Since relations have been restored between Cuba and the United States, travel to the Caribbean island has increased immensely. In fact, Fortune reports that over 700,000 Americans visited Cuba in 2014 and the country says that it is prepared for as many as 10 million American travelers per year. Cuba has become quite the hot spot and it currently holds 14th place on a list of most popular Caribbean destinations published by Sojern.
One thing that most people do not know is that although sanctions between the U.S. and Cuba have eased a great deal, travelers can only visit the country for 1 of 12 approved reasons. Unfortunately, travel to Cuba for the purpose of taking a vacation or tourism is still prohibited. Here are the 12 approved reasons for Cuba travel:
- Travel to see family
- Business or professional purposes
- Journalism
- Research activity
- Education
- Religious activity
- Performances in public (i.e. competitions, workshops, exhibitions)
- Supporting the people of Cuba
- Humanitarian projects and activity
- Activities for private foundations
- Exports or imports
- Export transactions that are authorized under the Cuban government’s existent regulations
Applying for a Cuba Tourist Visa
If you have plans to travel to Cuba, you will need a Cuba tourist card (also referred to as a Cuba tourist visa) as well as a valid U.S. passport to enter the country. It’s important to note that your passport must be valid for six months after your departure from Cuba. You’ll also need to provide proof that you have booked a return flight to the U.S. as well as accommodations. Once you have your Cuba tourist card, it will allow you to stay in the county for up to 30 days. It is only valid for a single entry.
Are you in need of a tourist visa to Cuba? If so, Swift can help you make the entire process very seamless. We recently expanded our offerings and now provide Cuba tourist card services. You can get started with the application process online by visiting our Cuba visa page. Our online application system is easy to use and 100% secure.
Aside from being able to apply online from the comfort of your home, you’ll also have the benefit of working with the Swift team should you have any questions or concerns along the way. As always, we’re here to help and want to ensure that your travel documents are ready when you need them so you can focus entirely on the excitement of your upcoming travel.
