Travel Advice

Travelers visiting Cuba are required to hold a valid passport valid for at least 2 months following their travel date, medical insurance, and proof of return tickets. Proof of sufficient funds to support the stay is also required (50 dollars/day). Citizens of Namibia can stay in Cuba indefinitely. Citizens of Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kenya, Malaysia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Russia, Serbia and United Arab Emirates can stay for up to 90 days. Citizens of Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines — up to 60 days. Pasport holders of Antigua and Barbuda, Belarus, Mongolia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Singapore can travel for 30 days, while travelers form Barbados and Dominica are welcome for up to 28 days The remaining majority of international visitors will need to obtain a Tourist Card, Tarjeta del Turista, that grants permission to stay in Cuba for 30 days and can be extended once for a further 30. The card can be obtained via the airline, travel agent or a Cuban mission abroad. Citizens of the following countries are not eligible for a Tourist Card and will need to apply for a visa: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Iran, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Syria, and Yemen. Admission is refused entirely to Kosovo nationals. Those who fly to Cuba from US airports must purchase a "Pink Tourist Card" which is mainly available in the US and fill an Affidavit form, airlines in the US will be able to provide more information about how to purchase the Pink Tourist Card. These Pink Tourist Cards are needed for everyone flying from the US to Cuba on a direct route. Those who enter Cuba from non-US airports must purchase a "Green Tourist Card", which is often less expensive. Special regulations apply to Cuban-born foreign citizens, who will need to make visa arrangements for a Cuban visa in advance (via a Cuban Embassy), unless they hold a valid Cuban passport.

If you take certain medications on a regular basis, it is highly recommended that you bring those along from home in ample supply. Foreign visitors in need of medical attention are generally referred to the Clínica Central Cira Garcia Hospital. This clinic also has a pharmacy. Medical consultations and treatment at Cuban hospitals generally require payment by a Visa or Mastercard credit card. Medical help is generally of high quality and readily available in case of emergency. Since health insurance is an obligatory requirement for anyone entering Cuba, all fees and expenses are also accounted for in most cases.

For important and/or time sensitive mail, it is recommended to use private providers like DHL. Cuban postage services are notoriously unreliable when sending mail overseas, reports indicating that while some items arrive abroad within weeks, many others never reach their final destination or take many months to arrive. Letters can be mailed at post offices as well as at many hotels via the reception desk.

There are both private and government-run taxis available for hire in Havana. The difference in price is marginal between the two, and fares need to be agreed on in advance in both cases, even if the car is outfitted with a meter. The yellow and black Ladas tend to be cheaper, and therefore better fit for long-distance travel. A cheaper and significantly more cheerful way of getting around are the so-called three-seater coco taxis (those of yellow color transport tourists). A similar, but slower option are the two-seater bici-taxis, which are essentially a passenger bike. Note that the safety of using either of the two options has been called into question, even though most rides go incident-free.