Question: Buying Tourist Card upon Arrival into Havana Airport
Replies: 17 - Last Post: Oct 13, 2012 6:51 PM Last Post By: cuidate
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Question: Buying Tourist Card upon Arrival into Havana Airport
Hello all.Could someone please tell me HOW MUCH IS the COST OF A Tourist Visa Card WHEN IT'S bought upon arrival at the airport In Cuba.
I've just been informed by the charter co here in Florida that a new change has taken place, that the tourist card is now not sold with the airline ticket for those of us that were born in USA and that I will have to buy it when I land. I'm going to visit family on the island.
Bear in mind this change is only for direct Charter flights
1
Interesting if true. Normally/traditionally the TC must be bought/acquired PRIOR to arrival in Cuba. So difficult for anyone to answer your question from experience.I have only ever twice seen people buying it on arrival - both times their TC had been lost in transit. They paid either 20 or 25 CUC and it was a time consuming hassle.
4
Ditto #1 2 and 3. I never heard of that.A few years ago if you arrived in Cuba with the Card it could have gotten ugly and gone on your "permanent record", a term that actually does have real meaning in Cuba. It's largely just an unpleasant nuisance in today's world.
5
latinbeauty is 100% correct. I had to buy my tourist card on arrival 26 September. Cost was $20 US. They did not want CUC only accepting USD from me. I was told in Miami that someone would be waiting with my card when I arrived. The reality was that 6 of us had to wait about 45 minutes for the correct person to arrive with a stack of cards.I was told by immigration this new change was because the charter airlines are now afraid they will be charged with financial dealings with the Cuban government by selling the tourist cards. The Cuban immigration officer said the charter airlines are trying to get this resolved with OFAC.
7
I was told in Miami that someone would be waiting with my card when I arrived.The reality was that 6 of us had to wait about 45 minutes for the correct person to arrive with a stack of cards.
Es Cuba, bob. Same thing........jejeje
8
#1What charter are you flying out of???
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The Cuban Embassy in DC issues Tourist Cards - they have an application , the can email it to you
if you need their # call the consulate office in NY, and explain the situation that your charter does not want tourist cards, they will give you the # for the embassy that works.
Taking this time home can save an hour or more in Cuba.
Edited by: wnyzfinest
9
wnyzfinest: I always use ABC Charters in Miami but I was told that this new process is applicable to all charter companies in the US. Everyone hopes it will be resolved and back to the old way soon.Of course the logical thing would be to sell the tourist visas via e-commerce or at least a kiosk at arrival in Cuba. After all, it is just a blank form with no qualification, monitoring, or recording.
We must always remember that logic does not apply in US / Cuba dealings.
11
Yeah, if Florida wasn't such an important electoral state, things would be different. I think the tide is turning, though. The younger generation hopefully won't carry on the pressure...we are still a ways a way, but it will turn one day.12
The younger generation hopefully won't carry on the pressure...we are still a ways a way, but it will turn one dayjacpan - let me drag out a similar comment from someone written 50 years ago (and 40 and 30 etc etc!
I guess it is like the perennial reports of Fidel's death - eventually it will be correct.
13
I do know that my friends are not as militant about Cuba as their parents or grandparents. They won't admit this to their elders.It's like everything in life, time heals all wounds. This one is just a very sllllooooooowwwwwww healing wound.
I personally think the embargo has kept the regime in power. That is all I'm going to say about our countries politics. :)
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