How to Apply for a Cuba Visa in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is America’s second most populous city after New York.  Greater Los Angeles—which includes Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, Ventura County, and Orange County—has a population of nearly 19 million people.  Known for its endless freeways and commercial sprawl, Greater Los Angeles is the largest metropolitan region in the United States by land area and includes over 200 cities such as Santa Monica, Pasadena, Culver City, Glendale, Long Beach, Carson, Irvine, Anaheim, and Inglewood.  Once a part of Mexico from 1821-1848, it is well known that Los Angeles has a huge Mexican American population of over 3.7 million residents.  It may be less well known that Los Angeles has the fourth-largest population of Cuban Americans in the country.  Cubans originally came to Los Angeles’s Echo Park neighborhood in the 1960s to escape the Castro regime, where they started restaurants and other small businesses to support themselves.  Although most Cubans have moved out of this neighborhood, there still stands the José Martí monument (one of Cuba’s most historical figures) at Echo Park Lake.  Today there are nearly 100,000 Cuban Americans throughout Southern California and each year Los Angeles hosts the Cuban American Music Festival.

Cuba lies about 90 miles south of Florida, located at the intersection of the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea.  The Republic of Cuba country includes Cuba, the largest island in the West Indies; Isla de la Juventud; and some 4,200 keys and islets.  Visitors from Los Angeles and around the world flock to tropical beaches, turquoise waters, sport fishing, and diving and snorkeling on its coral reefs.  Most tourists start in the capital city of Havana, where Old Havana’s cobblestone streets and Colonial-era architecture preserve Cuba’s colorful history.  Top attractions in Old Havana include the Plaza Vieja; Plaza de la Catedral; the military fortress of Castillo de la Real Fuerza; and Ernest Hemingway’s favorite hangout, Bodeguita del Medio.  The seafront promenade of Malecon stretches five miles from the Habana Vieja quarter to the business district of Vedado.  The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes features international and Cuban works of art dating back to ancient times, while Museo Napoleonico is one of the world’s leading Napoleonic museums. Stroll among the shops and art galleries of Calle Obispo, or visit the opera house Gran Teatro de La Habanathe.  Tour the fort at Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro, which guarded the Bay of Havana’s entrance from pirates. 

Outside of Havana, the best-known beach destination is Varadero, highlighted by Varadero Ecological Park and its two caves, Cueva de Ambrosio and Cueva de Musulmanes.  The quieter beaches of Guardalavaca host jungle adventures, sailing trips, and sightseeing tours of Santiago de Cuba.  The sunny beaches of Cayo Coco provided the setting for Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. Trinidad is another well-preserved historic city with churches, monasteries, plazas, and the Museo de Arquitectura Colonial.  Nearby Valle de los Ingenios offers memorabilia from 19th century sugar cane plantations.  Cienfuegos, the only French-founded city in the Spanish Americas, lies near the waterfalls and teal-green waters of El Nicho.  Hike anvil-shaped El Yunque or enjoy the green and pink hummingbirds at Humboldt National Park.  You can even snorkel alongside parrotfish and angelfish while floating over shipwrecks from the ill-fated Bay of Pigs invasion.  Besides Old Havana, Cuba has three other UNESCO World Heritage sites: Trinidad and the Valley de los Ingenios, the heart of the sugar industry; San Pedro de la Rosa Castle in Santiago de Cuba, the best-preserved example of Spanish-American architecture in the region; and Vinales Valley, where tobacco for Cuban cigars is grown.

U.S. General Permits for Cuba Travel

The U.S. government has maintained economic sanctions against the government of the Republic of Cuba for decades, which can make travel to the country challenging.  Federal law prohibits United States citizens from visiting Cuba for purely tourist activities.  However, the U.S. Treasury Department has issued general licenses for 11 other categories of Cuban travel (https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/faqs/topic/1541).  Visitors do not have to obtain a government license or fill out an application.  The general licenses rely on people using the “honor system” to decide which category applies to their own trips.  Since 2019, the general permit categories have been:

  • Support for the Cuban People
  • Family Visits
  • Journalistic Activity
  • Professional Research and Meetings
  • Religious Activities
  • Public Performances, Clinics, Workshops, Exhibitions, Athletic and Other Competitions
  • Humanitarian Projects
  • Activities of Private Foundations, or Research or Educational Institutes
  • Official Business of the U.S. Government, Foreign Governments, and Certain Intergovernmental Organizations
  • Exportation, Importation, or Transmission of Information
  • Authorized Export Transactions

Most Los Angeles visitors to Cuba rely on the first general license listed above.  “Support for the Cuban people” simply means interacting with locals, which can cover anything from taking salsa lessons to visiting a museum.  The category is vague enough that most visits will easily qualify.  Still, you will need to keep a record and/or itinerary from your trip detailing your activities in case you are asked to prove that your trip complied with this general permit.

U.S. citizens are also prohibited from entering financial transactions with certain hotels, retail stores, and other entities with connections to Cuban military and intelligence agencies.  The current list of prohibited entities can be found at https://www.state.gov/cuba-restricted-list/list-of-restricted-entities-and-subentities-associated-with-cuba-effective-january-8-2021.  Americans cruise ships are also banned from Cuba.  More details about the impact of sanctions on travel to Cuba are available at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba’s website, https://cu.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/traveling-to-cuba.

