wowzz Posted October 7, 2022 #1 Share Posted October 7, 2022 Just been reading Simon Calder's weekly column. I didn't realise this, but if you have been to Cuba since 2011, you can no longer apply for an ESTA online. You have to pay £137 and have an in-person interview in order to be given a visa. Worth knowing if you are planning a cruise to Canada and the US, and have been to Cuba recently. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pennib Posted October 7, 2022 #2 Share Posted October 7, 2022 Yes,I read that too but bear in mind that the Cuba cut off date is 11 years ago. Quite some time!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wowzz Posted October 7, 2022 Author #3 Share Posted October 7, 2022 9 minutes ago, pennib said: Yes,I read that too but bear in mind that the Cuba cut off date is 11 years ago. Quite some time!! It actually says if you have visited Cuba SINCE 2011. Big difference ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Anarchy Posted October 7, 2022 #4 Share Posted October 7, 2022 35 minutes ago, wowzz said: Just been reading Simon Calder's weekly column. I didn't realise this, but if you have been to Cuba since 2011, you can no longer apply for an ESTA online. You have to pay £137 and have an in-person interview in order to be given a visa. Worth knowing if you are planning a cruise to Canada and the US, and have been to Cuba recently. Well, that's put me off going there. Bit of a shame really. Dad went there back in the pre Castro days and afterwards. He always said that Castro ruined the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bill Y Posted October 7, 2022 #5 Share Posted October 7, 2022 40 minutes ago, wowzz said: Just been reading Simon Calder's weekly column. I didn't realise this, but if you have been to Cuba since 2011, you can no longer apply for an ESTA online. You have to pay £137 and have an in-person interview in order to be given a visa. Worth knowing if you are planning a cruise to Canada and the US, and have been to Cuba recently. Interesting, I wonder how many people know this, My Son has visited Cuba within the last few years, applied for an ESTA in May, flew to NYC visited Canada then returned to NYC without problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thejuggler Posted October 7, 2022 #6 Share Posted October 7, 2022 And is it an 'honesty box' situation. If you have a new passport which is now blank of stamps would the US know if you have been to Cuba if you don't reveal it when applying for an ESTA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare david63 Posted October 7, 2022 #7 Share Posted October 7, 2022 Probably cheaper to get a new passport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wowzz Posted October 7, 2022 Author #8 Share Posted October 7, 2022 30 minutes ago, Thejuggler said: And is it an 'honesty box' situation. If you have a new passport which is now blank of stamps would the US know if you have been to Cuba if you don't reveal it when applying for an ESTA? That was my thinking as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazrat Posted October 7, 2022 #9 Share Posted October 7, 2022 56 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said: Well, that's put me off going there. Bit of a shame really. Dad went there back in the pre Castro days and afterwards. He always said that Castro ruined the place. He probably did ruin the place if you was in the Mafia who ran the gambling and the prostitutions rackets. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrierjohn Posted October 7, 2022 #10 Share Posted October 7, 2022 8 minutes ago, Bazrat said: He probably did ruin the place if you was in the Mafia who ran the gambling and the prostitutions rackets. So the hundreds of thousands of Cubans fleeing to the US were leaving a paradise behind were they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david05 Posted October 7, 2022 #11 Share Posted October 7, 2022 There is some confusion because there are some reports to the effect that you are OK if you visited Cuba before 12 January 2021 (which is the date when Cuba was most recently designated a state sponsor of terrorism) eg https://e-visa.co.uk/usa/news/list-countries-sponsors-terrorism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Anarchy Posted October 7, 2022 #12 Share Posted October 7, 2022 31 minutes ago, Bazrat said: He probably did ruin the place if you was in the Mafia who ran the gambling and the prostitutions rackets. Las Vegas by the seaside Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thejuggler Posted October 7, 2022 #13 Share Posted October 7, 2022 From ESTA site. How does Cuba’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism impact my travel to the United States using my approved ESTA? If a traveler is found to have visited a country designated as State Sponsor of Terrorism, the traveler is no longer eligible to participate in the Visa Wavier Program and must apply for a visa to enter the United States. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majortom10 Posted October 7, 2022 #14 Share Posted October 7, 2022 18 minutes ago, david05 said: There is some confusion because there are some reports to the effect that you are OK if you visited Cuba before 12 January 2021 (which is the date when Cuba was most recently designated a state sponsor of terrorism) eg https://e-visa.co.uk/usa/news/list-countries-sponsors-terrorism. I had e mail from TA only this week because we are going to New York in May next year on QM2. They categorically stated that if I had visited Cuba since March 2011 then you have to apply for a visa and an ESTA would not be granted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david05 Posted October 7, 2022 #15 Share Posted October 7, 2022 11 minutes ago, Thejuggler said: From ESTA site. How does Cuba’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism impact my travel to the United States using my approved ESTA? If a traveler is found to have visited a country designated as State Sponsor of Terrorism, the traveler is no longer eligible to participate in the Visa Wavier Program and must apply for a visa to enter the United States. The US French Embassy https://fr.usembassy.gov/visas/visa-waiver-program/ says: Additionally, if you have traveled or resided in Cuba on or after January 12, 2021, please be advised that you will need a visa in order to travel to the U.S. Confusion reigns. Thank goodness I have never travelled to Cuba! