Cuba, Havana, Miramar, 5 avenida, No. 318, at the intersection of 66 streets and 5 avenues.
Phone: (8-10-537) 204-10-74
Fax: (8-10-537) 204-19-87
Telephone for contact in case of emergency (round the clock): +535) 263-02-77- Malkov Alexander Alexandrovich, Vice-Consul.