Obtaining a visa to Cuba for Russians in 2021

Entry rules to Cuba

Sunny Cuba has always attracted residents of the Soviet Union, and now the CIS - Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians and citizens of other republics. Exotic, gorgeous beaches, comfortable hotels and many opportunities for entertainment. This is what makes a holiday on Liberty Island so attractive.

The main convenience is that you can visit the Caribbean state for tourism purposes without a visa (for Russians and Belarusians) or by applying for one in a simplified manner (for Ukrainians and citizens of a number of other countries). Those who arrive there on a business visit or for education will have to obtain an entry document.

As of January 10, 2021, Cuba will introduce the following requirements due to the coronavirus:

1. The Cuban Ministry of Health has decided that all travelers must provide the results of a PCR test for Covid.
2. You must use medical masks at the airport and on the plane.
3. The new rules will be in effect until approximately spring 2021.

An example of filling out a migration card when entering Cuba

Money

The country's monetary unit is in tourist areas - Convertible Cuban Peso CUC, in the rest of the country - Inconvertible Cuban Peso CUP. Current rate: 1 CUC = 73.59 RUB (1 USD = 1 CUC, 1 EUR = 1.22 CUC).

Yes, on Liberty Island there are two currency units in circulation: one for local residents, the other for tourists (guess which one has the prefix “convertible”). Convertible pesos are common only in the tourist area, and tourists may not even see “regular” local money.

US dollars have been banned in the country for 5 years now; they must certainly be exchanged for convertible pesos, and most banks and exchange offices charge a hefty commission - up to 20%. But there is no commission when converting euros, so it is much more profitable to bring this particular currency into the country.

The main difference between a convertible peso and a regular peso is the inscription “convertible”.

Money can be exchanged at bank branches, the airport and almost all hotels, but the exchange rate there will be less favorable. Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 12:00 and from 13:30 to 15:00, on Saturdays from 8:30 to 10:30. At Cuban resorts, major credit cards are in use. Until March 2015, any transactions using cards issued by American banks were prohibited on the island. Today, this ban has been lifted, and Mastercard has officially announced that transactions are no longer blocked, but in fact, failures with American cards still occur. Checks in US dollars and pounds sterling are also accepted everywhere, but if they are issued by a US bank, there are sometimes problems.

Tips in most cases are approximately 10% of the cost of the service. The porter and maid at the hotel usually receive up to 1 CUC or 1 EUR.

Visa-free entry for Russians

Russians do not need a visa to Cuba if their stay does not last longer than 90 days. When going on vacation, you need to prepare a package of papers.

Required documents

There are very few of them:

• Valid passport;
• Round trip flights. They will confirm that the guest will not spend more time in the country than expected;
• Insurance policy. It is mandatory for everyone.

Previously, it was also necessary to fill out a migration card. Now for Russian citizens there is no need for this.

If a citizen is flying on vacation not from a travel company, he must present a document confirming the availability of sufficient funds. The amount is calculated based on daily spending of $50. The following are suitable documents confirming solvency:

• credit card statement;
• checks;

• bank documents.

On the island, Russians do not need to pay additional fees. However, when leaving the republic in 2021, each guest will have to pay 25 Cuban pesos (Cooks). This is a special airport tax.

Optional documents

Medical insurance. However, it is advisable to still formalize it. The document will allow you to save money in case of illness while staying in Cuba. This type of insurance is inexpensive.

Also in 2021, from the Caribbean countries, Russians can visit the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Jamaica without a visa, and a visa to Belize and the island of Barbados can be obtained right at the airport.

Extension of visa-free stay

A Russian citizen can spend no more than three months in a row in Cuba in total. The guest has the right to extend his stay for another 30 or 60 days if he can justify the need for the Migration Service office with the following documentation:

• a card from the place of residence dated today;
• 30-day insurance policy;
• migration card;
• stamps for 25 CUC.

There can be several extensions, each accompanied by a fee of 25 CUC. Many tourists renew their stay in Cuba by going to the nearest visa-free zone with a further return. This way you can stay on the island longer than the required three months.

Extension of a visa

The rules for extending the visa-free regime continue to apply to Russians in 2021. This opportunity is used by those who need to remain in Cuba after 90 days.

To extend your stay you need:

1. Buy stamps in advance for the amount of 65 pesos (cooks). This price includes the price of the visa itself and the proroga - a white label that is glued to the visa form. Stamps can be purchased at local banks.
2. Get a certificate from the hotel confirming your stay.
3. Get monthly health insurance.

You need to contact the immigration service with these papers. This procedure cannot be done at the airport. As a rule, the period of stay is extended without problems. The yellow immigration card issued at the airport is confiscated from the applicant.

Cuban visa example

In return, they issue a pink visa with a visa. This document allows you to stay on the island for a month from the date the paper is issued. Then you can extend the visa 2 more times, but for a good reason. For each subsequent registration, you will have to buy the proroga again for 25 pesos.

