Cuba calls! However, there are some formalities to consider when entering Cuba. This includes organizing a suitable visa for your stay. There are some peculiarities, where this unique Caribbean country differs from others. But it is worth it because Cuba's islands, cities, and beaches want to be experienced and enjoyed by you.

To ensure nothing goes wrong on your trip, you should make further important preparations. In this guide, we explain, among other things, what you need to know about vaccination protection. Learn more about the mandatory health insurance for travel and customs regulations and what you need to consider when entering with a child or a dog.

In addition, we list here all the international airports that may play a role during your stay. On these, you can arrive, depart, or travel around the country. We also tell you more about other options for staying mobile while on the move. Not every option in mobility is as good as it seems at first glance! The conclusion is the information about a transit at Cuba's airports and the Cuban foreign representations you may want to contact before or after your trip.

Although the entry requires some effort and preparations from you, you will be rewarded with a fantastic vacation in a special country. Also read our article about Cuba and its peculiarities as a state to learn more about topics such as the internet and mobile phone networks. The information can make your stay even more enjoyable.

If you want to enter Cuba as a tourist, you need a tourist card or an entry card, a special document that represents a tourist visa. A tourist card is valid for up to 90 days and can be extended by another 90 days if necessary. Get your tourist card as early as possible, e.g., through our service - we can help you apply so that you receive this important document quickly and safely.

Travel regulations state that, unlike in some other countries, you cannot buy an entry permit on site at the airport. Instead, you have no choice but to apply for the document several weeks before your trip begins, for example with the help of the service team from Buch-dein-visum.de. We will send you the card, or you can pick it up from us. Note that some airlines may refuse to carry passengers to Cuba if they cannot present a visa at departure.

Starting in August 2024, Cuba has begun the introduction of an electronic visa (e-visa) which is to completely replace the tourist card by 2025. Citizens of many countries who only need a tourist card for entry to Cuba can already apply for an e-visa. Entry with the tourist card (tarjeta turística) is also allowed until the end of 2024.

To apply for an e-visa for Cuba, you only need to fill out an online application form and provide personal information such as passport details and email address. The e-visa form will be sent to your email address immediately after successful confirmation and linked with your valid travel document. You can contact us for both a tourist card and an e-visa for Cuba.

The Cuban authorities not only approve entry for tourist purposes but also offer other types of visas, e.g., business visas. Some of them are characterized by a longer duration of stay. However, they are only available for specific reasons. A business visa, for example, is issued only for business reasons for a trip to Cuba. Someone traveling to Cuba for business reasons cannot use a tourist visa. The same applies to travelers visiting relatives or friends in the Caribbean country.

Travel insurance for trips to Cuba is not only sensible, it can also be required by the authorities. This applies at least to international health insurance. Only with proof can you enter the country. Many insurers are not recognized, including German ones. To secure yourself, you can obtain information from the Cuban embassy in the Federal Republic before your trip.

International health insurance protects you from unexpected expenses if you fall ill or get injured abroad unexpectedly. The provider then takes over the costs for the hospital, the treatments and, with an additional travel repatriation insurance, also the flight back to your home country. Please refer to the contracts for the specific catalog of services. Depending on the provider, there can be significant differences. In addition, despite insurance, some costs may still be incurred that are not covered by the insurers.

The Cuban health system is considered very good, but this is mainly because it provides free treatment in case of illness to all Cuban citizens. Unfortunately, you do not have this privilege as a tourist. You will probably not even be treated on the same wards as locals if you need to go to a hospital. There are separate health facilities for foreigners. The costs for the treatments have to be paid by the patients. The bills can be much higher than in Western countries.

Another legally required insurance for travel within Cuba is the insurance cover for rental cars. However, this is not comparable to European policies. An additional insurance can be worthwhile, especially since traffic in your travel country is unpredictable.

