10.07.2023 | UPDATE: No ESTA if previous KUBA travel
UPDATE ON APPLICANTS WHO WISH TO APPLY FOR AN ESTA AND HAVE BEEN TO CUBA BEFORE!
Travelers who entered or stayed in Cuba on or after January 12, 2021, and wish to enter the U.S. with ESTA authorization would NOT be able to apply for ESTA again. A Non-Immigrant Visa is required prior to departure. Please keep this in mind when planning your trip.
The U.S. Department of State designated Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST) on January 12, 2021.With limited exceptions, a traveler who is found to have visited Cuba on or after this date is not eligible for travel under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) using an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and must apply for a visa to travel to the United States. Additionally, a traveler who at the time of application for an ESTA holds dual nationality with both a VWP country and Cuba is not eligible for travel under the VWP using an ESTA and must apply for a visa to travel to the United States.
If an ESTA has already been approved and it is later determined that the traveler has been present in Cuba or holds dual nationality with both a VWP country and Cuba, the ESTA will be revoked. Ineligibility for an ESTA is not a bar to travel to the United States. Individuals who are not eligible to travel under the VWP may apply for a visa at any U.S. embassy or consulate.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection | 10.07.2023