Often, the extension of a Cuban visa is planned before arriving on the island. However, the return air ticket in any case must have a date limited to the first 90 days. Or you can purchase a ticket with an open date.

There is another, more expensive way to stay in the Caribbean for longer than 90 days. Once every 2 months you need to fly to neighboring islands with visa-free entry, and then return. Then the period of stay is calculated again. Thus, you can live in Cuba for 6 months. But this option will cost, on average, 300 pesos.

This is what Cuban pesos look like

How to extend your stay without a visa

A tourist whose period of stay in Cuba is ending, but the desire to continue his vacation remains, can contact the Immigration Service with a request to extend his legal stay in the country. Almost always, citizens of Russia and the CIS are met halfway. Having paid the required amount, the tourist can stay in the country for another 30 days, which is confirmed by a special sticker pasted into the passport.

After completing the additional period of stay, the citizen can again apply for an extension of the permit to stay in the republic. The authorities can extend the period for another 2 months, but only if the tourist has good reasons. And you will have to pay for the second extension.

Some citizens act differently. They leave the island for a neighboring country, and then return to Cuba again and again receive the right to a 30-day visa-free stay in the country. And you can go, for example, to Mexico, where it’s easy to get an electronic visa valid for 180 days.

Entry to Cuba with children

In 2021, visits to the island by young citizens for tourism purposes are regulated as follows:

1. Children under 14 years of age are required to have a birth certificate and a foreign passport or an entry in the parents’ passport.
2. Children over 14 years of age enter with their own passport.

If information about children over 6 years of age is recorded in the parents’ passport, a current photo must be pasted into it.

When leaving the Russian Federation with both or one of the parents, no additional documents are required. However, if a child travels alone or accompanied by third parties, it is necessary to first obtain consent from a notary for the child to travel abroad.

Types of short stay visas

• Single entry (1 trip to Cuba);
• Double (2 trips with an interval of maximum six months and a total stay on the island of no more than 3 months);
• Multiple:
• for 3 months (you can come any number of times within 90 days);

for 6 months (180 days, you can visit Cuba as much as you like, but the total number of days spent there should not exceed 90);

• for a year (you can stay on the island for a year, but in total no more than 90 days).

The possibility of visa-free holidays and simplified processing of entry documents maintain the attractiveness of Cuba. For many years, Liberty Island remains one of the most popular destinations for tourists and businessmen.

Differences between visitor and regular visas

A visa to Cuba for Russians in 2021 is issued if a person is going on a trip not for tourism purposes. Russians wishing to visit relatives or friends living on the island should contact the embassy of the republic located in Moscow with a request to issue a guest (regular) visa.

The main package of documents for obtaining permission to visit the country consists of the following official papers:

1. International passport. It must be valid at the time of entry into the country and remain so for another six months or more after crossing the border on the way back.
2. A copy of a Russian citizen's civil identity card.
3. 2 photos. There are only 2 requirements for them: the size is 30X40 mm and 70% of the photo area should be occupied by the face. Photos can be either color or black and white.
4. Copies of round-trip plane tickets.
5. Financial document confirming payment of the visa fee.
6. Medical policy. A photocopy must be attached to the original.

To obtain a visitor visa, unlike others, you must present an invitation from a person legally residing in Cuba. The inviting party states in a letter that he takes responsibility for the guest while he is on the island. If it is planned that the guest will stay in a hotel, then the appropriate document should be provided: if the hotel confirms accommodation, then there will be no obstacles to issuing a visa.

Different types of permits to visit a country have their own expiration dates. A visitor visa is issued with two validity periods - for six months or a year. But during this period you can stay in the country for no more than 90 days.

Visitor visa

It makes sense to get a visitor visa for citizens of countries with which Cuba does not have an agreement on a visa-free regime, for example, Ukraine. The purpose of the visit may be to visit family or friends. But in any case, the visitor will need an official entry document. To purchase it, you can contact the Cuban Embassy.

However, it is not necessary to come to the diplomatic mission in person. All papers can be transferred through a trusted person (travel agency, courier).

In 2021, you will need a package of the following documents:

1. International passport. The passport must not expire for at least 6 months from the date of arrival on the Caribbean island.
2. Copies of identification document.
3. Two photographs measuring 30 by 40 millimeters.
4. Photocopy of tickets to and from your destination.
5. An invitation with the seal of the island regulatory authorities and the signature of the person who made the request to come. Confirmation of your hotel reservation is also suitable.
6. Receipt of payment of the consular fee.
7. Insurance and its photocopy.

It is important to submit all papers at once. They must be filled out accurately and correctly. If any document is missing or is completed incorrectly, you will have to go through the submission procedure again. Typically, a visitor visa is processed quickly. You can receive the treasured document in your hands within the working week. It is extremely rare that more than 5 days pass from the moment all the necessary forms are submitted.