Since Cuba is a tropical country in the Caribbean, it makes sense to think about potential infectious diseases. In your travel country, there are pathogens such as Chikungunya, Dengue, Zika, Rabies, and HIV. Cholera is also a topic. Nevertheless, there are currently no mandatory vaccinations for travelers from Germany. This is also due to the fact that there are no effective vaccines available yet for most of the mentioned pathogens.

You are reliant on staying alert during your trip and avoiding typical sources of infection. Protect yourself from mosquitoes, as they transmit a variety of virus types in the tropics. Avoid sexual contacts or use a safe condom. Do not share syringes. Note that diseases can be transmitted via blood transfusions.

Diarrheal diseases are mostly caused by spoiled food or dirty drinking water. Do not drink tap water in the Caribbean. Instead, opt for bottled water. This also applies to your personal hygiene, such as brushing your teeth. Some Cubans drink the Cuban tap water and seem to have no problems with it. However, your experience might be quite different, as you are accustomed to much higher water quality from Europe.

Nevertheless, it is advisable to get vaccinated for your trip to Cuba. The following vaccinations are up to you:

- Hepatitis (A and B)
- Typhoid
- Rabies

If you are unsure which vaccinations are right for you, consult your family doctor or a tropical medicine institute.

If your child with German nationality is to accompany you on your trip to the Caribbean, they will need a valid children's passport for entry into Cuba. The document must be valid for at least six months on the day of your arrival in the country. Just like adult travelers, it is also necessary for children to additionally submit a declaration on their individual health status. The document is called "Declaración Jurada de Salud" in your destination country. You can now easily complete this step online at https://www.dviajeros.mitrans.gob.cu/inicio.

Your children should have all standard vaccinations completed before the start of the trip, if possible. Cuba is a tropical country, so there are some pathogens here that can be dangerous to humans. In young affected individuals, the effects and aftereffects are often more problematic than in older ones. However, there are no mandatory vaccinations. But it is sensible to have vaccination protection against Hepatitis A.

If you are pregnant, you should be aware that you can contract the Zika virus in Cuba. It is transmitted by mosquitoes that prefer to hunt during the day. The infection can cause not only neurological symptoms in you but also malformation in your child. However, already born children can no longer suffer malformations.

Nevertheless, you should protect your child as much as possible from infectious diseases in tropical areas. A sensible measure is to give the hungry mosquitoes no chance to bite the child. You achieve this, among other things, with long, light clothing that mosquitoes cannot pierce through. In addition, apply a reliable anti-mosquito spray to exposed skin areas. When resting, it is best to use a mosquito net - it is a good idea both at night and during the day.

Would you like to take your dog with you to the islands in the Caribbean? Then you need a health certificate from a veterinarian or veterinary doctor, according to the entry regulations. This document confirms to the Cuban authorities that your animal is healthy. You can also bring other animals, including cats or birds.

However, it is not always a good idea to take pets on trips, even if you will be staying in the Caribbean for a long time. The climate is very strenuous for animals that are only accustomed to European weather. If your animal gets scared and runs away, it can also be very difficult to catch it again.

Dogs can also become infected with many severe pathogens in Cuba. This includes rabies, which can be easily transmitted through saliva, bites, or scratches from infected dogs, cats, and bats. If you take a dog to the travel country, you should therefore prevent it with appropriate vaccinations.

While you are not allowed to bring in or take out the national currency of Cuba during your trip, you are allowed to bring unlimited amounts of foreign currency. However, any amount of money equal to or exceeding 5,000 US dollars must be declared in writing to the authorities. For this purpose, the authorities provide a form online.

Everything you carry in your suitcases and on your body should correspond solely to your personal needs. Therefore, do not carry unusual quantities of any items. Otherwise, it is possible that the authorities will confiscate this excess and you will not get it back. Incidentally, the excess is referred to by Cuban official employees as 'unauthorized gifts' for Cuban nationals. The import of gifts is duty-free only up to a value of 50 US dollars. This also applies to electrical devices. So consider carefully what items you want to take to Cuba to avoid violating travel regulations.

