D'Viajeros on Arrival at Havana Airport (Jose Marti)

Landing at Jose Marti International Airport (HAV) is, for most travelers, the first real taste of Cuba. If you already have your D'Viajeros completed and the QR code downloaded, clearing Immigration, collecting your bags and passing Customs is far smoother. This guide walks you through that specific arrival, step by step, so you know exactly what to expect when you step off the plane.

In brief: Jose Marti is Cuba's main gateway. With your D'Viajeros done and the QR handy — ideally printed — the arrival route is simple: deplane, Immigration where you show the QR, baggage, Customs and a health check. Here we cover the queues, the terminals, cash and getting into central Havana.

Jose Marti, Cuba's main gateway

Jose Marti airport, code HAV, sits a few miles southwest of Havana and is Cuba's busiest for international traffic. It handles flights from Canada, Europe, Latin America and, depending on policy, authorized services from the United States. If you are heading to the capital or exploring the western half of the island, this is almost certainly where you will land.

Being the main gateway has a practical side effect: at peak hours several wide-body flights arrive together and the Immigration lines stretch out. Having your D'Viajeros sorted in advance does not remove the wait, but it spares you filling in paperwork when you are tired and your data connection is switched off.

In short: HAV is your most likely entry point to Cuba, and it pays to arrive with the form already done.

D'Viajeros, completed before you board

D'Viajeros is Cuba's Advance Passenger Information: a digital form, mandatory and free, that combines your personal, immigration, health and customs details into a single document. It is run by the Ministry of Transport (MITRANS) together with Customs, Immigration and Public Health, and you complete it up to 48 hours before arrival.

We are not going to explain how to fill it in field by field here — that is a topic of its own. What matters at Jose Marti is what happens to that QR once you land. The essential point: when you finish the form you get a QR code that three different authorities will ask for during arrival. Without it, entry gets complicated.

Worth knowing: D'Viajeros is free on the official portal. We are an independent assistance agency; the form itself costs nothing. What you do pay for are separate requirements: the tourist card, the eVisa and mandatory medical insurance.

In short: arrive with the form completed and the QR saved; the airport is not the place to fill it in.

Why to carry a printed QR

In Cuba internet access is limited and expensive, and coverage inside the airport itself is patchy. Counting on opening your email or an app to show the QR at Immigration is risky: it may not load at exactly that moment.

That is why we suggest two copies:

• One printed on paper, kept with your passport and tourist card.
• One screenshot saved on your phone, reachable without data or wi-fi.

With both versions on hand, it does not matter if your battery is low or there is no signal: you can always present the code. It is a small step that saves stress in the first queue.

In short: print the QR and also save a screenshot; at Jose Marti do not rely on the connection.

Immigration: where you show the QR

After deplaning, the first checkpoint is Immigration. Here you hand over your passport and tourist card, and show the QR code from your D'Viajeros. The officer checks your details, may take a photo and records your entry.

Tips for this point:

1. Keep passport, tourist card and QR together, in hand, before you reach the booth.
2. Remove hat and sunglasses; the camera takes a facial image.
3. Answer naturally about where you are staying: that address is already in your D'Viajeros.
4. If you travel as a family, each person clears the control separately, children included.

In short: at Immigration you show the QR with your passport and tourist card; have everything ready before your turn.

Baggage claim and the health check

Past Immigration, you head down to baggage claim. In Havana the belts can be slow when several flights land together, so be patient. Check your flight number on the belt screen before you settle in to wait for your bag.

The health check run by the health ministry is part of the same arrival: your health declaration is already included in your D'Viajeros, so in normal conditions you will not fill in anything new. There may be a visual check or a few questions depending on the health situation at the time.

Worth knowing: health rules change. What you declared in the form is what applied when you traveled, but always confirm the current requirements on the official portal and with your airline before you leave.

In short: collect your bag by checking the flight, and remember your health declaration already travels inside the D'Viajeros.

Customs: green and red

The final filter is Customs. It runs on the familiar green channel (nothing to declare) and red channel (goods, amounts or items subject to declaration). What you declared in the customs part of your D'Viajeros largely determines which way you go.

Remember that cash above a certain threshold must be declared, and that there are limits and quirks for gifts, electronics and medicines. We do not develop those rules here — they have their own guide — but arrive knowing what you are carrying and whether anything needs declaring.

In short: Customs uses green and red channels; what you put in your D'Viajeros guides your path, and large amounts of cash get declared.

The terminals at Jose Marti

Jose Marti has several terminals. For the international traveler the key one is Terminal 3 (T3), which handles scheduled long-haul flights. Other terminals serve domestic flights, charters or specific carriers, so it is worth checking your ticket for which one applies.

Check your departure terminal when you head home: it does not always match your arrival one, and in Havana moving between terminals takes time.

In short: as an international traveler you will almost always arrive at T3; check the terminal on your ticket, especially for the return.

Queues and timing: what to expect

The real time from stepping off the plane to walking out the door depends on how many flights land together. On a quiet arrival, the whole route can be quick; at peak times, Immigration and the baggage belt drag. A few ideas to keep your cool:

• Get off the plane without rushing but without dawdling: the sooner you reach Immigration, the shorter the line.
• Have the QR and documents ready so you do not slow the queue when your turn comes.
• If you have a connection to a domestic flight, allow a generous margin.
• Patience is part of the trip: the Cuban pace starts at the baggage belt.

In short: timing varies with the number of flights; arriving prepared and with a margin is your best defense.

