Is there a minimum stay at casa particulares?

Question: I’ve read somewhere that there is a minimum 3-day stay requirement for casas particulares.  Is that really the case?

Answer: There is NO minimum stay for casas particulares anywhere in the country.  One can stay one night or one month and longer.  The process is the same: upon entering the casa particular, you will be asked to present your passport and visa to the home owner, who will register you in their official registry.  They will then return your passport.

However, they are required, by law, to take the registry and your visa to their local immigration office, where you are again registered.  You do not need to accompany your homestay host to immigration, nor does immigration keep your visa – which should be returned to you as soon as your host returns from immigration.

Please note that you do not pay any fee for being registered, either by your homestay host or by immigration.

If you happen to enter the country with a prior reservation at a casa particular, this would be the address and telephone number that you would indicate on the entry card provided by immigration authorities.  If you do not have a homestay previously arranged, you will need to indicate the hotel where you will be staying.

It is recommended that you consult other questions and answers in the Havana Times Cuba Travel section for additional information on casas particulares in Cuba.