Radios, satellite phones, and GPS devices are not allowed. Only in specific cases can you apply for an exemption from the authorities. However, common electronic devices with GPS function such as laptops, smartphones, or regular cameras are not included in the GPS devices category. Drones, electric cigarettes, and fresh food are not allowed for various reasons.

It is always possible that the entry regulations described here may change again. Sometimes this happens so quickly that the changes are not yet recorded in the travel and safety advice of the German Foreign Office. To be sure you don't miss anything important, you can contact the Cuban embassy in Germany before departure. Learn more about the embassy later in this guide.

There are numerous airports on the Cuban Islands. Some of them are also directly flown to from Germany, for example from the capital Berlin. The most important and largest Cuban airport – José Martí International Airport (HAV) - is located in Havana. Most tourists land here. They come from cities such as Munich, Frankfurt am Main, Düsseldorf, Zurich, Paris, and London.

The seven other international airports in Cuba are located in Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo del Sur, Camagüey, Holguin, Santa Clara, Santiago de Cuba, and Varadero. This makes it easy to quickly reach all parts of Cuba. Also consider the option of commuting between airports by booking domestic flights. This saves you additional time on your trip and allows you beautiful aerial views of the Cuban islands. Cuba has three airlines, Cubana, Aerogaviota, and Aerocaribbean, which help you move forward both within and outside the country.

Traveling by buses and rental cars is possible, but Cuba's roads are in very poor condition. Moreover, some traffic rules established among Cubans are difficult for tourists to understand and are not apparent at first glance.

Alternatively, you can reach most major Cuban cities by train. The state railway company Ferrocarriles de Cuba is responsible for the routes. To get to the islands, it is advisable to rely on ferries. The ships connect, for example, Isla de la Juventud as well as the cities of Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos, and Havana.

Instead of entering Cuba, will you only be spending a short time on site for transit, as you are traveling further? In this section, we will tell you more about the topic of transit in Cuba. You do not need a visa for a temporary stay during your transit. However, this only applies on the condition that you do not leave the transit area, for example, to visit the capital Havana.

The Cuban authorities have already relaxed the corona rules, such as the mask requirement, so you only need to pay little attention, whether you are entering or traveling further. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend that you inform yourself precisely about the applicable rules before arrival and categorically comply with them to avoid trouble with the authorities.

You do not need proof of a negative PCR test, but you should know that travelers are sometimes tested at airports. However, these checks are rather random. If you show symptoms typical of Corona, you might be transferred to a secure facility. However, there is neither a quarantine obligation nor do you have to demonstrate vaccination protection.

Do you have any questions about a visa or would you like to learn more about the import and export regulations when traveling to Cuba? If you want to get in touch with Cuban foreign representations in Germany, you should preferably contact the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in Berlin. It is located at Stavangerstraße 20 and can be reached at the phone number +49 30 40 04 58 20 and the email recepcion-consulado@botschaft-kuba.de.

In addition, you have the option to contact the branch office of the Cuban embassy. It is currently located at Kennedyallee 22-24 in Bonn in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. You can reach the facility at the phone number +49 228 30 90 or send an email to kons-od-bonn@botschaft-kuba.de if you want to get in touch with the branch office. Currently, there are no other branch offices or consulates in Germany.

If you need help from the German Embassy during your stay in Cuba, you will find the diplomatic representation of the Federal Republic in the capital Havana. The "Embajada de la República Federal de Alemania" is housed in a building at the address Apartado 6610. You can find your contact options on the current website at https://havanna.diplo.de/cu-de.

A diverse round trip through Cuba is a real experience, as you get the opportunity to get to know different facets of the country during a multi-day trip.

Get to know Cuba from its authentic side: genuine and personal! Here you can expect another exciting offer for your next trip to Cuba.

Cuba is the pearl of the tropical Caribbean: It is known for colonial buildings, classic cars, and its agricultural products. Immerse yourself in this unique way of life!