Detailed map of Cuba with all islands

Entry paper is inexpensive. If it is issued by the applicant himself, he will pay 30 US dollars as a consular fee. If you provide documents through a principal, you will have to pay $50. The fee is non-refundable.

As a rule, visitor visas are issued for 30 days. This is the total time spent on the Caribbean island. The document itself is valid for 6 months. Thus, the main advantages of a Cuban visa are:

• affordable price;
• high speed of registration;
• ease of receipt.

The entry document consists of two parts. The first is torn off by border guards, the second is stored until the end of the trip.

Business

The list of documents required for this type of entry document is similar to a visitor visa. The main difference concerns the international passport, which must be valid for another 6 months after returning to your homeland.

This is what a business visa to Cuba looks like

Also, for a business trip you will additionally need:

• Visa application;
• Business invitation. It describes the purpose and timing of the visit. The paper is signed and certified by the management of the receiving company;
• Signed and certified certificate of employment. It indicates a vacation for the purpose of a business trip.

The application form can be downloaded here.

Individual entrepreneurs present a copy of their tax return and business license, and pensioners present paper from the Pension Fund.

This type of Cuban visa can be issued in no more than 2 weeks. And this is in exceptional cases.

As a rule, verification of all documents and announcement of the decision takes 7 days.

The cost of a paper permitting entry for business purposes is equal to the price of a visitor visa. The validity period is also six months.

You can stay on the island for 30 days, increasing this time by a maximum of 2 months.

Famous Varadero beach in Cuba

How tourists from Belarus enter the Republic of Cuba

Belarusian citizens, like Russians, are exempt from visa formalities when traveling to the island nation.

The visa-free conditions for Belarusians are exactly the same as for guests from the Russian Federation:

• The purposes of the visit are limited to tourism.
• Duration of stay – 30 days from the date of arrival.
• On the plane or airport, fill out a migration card (2 copies) and submit it to border control.
• A foreign passport must be presented at the border. A passport for Cuba is valid for at least 1 month from the date of departure from the Caribbean country.
• The traveler must have medical insurance with him.
• In exceptional cases, a tourist may be asked to demonstrate: a return ticket;
• financial guarantees at the rate of $50 per person daily (cash, travel checks, bank statements).

To extend a visa-free visit locally, Belarusian travelers submit to the migration service:

• “foreign” with a shelf life of at least 1 month at the time of return to homeland;
• a valid insurance policy;
• PRORROGA stamp purchased from a bank (25 pesos for 1 month renewal);
• confirmation of housing availability (upon request).

The stay is extended for up to 90 days.

Visa requirement

A visa to Cuba for Belarusians is needed in the same situations as for Russians. It is open for entry for the following purposes:

• permanent residence;
• business;
• labor activity;
• training;
• treatment.

Citizens of Belarus can request an entry document at the Cuban embassy in Minsk. Applicants submit:

• questionnaire;
• photo card 35 by 45 mm;
• original passport and copies of pages with records;
• invitation from the Cuban side;
• confirmation of relationship with a Cuban (in case of entry for family reunification);
• payment slip for the consular fee.

The visa processing time is 7 days. Non-refundable application processing fee is $70. In case of express registration, the cost of the visa will be $90. In this case, the decision will be made 3 days after submitting the application.

Student

In 2021, a visa for students to Cuba is required. Quite a lot of young people come to the island to receive higher education (especially in medicine) and additional education.

Often the purpose of the trip is to improve skills or participate in educational programs. The documents are the same as for obtaining a visitor visa. The only thing is that the passport must be valid for at least 6 months after arriving home.

The following are added to the standard package of papers:

• School certificate;
• Certificate of no criminal record;
• Medical certificate (issued by a doctor recommended by the Cuban embassy);
• Letter from the island educational institution regarding enrollment; The addressee of the letter must be the recipient of the student visa personally.

If a Caribbean university provides a scholarship and accommodation, the student must present a certificate of financial means.

Building of the University of Havana located in Havana

The cost of a student visa is $30 for personal application and $50 through intermediaries. It is produced within 5 days. The document is valid for the same length of time as the training period.

Cuban Embassy

Moscow

• Located at Ordynka Street B., building 66.
• Open on weekdays from 9:00 to 18:00.
• Call the number: +7 495 933‑79-50.

Kyiv

• Located at Bekhterevsky Lane, building 5.
• Documents are accepted on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 to 16:00.
• Documents are issued on Fridays from 11:00 to 11:30.
• Call the number.

Minsk

• Located at Krasnozvezdnaya street, building 13.
• Open on weekdays from 9:00 to 18:00.
• Call the number: +375 17 200-03-83.

Visa-free entry for Belarusians

Cuba is one of the Central American countries where Belarusians can travel without a visa in 2021. This applies to those trips whose purpose is related to tourism.

The period of stay on the island should not exceed 30 days.

Citizens must have a passport and a document on solvency. If the reason for the trip is to move for permanent residence, get a job in Cuba, or get an education, Belarusians will need a full-fledged visa.