MADRID, Spain.- Starting December 1, 2024, Thailand will implement a significant change in its immigration policy for travelers from Cuba and other Caribbean nations. According to local media and the portal Travel and Tour Worldcitizens of Cuba, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago will no longer be able to enter the country without a visa, as they were previously able to. Instead, they will have to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before visiting the Asian country.
According to the information, this new requirement is part of the Thai government’s efforts to strengthen immigration controls and improve border security. Although visa-free access had been an advantage for Caribbean tourists, they will now have to complete the online process to obtain the ETA, which will be mandatory for those entering the country by air, sea or land.
The ETA system will begin operating as a pilot program on December 1, 2024, and is expected to be fully operational by June 2025. Travelers from Cuba, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago will be able to apply through Thailand’s official e-visa portal, where the process will be completely digital and free of charge. This authorization will allow a single entry into the country with a stay of up to 60 days, which can be extended for another 30 days if the traveler requests it.
Thailand has been a very popular destination for Caribbean tourists in recent years. Cities such as Havana, Santo Domingo and Kingston have seen notable growth in the number of travelers heading to Thai beaches and cultural sites. However, with the implementation of the ETA, Caribbean travelers are expected to continue enjoying the country while complying with new regulations that seek to modernize and streamline immigration processes.
Tourists must present their ETA upon arrival in Thailand and strictly comply with the stay regulations to avoid penalties.
This change contrasts with a measure taken in July of this yearwhen Thailand decided to temporarily remove the visa requirement for Cuban citizens, as well as for other Latin American countries such as Mexico, Colombia and Uruguay, in order to encourage tourism affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with the implementation of the ETA, travelers from these nations will have to adjust to the new rules.
Cuban passport among the weakest in the world
In January 2024, the Cuban passport was ranked 134th worldwide, according to the report of the VisaGuide Passport Index. This index reveals that Cuban citizens face the need to obtain visas for 149 countries, leaving them with unrestricted access to only 28 destinations worldwide (now 29).
He Cuban passport It is among the most poorly rated travel documents because it limits international mobility options for its holders.
Countries to which Cubans can travel without a visa: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belarus, Botswana, Cook Islands, Dominica, Grenada, GuyanaKyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Nicaragua, Niue, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tajikistan, Gambia, Trinidad and Tobago, Uzbekistan and Vanuatu. However, the situation may change at any time, depending on the regulations in force in each territory.
In addition, 15 countries offer the possibility of obtaining an electronic visa (eVisa) for Cubans. These countries include Angola, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, Georgia, India, Iran, Kenya, Lesotho, Montserrat, Sao Tome and Principe, South Sudan and Vietnam, facilitating the travel process to a certain extent.
