Important July 2022 updates for Canadians travelling to Cuba

Documents you need

• Passport: Your passport must be valid for the expected duration of your stay in Cuba. However, ensure that your passport is valid for at least 1 month beyond the date of your expected departure from Cuba in order to avoid delays. If you were born in Cuba, you should contact a Cuban government office in Canada before you leave to ensure compliance with Cuban regulations, regardless of your current citizenship. Failure to do so may result in being refused entry into Cuba or being detained upon entry.
• Tourist visa: Canadian tourists travelling to Cuba must fill out a tourist visa, also known as a tourist card that usually is provided on board by tour operators or airlines. If you go to Cuba on your own, you can obtain it from a Cuban government office in Canada. It is also available at some airports in Canada.

COVID-19 info

• No proof of vaccination: If you arrive to Cuba from a direct flight from Canada, you do not need to present a proof of vaccination
• An antigen test on the way back: Starting on March 1st, 2022, Canadians coming back home from Cuba need an antigen test. This can be done at the hotel; the cost is approximately $25 USD payable locally by Debit/Visa, Visa credit cards or Mastercard issued by Canadian banks. Test is by appointment only coordinated by your tour operator. In case you are not staying at a hotel, the antigen test can be done at the airport or at the nearest international clinic.

Arrival to Cuba information:

Starting on January 1, 2022, paper copies of the following documents will no longer be available (in the past, you were given these forms on board):

• International Boarding and Disembarkation Card
• Customs Declaration Form
• Traveller’s Health Affidavit

You must provide information online within 72 hours before departing for Cuba at the Government of Cuba portal at https://www.dviajeros.mitrans.gob.cu/ .

Once you provide it, you will receive a QR code by email. You must show an electronic or printed version of the QR code to authorities upon arrival.

Health insurance

Health insurance is mandatory for travelling to Cuba. It must cover any type of medical emergency including Covid-19. There is also no specific coverage amount required for admission – as long as your policy covers medical and health expenses in Cuba, it is acceptable. In the event that you test positive for Covid-19 in Cuba, the quarantine will be at the hotel where you are staying in the designated isolation section coordinated by the hotel. If for any reason, you cannot get insurance in Canada, you can purchase medical insurance in Cuba at the airport or visit www.cubatravel.cu.

Currency

• The local currency is Cuban peso (CUP). Convertible peso – CUC – has been discontinued and is not accepted anymore.
• US dollars are not accepted anywhere in Cuba.
• Canadian currency is widely accepted in Cuba. At the hotels and resort areas, payments are accepted only with Debit/visa or credit cards from Canadian banks. If you don’t have a credit card you can buy a pre-paid card in Cuba at the airport, exchange houses and resort areas. Payments outside the tourist areas are in local Cuban pesos (CUP).

It’s recommended to exchange Canadian dollars into pesos as you need them and only if you are planning to travel outside of the tourist areas because you won’t be able to exchange the leftover pesos to Canadian dollars at the end of the stay. The recommended currency to use for your stay is Canadian dollars or local pesos.

You can buy medical emergency travel insurance including COVID-19 coverage online at https://insurancestoronto.ca; or call at 416-822-2698; or send an email to info@insurancestoronto.ca

Sources:

• https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/cuba
• https://www.cubatravel.cu/en/
• https://www.dviajeros.mitrans.gob.cu/