Wondering how to get a tourist card for Cuba (also called a Cuban tourist visa) for your once-in-a-lifetime Cuba holiday?
There are a variety of ways to go about getting a tourist card for Cuba, but rest assured, it is not at all difficult!
I have tried them all, as I have traveled to Cuba for five years and entered Cuba at least two dozen times, including from the United States.
A Cuba tourist card, also called a tourist visa (and “tarjeta del Turista” in Spanish), is the physical document you need in order to be able to enter Cuban territory as a tourist or a visitor.
Getting a tourist card for Cuba is a formality and not something you need to apply for and get approved to obtain.
You simply buy it from one of the services that provide the document when you decide to visit Cuba, as having a tourist card is one of the entry requirements set by the Cuban government.
Your Cuban tourist card is valid for one single entry, and you can stay in Cuba for up to 90 days on one visa.
📍 Here is the where-to-buy list:
Then:
Yes, you probably need a tourist card for Cuba.
Some nationalities are exempt from having a visa to visit Cuba, among other travel documents.
Most foreign nationals, including US nationals and every Canadian citizen, need a Cuba tourist card to enter the island.
Americans need the pink tourist card, while the rest of the world needs the green card for entering Cuba.
It will be sent straight home to your mailbox within days!
There are several trustworthy online providers that will send the Cuban visa to your mailbox in as little as 2-3 days.
I normally use Easy Tourist Card, which is super easy and fast payment, and delivers the visa to my address normally within three days.
You will probably also be able to get a tourist card from the nearest Cuban embassy in your country, but that might be a bit more bureaucratic.
Contact the embassy or check out their home page and ask for an application form that you will need to fill out and return to them.
Then, you need to wait for the payment to be registered before you can pick it up (if it is in your city) or have it sent to your address for a charge.
Some airlines also provide tourist cards; check with yours to find out if that is an option for you. You will receive the tourist card in a blank form, and you will need to fill out the required information by hand.
While you are in Cuba, you need to keep your filled-out tourist card, as you will be required to show it again when you are leaving the country!
The Cuban Embassy or Consulate in your country probably provides Cuban tourist cards as one of their services.
Find their home page and order one if possible, or send an email or call them for information.
Travel Agencies and tour operators that offer tours to Cuba normally include the Cuban tourist card in their tour packages. If they do not, for some reason, they will most likely sell the tourist card separately.
If you contact the Cuban embassy in your country, they will probably send you a Cuba tourist card application form to complete and return to the embassy for approval.
Even though it might say application form, it is not an application that can be denied. Getting a tourist card for Cuba is a formality. This form may be available on the embassy home page.
A private online provider like Easy Tourist Card will have a digital form on the home page, along with immediate payment. This is not an application per se, just an order form.
Just fill in the required fields and provide a photo of the required documentation, and the tourist card will be sent to your home address.
Most visitors to Cuba need the standard GREEN tourist card, but US citizens AND visitors traveling via US territory as the last airport before entering Cuba can NOT use the green cards.
US citizens and travelers in transit via US airports need the PINK tourist card for entry. Unfortunately, the pink card is also pricier than the green one.
When you order your tourist card, make sure you know your flight itinerary and get the correct one!
Americans are technically not allowed to visit Cuba for tourism purposes but can choose from a list of 12 pre-approved reasons to travel to Cuba without any further application or paperwork.
You will probably be asked to state your reason for visiting when you book your flight online as part of the booking process and upon check-in at the airport.
Most travelers choose “in support of the Cuban people” as their reason for travel.
Apart from that, you just state your reason for visiting Cuba if anyone asks – it is not more difficult than that!
The restrictions also regulate what accommodations US travelers can use while in Cuba and what services they are not at liberty to use, as defined in the Cuba restricted list.
The short explanation is that Americans are not allowed to visit hotels, restaurants, or shops that are owned by (51% or over) or associated with the Cuban state.
After November 1st, 2022, the Cuban regulations changed, and one tourist card for Cuba is now valid for a 90-day entry to the island.
If you want to stay longer than 90 days, you can extend the tourist card for another 90 days while in Cuba.
Bring the required documents and go to an immigration office close to where you are staying.
To extend your Cuban tourist card, you do not need an appointment; you just need to show up at the Cuban immigration office, stand in line, and present your mission.
To extend your Cuban tourist card, you need to bring your passport and documentation of valid travel insurance, including health insurance.
Also, bring the booking form and address of the hotel or casa particular you are staying, and documentation of your plane ticket out of the country.
You may extend your tourist card only once, for another 90 days, so you can stay for up to 180 days in Cuba without leaving the island.
From online providers, a green tourist card for Cuba will start around $35, plus shipment. This is the version of the tourist card most travelers to Cuba need.
The pink tourist card for US citizens card starts at around $90-100 (pricier due to the situation between the US and Cuba).
If you buy your tourist card at an American airport upon check-in, the pink tourist card will be 100 dollars.
The most hassle-free option is to buy your tourist card from an online provider, like Easy Tourist Card, and have it sent to your home address.
US citizens of Cuban origin will still be considered Cuban nationals upon entry to Cuba within local laws, even if they have a different passport and citizenship.
For information about this and regulations for family visits, contact your nearest Cuban embassy.
Some airlines with international flights to Cuba also offer passengers the option to buy a Cuban tourist card online before the flight or at certain airports.
The price normally is lower if you buy online in advance before your trip.
American Airlines has daily flights from Miami (where 70% of the population is Cuban!) to Cuban airports.
At Miami International Airport, you can buy a tourist card for Cuba when you check in with American Airlines or Delta Airlines.
Both airlines have direct flights to Cuba.
The price at the American Airlines counter in Miami is $100, which is a bit pricier than online providers or most embassies, but it is also super convenient.
If you fly American Airlines from any other destination in the US, do not expect they are familiar with the Cuban tourist card everywhere.
Some people, even staff in airports, are not always familiar with the tourist card layout, rules, online registration, or the 11 pre-approved reasons for travel.
So when you fly to Cuba from an American airport, the best way is to ensure you arrive early and have some extra time to allow any unenlightened staff to catch up with the current rules!
There are still regulations in place for Americans traveling to Cuba, including that US citizens can not use US their credit cards in Cuba.
With Air Canada, the Cuban tourist card is included in your flight ticket when you book your trip to Cuba.
The tourist card will be distributed to the passengers during the flight before arrival at your Cuban airport.
