Document · Advance Passenger Information · Cuba
D'Viajeros from the United States to Cuba
If you are flying from the United States to Cuba, here we explain the D'Viajeros form, cash, medical insurance and the cautions around US travel rules.
Flights leave the United States for Cuba most weeks, from Miami and other cities, carrying travellers of every kind. If you are on one of them, the D'Viajeros — Cuba's advance passenger information — applies to you just as it does to everyone else: it is a digital, mandatory and free form completed before arrival. What makes the US route different is not the form itself, but the context around it, and that context deserves a careful read.
In brief: D'Viajeros is the same free arrival form whether you fly from Miami or from London. What is specific to departing the United States sits outside the form: the US rules on travel to Cuba, the fact that US bank cards do not work on the island, and medical insurance. We set it out carefully here and point you to the official sources at every step.
Flying from the US to Cuba: the D'Viajeros is identical
Whether you take off from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Houston or New York, on landing in Cuba you pass through Immigration, Customs and health control like any other arrival — and that is what D'Viajeros is for. It is the advance passenger information managed by Cuba's Ministry of Transport (MITRANS) together with Customs, Immigration and Public Health. It gathers your personal details, flight information, address in Cuba and the customs and health declarations into a single document.
Most of these flights land at José Martí International Airport (HAV) in Havana, though there are also connections to Camagüey, Holguín and other terminals. Whatever your point of entry, the form is filled in on the official portal and produces a QR code you show on arrival.
In short: leaving the United States does not change the D'Viajeros process; it changes the legal and practical framework around this route.
The important nuance: US rules on travel to Cuba
This is the most sensitive part, and we say it with full caution: we are not lawyers and we do not give legal advice, and this article is no substitute for an official source. The United States regulates travel by its citizens and residents to Cuba through the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) at the Treasury Department. Under those rules — which change over time and with each administration — travel typically has to fit one of the authorised travel categories.
We will not interpret those categories or tell you which one applies to you: that assessment is yours and, if in doubt, a qualified professional's. What we can do is point you to where the first-hand information lives.
Worth knowing: D'Viajeros is a Cuban arrival requirement; the authorised travel categories are a US departure requirement. They belong to different authorities. Completing D'Viajeros correctly says nothing about your standing under US rules, and vice versa.
In short: check the US side with official US sources and, if unsure, a professional; we only help with the Cuban form.
Where to check the US rules (official sources)
US policy toward Cuba is a moving target, so the sensible thing is to read it at source and at the time of your trip, rather than trusting third-party summaries (this one included). These are the references the US authorities themselves publish:
- OFAC at the Treasury Department, which publishes the regulations on travel to and transactions with Cuba.
- The US Department of State, with its travel advisories and country pages.
- Your airline, which usually asks for or displays the travel category when issuing a ticket to Cuba.
Always cross-check what you read against your flight date: a rule that was current months ago may have been amended.
In short: for the US side, go straight to OFAC, the State Department and your airline; they are the only reliable, up-to-date source.
Cash: US bank cards do not work in Cuba
This point is purely practical and matters a great deal for anyone flying from the United States: credit and debit cards issued by US banks do not work in Cuba. They will not pay in shops or withdraw money from ATMs. However healthy your balance, on the island the card can become a useless piece of plastic.
The consequence is clear: for this route you should carry enough cash for the whole trip, in a currency that is easy to exchange, and split it up sensibly. Keep in mind as well that:
- Internet access in Cuba is limited and expensive (through ETECSA), so do not count on solving a payment by phone on the fly.
- Cash above a certain threshold must be declared on entry; that threshold and its rules are set by Cuban Customs, so confirm them on their site before you travel.
- Amounts and exchange rates move; treat any figure you read as indicative, not fixed.
Worth knowing: relying only on US cards is one of the costliest mistakes travellers from the States make. Plan your cash before you leave your departure airport.
In short: expect to pay in cash in Cuba; US cards will not bail you out.
Medical insurance and why to check yours is valid in Cuba
Cuba requires arrivals to hold medical insurance with cover in the country. It is an entry requirement separate from D'Viajeros and, unlike the form, it is not free. For travellers from the United States there is an added wrinkle: some policies bought in the US may not be valid or may not provide effective cover in Cuba, precisely because of the regulatory context between the two countries.
We do not assume your policy works or that it fails: that depends on your contract. The prudent step is to ask your insurer in writing whether it covers assistance in Cuba and under what conditions, and to carry the proof. If it does not, you will need cover that does.
In short: verify before flying that your insurance covers Cuba; do not assume it does just because it was bought in the United States.
The tourist card on the US route
Beyond a valid passport and insurance, entering Cuba as a tourist usually requires the tourist card (the traditional cardboard "visa"). On flights leaving the United States it is often arranged through the airline or associated providers, and its price on this route can be different — often higher — than if you bought it from another origin.
As with everything else, treat prices as roughly the going rate and confirm them with your airline: they vary by where and how you buy. The tourist card is a document separate from D'Viajeros: one grants entry to the country, the other is the digital arrival declaration.
In short: ask your airline how the tourist card is handled on your US flight and at what price; do not confuse it with D'Viajeros.