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wowzz Posted October 7, 2022 Author #16 Share Posted October 7, 2022 56 minutes ago, majortom10 said: I had e mail from TA only this week because we are going to New York in May next year on QM2. They categorically stated that if I had visited Cuba since March 2011 then you have to apply for a visa and an ESTA would not be granted. As previously stated, say you had visited Cuba in 2013 on a TUI package, and have subsequently received a new passport, how would the US know that you had visited Cuba ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeonMars Posted October 7, 2022 #17 Share Posted October 7, 2022 (edited) The IATA Visa check website also states Passengers who have been in Cuba on or after 12 January 2021 are not allowed to enter with an ESTA authorization. Passengers who have been in Korea (Dem. People's Rep.), Iran or Syria on or after 1 March 2011 are not allowed to enter with an ESTA authorization. https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/US-USA-passport-visa-health-travel-document-requirements.htm also the USA Embassy and Consulate in France has this on their website The Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015 (the Act) put new restrictions on the use of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) for certain categories of travelers. Under the 2015 Act, Visa Waiver Program nationals — including French nationals — who have traveled to Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and/or Yemen since March 1, 2011 AND anyone who is a dual national of Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria are ineligible to use ESTA. These restrictions apply to previous ESTA approvals and all current and future ESTA applications. VWP nationals (including French nationals) who have previously received ESTA approvals, but who meet one of these criteria, are no longer eligible to use ESTA. Additionally, if you have traveled or resided in Cuba on or after January 12, 2021, please be advised that you will need a visa in order to travel to the U.S. The law does not prohibit individuals in these categories from traveling to the United States, but a traveler not eligible for ESTA cannot be admitted into the country without a valid U.S. visa in his or her passport. The U.S. Embassy Paris strongly recommends that affected individuals apply for a B1/B2 non-immigrant visa as far in advance of their intended travel as possible to avoid any disruption to their travel plans. The B1/B2 visa can be used for the same purposes as ESTA (e.g., tourism, business, conferences, etc.). Detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to apply for a non-immigrant visa are available in French and in English on the Embassy’s website. More information about Visa Waiver Program and ESTA. Frequently asked questions regarding the Visa Waiver Program and ESTA. https://fr.usembassy.gov/visas/nonimmigrant-visas/restrictions-use-esta-affecting-french-nationals/ Edited October 7, 2022 by LifeonMars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanlyon Posted October 7, 2022 #18 Share Posted October 7, 2022 Unbelievable when you think that the US are still running Guantanamo Bay there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majortom10 Posted October 7, 2022 #19 Share Posted October 7, 2022 1 hour ago, wowzz said: As previously stated, say you had visited Cuba in 2013 on a TUI package, and have subsequently received a new passport, how would the US know that you had visited Cuba ? I dont honestly know as that is something that doesnt concern me but you never know what info is shared between UK and US without us knowing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow Hill Posted October 7, 2022 #20 Share Posted October 7, 2022 2 hours ago, wowzz said: As previously stated, say you had visited Cuba in 2013 on a TUI package, and have subsequently received a new passport, how would the US know that you had visited Cuba ? Precisely, PNR records are anonymised after 6 months and deleted after 5 years, so if you have no stamps in your passport how will they know whether you have traveled there or not. I can’t see that someone who as been for 2 week all inclusive break with TUI to Cuba some years ago is going to be of any threat to the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trimone Posted October 7, 2022 #21 Share Posted October 7, 2022 Simon Calder talks how the wind blows, his poor advice during the Ash cloud cost us a fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazrat Posted October 7, 2022 #22 Share Posted October 7, 2022 6 hours ago, terrierjohn said: So the hundreds of thousands of Cubans fleeing to the US were leaving a paradise behind were they? That's why the population rose up during the bay of pigs liberation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazrat Posted October 7, 2022 #23 Share Posted October 7, 2022 6 hours ago, Son of Anarchy said: Las Vegas by the seaside Haha never thought of that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tring Posted October 8, 2022 #24 Share Posted October 8, 2022 Oh dear, we are booked on Aurora to New York and back next Sept. Not sure when we last went to Cuba, but it we did wander into the Cuban embassy in Pria, Cape Verde a few days after Castro died to ask if we could sign their condolence book, so better keep quiet about that if we need an interview 🙂 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tring Posted October 10, 2022 #25 Share Posted October 10, 2022 We last went in Feb 2018, but not too worried as feel the US will likely change that rule now Trump has gone. A lot of Canadians go to Cuba as it is a cheap holiday for them, like Spain was/is for us, so they will have lots of probs providing visas now the restrictions are being removed - though last I heard Canada still had some restrictions. Will contact my Canadian relatives to find out how it is working there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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