Changing money and cash on arrival

Cuba runs largely on cash, and cards issued by US banks do not work on the island. ATMs can fail, so many travelers arrive with foreign currency in hand and change part of it at the airport.

In the Jose Marti arrivals area there are usually exchange desks (CADECA) and sometimes ATMs, though availability varies. Change just enough for your transfer and first expenses, and sort the rest in the city. Do not assume any amount or exchange rate: they shift and are worth confirming on the spot.

To arrive money-ready:

• Bring bills in good condition, without tears or marks; damaged notes are sometimes refused.
• Split the cash across several places, not all in one wallet.
• Keep some small change for the taxi and first tips.
• Know which currencies are best accepted given the moment; confirm before you travel.

Worth knowing: bring enough cash, in good condition. Cuban banking is limited and relying only on cards is a risk — especially if you are traveling from the United States.

In short: bring cash, change some on arrival and do not count on cards working.

Transfers: from the airport into Havana

Jose Marti is a good half hour from the center, depending on traffic. The usual options:

• Official taxi at the terminal exit: agree the fare before you get in.
• Hotel or casa particular transfer, if you booked one; it usually waits with a sign.
• Agency car or private transfer arranged in advance, handy if you land at night.

Always agree the fare before setting off and carry small bills. If you are staying in a casa particular, having the address printed — the same one you declared in your D'Viajeros — makes it much easier to explain to the driver.

In short: agree the price before getting into the taxi and keep your accommodation address handy.

The arrivals area: what you will find

Once past Customs you enter the public arrivals area of T3. It helps to know what is there and what is not, because this is not an airport with the range of a big European or North American terminal:

• Exchange desks (CADECA) and, sometimes, ATMs of variable availability.
• Cafes and kiosks with a limited offer; carry water and a snack just in case.
• ETECSA wi-fi, which usually needs a connection card and does not always work well.
• Taxis and transfer desks at the exit door.
• Restrooms and an information point or two.

Do not count on finding every service of a major international airport. Sort the essentials — cash and transfer — and leave the rest for the city. If you are meeting someone, bear in mind the hall is small and fills up with each arrival.

Worth knowing: airport wi-fi is limited and paid. Do not rely on it for last-minute tasks; that is exactly why your D'Viajeros and its QR should be sorted from home.

In short: the arrivals area covers the basics — exchange, cafe, taxi; do not expect a big terminal's services and sort what matters beforehand.

Moment by moment at Jose Marti

This table sums up the route and what you need at each point:

In short: reach each filter with the right document in hand and the process flows.

And if you arrive without D'Viajeros done

It is not ideal, but it happens. If you land without the form completed, you will have to sort it out at the airport, where the connection is limited and you are tired and carrying bags. There is usually staff and some support, but the process is slower and adds to the Immigration queue.

That is why we insist: give it five minutes before you fly. Filling in D'Viajeros calmly, from home with a good connection, avoids the worst moment to do it — right after stepping off the plane.

In short: arriving without D'Viajeros is possible but awkward; do it before you fly and you gain time and calm.

Key points

• Jose Marti (HAV) is Cuba's main gateway, with Terminal 3 as the international reference.
• With D'Viajeros done, the route is: deplane, Immigration with the QR, baggage, health check and Customs.
• Carry the QR printed plus a screenshot: airport connectivity is not reliable.
• Bring cash; US cards do not work and ATMs can fail.
• Agree the taxi fare before getting in and keep your accommodation address handy.
• D'Viajeros is free; what you pay separately is the tourist card, the eVisa and insurance.

FAQ about arriving at Jose Marti

Do I need D'Viajeros to enter through Havana airport?

Yes. D'Viajeros is mandatory for everyone arriving in Cuba, Jose Marti included. Complete it up to 48 hours before and keep the QR code handy.

Do I have to print the QR code?

It is not strictly required, but it is strongly recommended. Airport connectivity is limited, so carrying the QR printed and also as a screenshot avoids trouble at Immigration.

At what point do they ask for the QR?

At Immigration control, together with your passport and tourist card. The health and customs parts of the same D'Viajeros are used later, at the health check and at Customs.

Which terminal do I arrive at?

Scheduled international flights usually operate from Terminal 3 (T3). Confirm your terminal on the ticket, especially for the return flight, which does not always leave from the same one.

Can I change money at the airport?

The arrivals area usually has CADECA desks and sometimes ATMs. Change just enough for your transfer and sort the rest in the city. Exchange rates vary: confirm them on the spot.

Do my cards work in Cuba?

Cards issued by US banks do not work on the island, and ATMs can fail. Bring enough cash and do not rely on plastic alone.

How do I get into central Havana?

By official taxi, your accommodation transfer or a booked private transfer. Agree the price before getting in and keep your hotel or casa address handy.

What if I arrive without D'Viajeros done?

You will have to handle it at the airport, with limited connectivity and more waiting. It is far better to complete it before flying, calmly and with a good signal.

Is the health check a separate step?

No. The health declaration is already included in your D'Viajeros. There may be a visual check depending on the situation, but you do not fill in a new form.

Does D'Viajeros cost anything at the airport?

No. D'Viajeros is free on the official portal. What costs money are different requirements: the tourist card, the eVisa and medical insurance.

Last updated: July 2026. Entry rules change; always confirm the current requirements on the official D'Viajeros (MITRANS) portal and with your airline before traveling.

To keep planning your trip, you may want to read about D'Viajeros in Varadero and Cuba's other airports, D'Viajeros for Cubans living abroad, the passport to travel to Cuba or Cuba customs: gifts and medicines. And if the site fails, see what to do when the D'Viajeros portal is not working.