Entering Cuba with a passport that expires in 2024: What you need to know

The Cuban government announced in late 2023 that it was extending the measure that allows Cubans living abroad to remain outside the country without losing their resident status and without paying for an extension of stay.

In this article, we tell you everything you need to know about this topic.

According to current immigration law, a Cuban person is considered an immigrant if he travels for personal reasons and stays for more than 24 months without permission. Also, if you settle in another country without following the immigration rules.

Previously, Cubans had to request and pay for an extension each month they exceeded the allowed period. For example, in Spain, the cost was €25 per month.

This provision, which has been criticized by many Cubans who are calling for it to be abolished, was temporarily suspended in March 2020 due to the pandemic affecting international travel.

Now, Cubans who are in this status will not have to pay any fees to extend their stay and will be able to maintain their residence in Cuba, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX). However, we must remember that this is a temporary provision.

Cuban passport extension

The Director of Identity, Immigration and Emigration of the Ministry of the Interior, Mario Méndez Mayedo, assured that the measure has a “great impact” and suggested that changes could occur.

official he claimed The Round Table event stated that “the 24-month extension has been retained,” but that “the new immigration law will set the rules of the game.”

“Of course, there is no going back from that, that is, 24 months. We will look for some formula, because it is important to know how many of us there are in Cuba, what is the real population of Cuba,” he said.

So that you are clear. These are the measures related to Cuban passport:

• Since March 2020, Cubans traveling abroad no longer have a time limit on how long they can stay outside the country and can maintain their residence in Cuba regardless of the length of absence.
• From July 2023: Decreased passport costThe need to renew it every two years was abolished and its validity was increased from six to ten years.

As always, we recommend that you contact the Cuban Consulate nearest to your place of residence to ask any important questions before traveling to Cuba. This way you will be saved from surprises.