Cuban Laws

Seeds would appear to come under at least some of the above categories. However, to obtain a more concise clarification on any regulation of Cuban Customs, or solicit a consultation, or even lodge a complaint or claim, you can do so via three channels.

US passports are accepted in Cuba as are those from any other country. In the case of US citizens you will have a paper tourist visa and they won’t stamp your passport.

Anyone who travels to Cuba first needs a valid passport. In the case of a Cuban-born individual who lives in another country and has another passport, you need a Cuban passport to travel to Cuba as Cuban.

Normally, Cuba issues one month tourist visas which can be extended, within the country, for a second month at the discretion of immigration authorities. The only exceptions are holders of a Canadian passport, who can come with a three-month visa which can be extended, within the country, for an additional three months – again, at the discretion of Cuban immigration authorities.

Question: I live in Lebanon and want to go to Cuba for one month. What papers do I need and how long do they take?

To visit an agricultural cooperative in Cuba, arrangements must be made through the Asociación Nacional de Agricultores Pequeños (ANAP or the National Association of Small Farmers).

In an email consultation with several Canadian-based solidarity groups with Cuba, the consensus is that no such organization exists in Canada. Instead, each visa is handled individually as a specific case, and it appears that Canada often does not give a reason for refusing a visa.

Your father’s situation is fundamentally a matter that concerns questions and regulations about immigration – and immigration offices in Cuba do not provide information over the phone. But there are still some possibilities that might result in useful information.

Many visitors to Cuba who have long-term Cuban partners (or friends) arrive in Cuba with a tourist visa, and then have it changed to an A2 “family stay” visa once inside the country. This requires going to the immigration office with your boyfriend PLUS the owner of the home where you wish to stay (if the owner is NOT your boyfriend). Be sure to take your passport, visa and return flight ticket. Sometimes the home owner needs to show the propiedad (ownership papers) of the home. You will also need CUC 40 in sellos de timbre (tax stamps).

When making donations of this kind, it is always a good approach to think how they might benefit the greatest number of individuals, given the shortage of decent quality technical equipment – whether old or new.