Travelling to Cuba, need hellp?

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muncle

Hello Philip,

You don’t have to worry about it. The thing with passports is a standard procedure that applies to most countries worldwide. It means that if (for example) you are planning to stay for 6 months in the country you are visiting, your passport must be valid for at least following 7 months. In other words, your passport must not expire sooner than one month after intended departure from the country you are visiting. Canadian passports are good for 5 years, since you have just applied for yours, you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

When it comes to tourist visa – Cubans use “Tourist Card”. It’s an actual card that you will be handed on the plane (provided you are flying from Canada). It’s got light green color and you will need to fill in the information about yourself (name, address, passport number) as well as an information on where you will be staying in Cuba.

If you are staying in a hotel, name of the hotel is sufficient (for example Oasis Varadero 1920). If you’re a smart traveler who didn’t purchase an all inclusive stay and is going to experience real Cuba, you will need to put down an address of Casa Particular in which you will be staying. I always use the address of the same Casa particular on Prado in Havana. It’s owned by the daughter of former Cuban ambassador to Canada (Miss Evora Rodriguez), it’s perfectly located, spacious and clean. Even if I don’t intend to stay in Havana, I still use this address, because all you need is to put something down on the Tourist Card. Getting a Casa Particular anywhere in Cuba is not difficult (but that’s not the point of your question).

So yeah, Tourist Card is your visa to Cuba. Canadian tourists account for most foreign currency coming to Cuba. They love us there. As Canadians, we get a whole lot of good treatment. For example, we Canadians can stay in Cuba for 3 months, other countries can only do 1 month (on tourist visa). And we Canadians get Tourist Card included in the price of plane ticket – other nations must buy it for $20.

Once your plane took off, your flight attendants will be handing out Tourist Cards to everyone. Fill it up – it’s your visa. There will be no stamp or sticker put into your passport. This Tourist Card takes care of all that (that’s why even US nationals can travel to Cuba and their officials may never need to find out – because there is no indication in your passport that you have visited Cuba).

To learn more about Tourist Cards, go to:

http://www.cubatourism.ca/cuba-faq/cuba-entry-requirements/

Enjoy your time in Cuba. It’s a beautiful country full of extremely nice people. I go there all the time and know it backwards. Tourism is their main source of hard currency and biggest propeller of their economy. You will be welcomed with open arms. Don’t worry about anything and just enjoy your time. You’ll love it ;)

first your passport is fine in that case
second the airline will give you the visa so don't panic

Obamas Shoes

Your fine because is means it can't expire within the time after you leave. I have always been given my tourist visa after getting off the plane in the immigration line, but it may be different for Cuba. If they want tourists they usually give them out when you arrive.

Der Schreckliche

You are not supposed to spend a long time in cuba, unless you ask a especial authorization

I lived in cuba 40 years

Rick

No need to worry about that. If they don't, just go some other place

Tropicales

No don't worry. You can fly the day you receive your passport. It is just that you want to make sure your passport does not expire in Cuba. You're fine with your passport. Don't worry at all since it's a newly issued passport.
"The passport must be valid for at least one month beyond the date of your expected departure from the country" ...this means departure from CUBA....not Canada.

Second, your tourist card will be given to you on the plane en route to Cuba from Canada. I always receive mine on the plane and they always tell you how to fill it out...it's easy to fill out.

Have a great time!

Just a helpful tip, when you fill out your Tourist Card on the plane, if something doesn't make sense (like you're unsure of what to write on a particular spot on the card) make SURE you ask the flight attendant what you should fill in there because it is your "visa" card and you can't make any errors on it, and sometimes they will not provide you with another one on the plane. So just make sure you ask before filling something in. Have lots of fun in Cuba, it's beautiful there!

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