The political rift also limited the use of U.S. currency in Cuba.  In June 2021, the Cuban government outlawed depositing U.S. funds in Cuban banks and converting dollars into pesos.  U.S. credit and debit cards are also not accepted in Cuba, with the government encouraging visitors to acquire pre-paid debit cards from local and foreign companies.  Despite those official policies, dollars are widely accepted by vendors, taxi drivers, and other individuals in Cuba.  Other options include prepaying hotels and other large expenses while still in the United States, and convert some of your dollars to Canadian dollars, euros, or other currencies before you arrive.  Similarly, convert any Cuban pesos (in excess of your exit fees or taxes) to another international currency when you leave Cuba.

There are several categories of traditional visas which are available for U.S. nationals.  The Cuba Student Visa (D-2) is issued to those who have been accepted into a Cuban educational institution.  A Cuba Business Visa, for those planning to conduct business in the country, requires authorization from the commercial office at the Embassy of Cuba.  Medical tourism is also a significant industry in Cuba, drawing Europeans and North and South Americans.  The Cuba Medical Treatment Visa (D-10) is required for foreigners who are treated in a Cuban medical institution.  Travelers for special visas such as these must apply through the Cuban embassy in Washington, D.C: Cuba in USA | CUBADIPLOMATICA (cubaminrex.cu)

For non-U.S. citizens, travel to Cuba is much like that to other countries.  Citizens of most countries are not required to obtain a separate visa from the Cuban government, including those from Canada and the European Union.  Visitors from certain countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia are required to get a visitor’s visa.  Those who need a visa should contact the Cuban embassy or consulate in their home country.  However, citizens from the 19 countries listed at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Cuba do not need either a visa or a Cuban Tourist Card for trips for trips lasting at least 60 days.

Obtaining a Cuba Tourist Visa from Los Angeles

Visitors from most countries must first obtain a Cuba Tourist Card to enter the country.  The Cuban Tourist Card is sometimes referred to as a tourist visa, even though it is not a traditional official government visa attached to your passport.  All visitors must hold a valid passport from their home countries valid for at least two months in the future (or longer, depending on country of origin).  They must also provide proof of medical insurance and have access to at least $50 for each day of their trip.  No special vaccinations are required to enter Cuba.

The Tourist Card is valid for 30 days and can be extended for another 30 days.  Those whose trips originate in the United States will receive a pink card; those flying or arriving by ship from other nations will get a green tourist card.  The cost ranges from $50 to $100 for pink cards, and $20 for travelers from all other countries.  Note that the card color reflects where the trip originates – not the citizenship of the traveler.  You will not be able to board your airline unless you present the Tourist Card alongside your passport.

Steps for obtaining a Cuban tourist card from Los Angeles include:

  • Determine whether you need a visa or the Tourist Card.  While most visitors from Los Angeles only need the Tourist Card, some U.S. citizens may also need to get a visa if they are visiting family members, attending school, or entering into certain businesses.  Contact your local Cuban consulate for special U.S. requirements.
  • Purchase your plane ticket.  You will need a copy of your itinerary to obtain the Tourist Card.  Some airlines can also provide your Tourist Card as part of the booking process for an additional fee.  Check your airline’s website for costs and delivery options. (Currently there are no direct flights from Los Angeles so travelers will need to connect through Miami on American Airlines, or through Fort Lauderdale on JetBlue).  Your airline ticket generally includes a charge for Cuba-mandated health insurance.
  • Purchase a Cuban Tourist card.  Cards are sold at the Cuban embassy in Washington, D.C Consular Services | CUBADIPLOMATICA (cubaminrex.cu); at the airport or through the airline, as mentioned above; or through a visa or travel company like Visa Supply: Cuba Tourist Visa : visasupply.com
  • If you were unable to purchase non-American health insurance through your airline, you can buy it at a Cuban airport.  Although Cuban insurance will be sufficient to gain into the country, it is recommended to purchase supplementary travel insurance to protect against catastrophic injury and illness.  This can be purchased through GeoBlue using the following link: Geo Blue Voyager Single Trip Plan
  • Keep your Tourist Card with your passport throughout your trip.
  • Maintain your itinerary for self-reporting compliance with the U.S. general license requirements.

Cuba significantly eased its COVID-19 restrictions in early 2022 to encourage renewed tourism.  Travelers above the age of 12 must present a complete vaccination certificate. (Exceptions are those with a certified medical condition that prohibits vaccination, and members of tour groups from Canada and certain European countries.)  You will also need to present proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test administered no more than 72 hours before your travel begins.  Some passengers may also be randomly selected for further testing.  You must also fill out a health form, which can be complete in advance (https://www.dviajeros.mitrans.gob.cu/inicio).

We Can Help if You Need Assistance

If you live in Los Angeles or anywhere in Southern California and have difficulty applying for a visa for Cuba or require assistance with any part of the visa process, please give our office a call at 404-682-5445 or schedule an appointment with our company.  We are a private agency in Atlanta providing Cuba visa services for Americans and other U.S.-based residents.  Our number one goal is to ensure your application documents for a visa are submitted accurately to the Cuban government.  Our services eliminate delays and give you the peace of mind to focus on your travel plans. 

We provide the following Cuba visa services for our customers in Los Angeles:

  • Cuba Tourist Visa (Tourist Card)
  • Cuba Business Visa
  • Cuba Student Visa
  • Cuba Medical Treatment Visa
  • Cuba Hotel Accommodations
  • Cuba Organized Tours