Miami, United States. – As of July 1 of this year, international travelers must have a new electronic visa to enter Cuba, As the Ministry of Tourism (Mintur) announced this week through their social networks. The measure will also apply to some residents of the United States, including visitors from Miami.
“From July 1, you can only enter the country with an electronic visa,” Mintur officially said a web portal to make the prior request to the trip.
The new visa will cost $ 50, will be valid for a single entrance to the Cuban territory and will allow a stay of up to 90 days, extendable for another three months. Applicants must have a current passport and an email address, since there they will receive the code corresponding to the visa. The processing time, according to the official site, will be up to 72 business hours.
As explained by the commercial director of Mintur, Gihana Galindo, in statements prior to official mediathe implementation of the electronic visa seeks “greater safety and efficiency in all stages of the process, making it more comfortable for the traveler.”
The demand will apply to foreign citizens whose countries are not exempt from the visa requirement for Cuba. They must also comply with the procedure who, although relatives of Cuban citizens, have different nationalities, including minors born abroad. Travelers with Cuban passport will be exempt from requesting the electronic visa.
For now, Cuban consulates will continue to issue both the physical tourist card and its electronic version, while the new system comes into force.
The decision of the Cuban government occurs in a context of marked contraction of the tourism sector, one of the country’s economic pillars, which still fails to recover the levels prior to The Covid-19 Pandemia.
