Cuba visa

bogmanfan

Hi, my sister is heading to Cuba with her friends on Wednesday (day after tomorrow:eek: ) and they haven't got their visas yet. She's heading in to the embassy on Harcourt St in the morning, but she has heard that she won't get them in time. Anyone know if this is the case, or can you get them then and there?

egan007

She can get them there AFAIK, they are twice the price there.

Gran Hermano

The travel agent you book the flights with normally sort out the visa,
get on the phone to them and ask what's causing the delay.
Chances are she already paid for a visa when paying for the flights.
It's much easier getting a tourist visa card here before arriving in
Cuba - all you'll need is accommodation booked before you arrive.

http://www.canadacuba.ca/hummingbird.php


If the TA have let you down and haven't the tourist card sorted, give these
guys a shout:

Embassy of The Republic of Cuba

2 Adelaide ct Adelaide rd Dublin 2


(01)4750899

bogmanfan

OK, they booked the flights directly, so no travel agent. On top of that the consulate on Adelaide Rd is closed for holidays, so they're seriously sh*tting themselves. One of them is thinking of going to London tomorrow to the consulate there in order to get them:eek: . Is there any alternative? My sister reckons if they arrive in HAvana without it, they will be sent home. I reckon they'll just have delays, and maybe a fine. Anyone got any suggestions?

Gran Hermano

Any time I've gone over I've had the Tourist Card sorted before departure.
The Cubans can be a tad unpredictable about officialdom and regulations
- depending on who you get at immigration and whether they are looking
for a 'brown envelope'. Not that I recommend trying to bung them a bribe.


Whilst you may be able to buy a visa/tourist card upon arrival in Cuba certain
airline (Air France in particular) will most likely not let you board the plane
without the tourist card.

Not sure whether you have these details:
http://home2.btconnect.com/CUBANEMBASSY-UK/

July 25th, 26th & 27th are national holidays in Cuba so that might account
for the Irish consulate being shut. Try them again in the morning or failing
that I'd call the UK office and explain the Irish site is closed and you need
assistance.


I know visitors from Central and South America and Canada can buy
the Tourist Card at the airport but as far as I know it is not possible for
Europeans. Is she flying via Paris or London? If London this
might be of interest:

"... In the UK at least, you CANNOT buy a tourist card at the airport..."

Last February you could purchase Tourist Cards from both Air Jamaica and Sky Diamond at Heathrow. Both worked well as last minute emergency back-up for UK travellers who were unaware of Tourist Card requirements, and didn't leave enough time to hit the Cuban Embassy.

Not something for an informed/prepared traveller to depend on, of course.

Link

Might be worth calling Air Jamaica in Heathrow and seeing if they can assist as a last resort.
Air Jamaica Terminal 3 JM 020 8570 7999
Sky Diamond: Tel: 0208 897 9201


Another link for you:
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/messagepost.cfm?postaction=reply&catid=14&threadid=1389285&messid=12202675&iCountryId=

¡Buena suerte!

bogmanfan

Thanks for the reply. She is flying with Air France, via Paris unfortunately. They have been in contact with the Embassy in London. They will have the tourist cards collected first thing in the morning and couriered back to here. Well, that's their plan anyway.

Gran Hermano

Glad to hear she got it sorted.

Any time I've flown Air France to Cuba in-flight service was
pretty poor, hours would go by without even seeing a trolly-dolly.
I'll be bringing my own large bottle of water and food for the flight
next time (all bought after security in CDG).

diarmuidmac

to obtain Tourist card and save us time ( and possibly money ) when we get there

Need to Bring €22 , Passport and Flight Details to

Embassy of The Republic of Cuba

2 Adelaide ct Adelaide rd Dublin 2

Monday - Friday 10 am - 2 Pm

VolumeII

I just wanted to say that my mother was in a similar predicament. She booked a flight to Cuba (dublin - paris - cuba) with airfrance and only discovered at the airport at 7am today that she needed a Visa. She rang me and I got on the internet to see what her options were and found this thread. I rang around a few places to no hope. She was hoping her flights would be cancelled due to today's volcanic ash episode but it was one of the few that wasn't. Needless to say, she didn't have the time to taxi into the city to visit the Cuban embassy and so persuaded the guy on the checkout to let her board (He was a bit reluctant). She wasn't asked for the Visa once in Paris as it was a connecting flight. On arrival in Cuba, they asked her for the visa and she simply stated in her best possible Spanish that she was under the impression that she could buy them there. They replied 'Yes', she could in fact, and pointed her over to a desk where a queue was forming and she was able to pick one up for $20. So to anyone reading this thread and in a similar situation, if you can persuade your airline to allow you to board, you'll have no problems getting a visa on arrival in Cuba.

MediaTank

Normally, the airline will not let you board without your Cuban Visa. You mother was very lucky.

purplecow1977

Do you need one? How do you get it?

MediaTank

purplecow1977 wrote: »

Do you need one? How do you get it?

You do. In person from the Cuban Embassy in Dublin. or via post (at an extra charge), or if you are travelling via a tour operator they can sort it for you. You can'y board the plane without it.

purplecow1977

so the Visafirst website is valid? It's €22 if you get it in person or €47 through post - that's correct then? I was just worried in case it was a scam - my friend got scammed when buying her ESTA and ended up paying €100 unnecessarily so just wanted to make sure and searches did give conflicted advice. Thanks.

Fred Swanson

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