Cuba entry requirements for Canadian passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Visa (Government of Canada): Read the official visa text below
Passport validity (Government of Canada): Valid for the expected duration of your stay in Cuba. Official text
Official source: Government of Canada – Cuba travel advice and advisories (travel.gc.ca), section “Entry and exit requirements” · page last updated 13 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026 · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
Whether Canadians need a visa for Cuba and how long a Canadian passport must be valid, as published by the Government of Canada, quoted word for word with the date of the official page.
Other passports: British passport · Australian passport
Do Canadians need a visa for Cuba?
We quote the official text word for word and do not summarise it. The official text also mentions an electronic travel authorization, e-visa, arrival card, online form or registration, tourist card or fee: read it in full.
Official text, “Visas”:
Tourist visa: required
Family visa: required
Business visa: required
Canadian tourists travelling to Cuba need a visa, which allows for stays of up to 90 days.
The tourist visa is generally included in holiday packages provided by tour operators or airlines providing direct flights from Canada.
If you travel to Cuba via a third country, including on flights with stopovers in a third country, you must obtain a Cuban electronic visa ahead of time. A 10-character code will be provided, which you must include when filling out the online customs form.
Tourist visas – Government of Cuba
Also in the official “Entry and exit requirements” section:
Length of stay
You may stay in Cuba for up to 6 months, but you must request an extension of stay if you intend to stay longer than the initial 90-day period allowed by the standard tourist visa.
D’Viajeros traveller information portal – Government of Cuba
Online customs form
You must provide information on your stay in Cuba via an online customs form before entering the country. You may complete it as early as 72 hours before entry.
Once done, you will receive a QR code by email.
You must show an electronic or printed version of the QR code upon check-in and to authorities upon arrival.
D’Viajeros traveller information portal – Government of Cuba
Health insurance
You must be able to show proof of medical insurance upon entry to Cuba. If you don’t have proof of health insurance or if the proof you present doesn’t satisfy the Cuban immigration authorities, you may have to obtain health insurance from a Cuban insurance company upon arrival. This insurance may have limited coverage.
Canadian provincial health care coverage provides very limited coverage outside Canada. It will not pay for medical bills up front and does not include air evacuation.
Cuban authorities won’t let you leave the country with outstanding medical bills. You will need to remain in Cuba until all debts are paid. Medical bills are payable in cash (U.S. dollars) only.
- Make sure you purchase the best health insurance you can afford
- Ensure the insurance includes medical evacuation and hospital stays
Trip interruption and travel health insurance
Health screening
You may be subjected to a medical screening or interrogation by public health authorities when you enter or exit Cuba, or when reporting for domestic flights.
You may be subject to a mandatory quarantine for medical observation for up to 7 days if local authorities believe that:
- you have symptoms of a serious illness, such as:
- COVID-19
- Dengue
- Ebola
- H1N1
- Zika
- you have come into contact with a suspected carrier of one of these viruses
- you’re arriving from a country with a known epidemic
More from the official “Entry and exit requirements” section (other requirements)
Cash controls
You cannot leave Cuba with more than $5,000 USD or the equivalent in any currency. You also cannot leave Cuba with more than 5,000 CUP.
Other entry requirements
Customs officials may ask you to show them:
- a return or onward ticket
- proof of accommodation
Dual citizenship
If you’re both a Canadian and Cuban citizen, you must:
- present your valid Cuban passport to the immigration authorities to enter Cuba
- have a valid Canadian passport to return to Canada
If you were born in Cuba, you should contact a Cuban government office in Canada before you leave to ensure compliance with Cuban regulations, regardless of your current citizenship. Failure to do so may result in your being refused entry into Cuba or being detained upon entry.
Canadian permanent residents
You will not be able to leave Cuba if you are a Canadian permanent resident and are without a valid permanent resident card. If your card is lost or stolen, you must contact the Embassy of Canada to Cuba, in Havana, to obtain a travel document that will allow you to leave the country.
This procedure can take up to 10 working days. Once the document is ready, you'll need to make an appointment with the immigration section of the Embassy of Canada to Cuba to collect it before returning to Canada.
Permanent resident travel document: How to apply
Restricted goods
Personal effects and medicine
You should bring all personal goods, including toiletries and medication, that you may require for the duration of your travel. Many of these items may be difficult to find in Cuba.
Cuban customs officials will decide if the amount is suitable for your personal use. They may apply steep tariffs for personal baggage exceeding the allowable amount.
Art objects
Some art objects, including artifacts and paintings purchased in Cuba, must be accompanied by an export permit. It’s usually provided by state-owned galleries. If you plan on buying art from a gallery, always confirm that you will be able to leave the country with it.
Electronic devices
Electronic devices with GPS technology may be confiscated upon entry and returned upon exit.
Satellite telephones are forbidden.
Electronic cigarettes and personal vaporizers
You cannot bring electronic cigarettes or personal vaporizers to Cuba.
Customs officials will seize these items upon arrival.
Official source: Government of Canada – Cuba travel advice and advisories (travel.gc.ca), section “Visas” · page last updated 13 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026 · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
How long must my Canadian passport be valid for Cuba?
In short: Valid for the expected duration of your stay in Cuba.
Our one-line summary of the official sentence below, which matches a wording we recognise. Your airline may apply stricter rules.
Official text, “Regular Canadian passport”:
Your passport must be valid for the expected duration of your stay in Cuba.
Official source: Government of Canada – Cuba travel advice and advisories (travel.gc.ca), section “Regular Canadian passport” · page last updated 13 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026 · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
For Canadian passport holders. These rules are published by the Government of Canada (Global Affairs Canada) for Canadian citizens travelling on a regular Canadian passport. Before You Fly is an independent site: it is not a Government of Canada site and is not endorsed by the Government of Canada. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice. British passport? See the UK (FCDO) rules.
Read the full official travel advice for Cuba (safety, health, local laws) before you travel.
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