D'Viajeros: free, digital and separate from all of the above
It bears repeating clearly, because there is a lot of confusion: D'Viajeros is FREE. It is filled
in on the official portal dviajeros.mitrans.gob.cu at no cost. What does cost money are separate
steps: the tourist card, the eVisa where it applies, and medical insurance.
If someone charges you to "do your D'Viajeros", understand that you are paying for an assistance service, not for the form itself. We are an independent assistance agency: we can help you complete and review it, but the official process carries no fee.
- Free and digital: the form, on the MITRANS portal.
- Paid and separate: tourist card, medical insurance and, if applicable, eVisa.
- Yours as always: a valid passport.
In short: do not blend the free D'Viajeros with the paid entry requirements; they are separate.
When and how to complete it before your flight
D'Viajeros can be completed up to 48 hours before arrival in Cuba (treat the window as indicative and verify it on the portal). For the US route, with Cuban internet so limited, the advice is to do it before you leave, on a good connection, and download and print the QR code so you do not depend on the network on landing.
Have your flight number, passport details and exact address in Cuba to hand. If you get a detail wrong, it can be corrected; we cover that in the guide on editing your D'Viajeros.
Worth knowing: a QR saved on your phone and on paper spares you trouble if the connection fails right after landing. In Cuba, never assume there is Wi-Fi.
In short: fill it in early, on good internet, and carry the QR downloaded and printed.
Table: aspects of travelling from the US and where to look
This table sums up the fronts specific to travelling from the United States, what to check on each, and which official source to use. None of these figures or rules is fixed: use it as a starting point, not as settled law.
| Aspect of travelling from the US | What to check | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Authorised travel category | Whether your trip fits the US framework | OFAC (Treasury) and the US State Department |
| D'Viajeros (arrival) | Details, window (up to 48 h) and QR code | Portal dviajeros.mitrans.gob.cu (MITRANS) |
| Card payments in Cuba | US bank cards do not work | Your issuing bank and Cuban Customs |
| Cash to declare | Threshold and accepted currencies | Cuba's General Customs |
| Medical insurance | Whether your US policy covers Cuba | Your insurer (in writing) |
| Tourist card | How it is handled and priced on your route | Your airline or its associated provider |
| Passport | Sufficient validity | Your passport-issuing authority |
In short: each front has its own official source; do not mix Cuban and US authorities.
If you are visiting family in Cuba
Many who fly from the United States are travelling to see relatives. If you enter Cuba as a Cuban citizen, you do so on a valid, enabled Cuban passport, a consular step worth sorting out early. Even so, you complete D'Viajeros like any other passenger. And if you are bringing gifts or medicines for the family, review the customs rules ahead of time, as they have their own limits.
In short: family travellers complete the same D'Viajeros; what differs is the Cuban passport and, at times, what is in your luggage.
Key points
- D'Viajeros is the same free form for everyone, whether you leave Miami or anywhere else; what is specific to the route sits outside the form.
- US rules (travel categories) are set by OFAC; we give no legal advice — check the official sources and, if in doubt, a professional.
- US bank cards do not work in Cuba: carry planned cash.
- Check whether your US insurance genuinely covers Cuba; some do not.
- The tourist card is usually arranged by the airline on this route and is a separate document.
- Figures, windows and rules change: confirm everything on the official portal, with Customs, your insurer and your airline.
FAQ: D'Viajeros from the US
Do I have to complete D'Viajeros if I fly from the United States?
Yes. D'Viajeros is mandatory for everyone arriving in Cuba by air or by sea, whatever the country of departure. It is completed on the official portal and it is free.
Does D'Viajeros authorise my travel under US rules?
No. D'Viajeros is a Cuban arrival requirement. The authorised travel categories are a separate US matter; look them up with OFAC and the State Department.
Can you tell me which travel category my case fits?
No. We do not give legal advice or interpret US rules. That assessment belongs to the official US sources and, if you need it, a qualified professional.
Will my US bank cards work in Cuba?
Generally no. Credit and debit cards issued by US banks do not usually work in Cuba, in shops or at ATMs. It is best to carry enough cash.
How much cash should I carry and declare?
It depends on your trip and on the declaration threshold set by Cuban Customs, which can change. Confirm it on the Customs site before you leave and treat any figure as indicative.
Is my US medical insurance valid in Cuba?
Do not assume so. Some US policies do not provide effective cover in Cuba. Ask your insurer in writing whether it covers assistance on the island and carry the proof.
Is the tourist card the same as D'Viajeros?
No. The tourist card grants entry and has a cost; D'Viajeros is the digital arrival declaration and is free. On US flights the card is usually arranged by the airline.
How much does D'Viajeros cost?
Nothing. The form is free on the official portal. Only separate steps cost money, such as the tourist card, medical insurance and, where applicable, the eVisa.
When should I complete the form before my flight?
It can be done up to around 48 hours before arrival; treat the window as indicative and verify it on the portal. Ideally fill it in before departure and download the QR.
What if US rules change before my trip?
They often do. That is why it is worth checking OFAC, the State Department and your airline close to your flight date, rather than relying on old information.
Last updated: July 2026. Entry rules change; always confirm the current requirements on the official D'Viajeros (MITRANS) portal and with your airline before you travel.
Useful links in the same language: