Cuba and ESTA

[tring]

I can give an update on this as I received an email from our agent on Friday regards our Canada/US cruise on Aurora next September, which contained the following section:-

 

"Further to my previous email about applying for a USA ESTA, we have discovered that the dates initially published are incorrect and we therefore passed on inaccurate information I am afraid.

I have today finally had the correct information confirmed by the US State Department, who have confirmed that guests who have previously travelled to Cuba on or after the 12th January 2021 (and not 2011 as previously advised), will no longer be eligible for the ESTA Visa Waiver Programme and will need to apply for a US visa"

 

So no problem unless a visit to Cuba was since 12th January 2021, which is good news for us.

 

[linnychads]

Hi Tring,

 

Can kindly let me know what TA informed you it was 2021 not 2011 please, I am going around in circles and getting really stressed out.

 

We docked in Cuba in 2018 as part of a cruise & have got a cruise to Alaska booked for May 23 & I can't seem to get a straight answer from anyone!  

 

This is the most frustrating rule I think I have ever come across!

 

Any help will be gratefully recieved.

 

Thanks in advance

[Gettingwarmer]

47 minutes ago, linnychads said:

Hi Tring,

 

Can kindly let me know what TA informed you it was 2021 not 2011 please, I am going around in circles and getting really stressed out.

 

We docked in Cuba in 2018 as part of a cruise & have got a cruise to Alaska booked for May 23 & I can't seem to get a straight answer from anyone!  

 

This is the most frustrating rule I think I have ever come across!

 

Any help will be gratefully recieved.

 

Thanks in advance

See this, bottom right two questions

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/faq?lang=en&focusedTopic=About ESTA and The Visa Waiver Program&answerToDisplay=How does Cuba’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism impact my travel to the United States using my approved ESTA%3F

[linnychads]

Thank you for your kind response, but I’ve read this & many more websites, but there is mixed quotes, some say after 2021 & some say 2011 & I’m just after clarification, but I keep hitting brick walls, it’s all a bit frustrating 

[Gettingwarmer]

14 minutes ago, linnychads said:

Thank you for your kind response, but I’ve read this & many more websites, but there is mixed quotes, some say after 2021 & some say 2011 & I’m just after clarification, but I keep hitting brick walls, it’s all a bit frustrating 

It definately says in the bottom right two questions 2021

 

When was Cuba designated a State Sponsor of Terrorism?

The United States Department of State most recently designated Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism on January 12, 2021.

 

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.

 

I take this to mean that if you visited after 12/1/21 when it was decared a State sponsor of Terrorism then there would be a problem and this is the official site.

Edited January 17, 2023 by Gettingwarmer

[linnychads]

Thank you. It’s the bottom question that keeps throwing me because it states traveler is no longer eligible to get Esta & must apply for visa, i just can’t afford to lose holiday if the CBP deny entry to Alaska. 

[Gettingwarmer]

11 minutes ago, linnychads said:

Thank you. It’s the bottom question that keeps throwing me because it states traveler is no longer eligible to get Esta & must apply for visa, i just can’t afford to lose holiday if the CBP deny entry to Alaska. 

I think my edit might have been done the same time as your post.  Have you tried contacting the official site to get confirmation. There is no mention of 2011 anywhere. 
 

 

I take this to mean that if you visited after 12/1/21 when it was decared a State sponsor of Terrorism then there would be a problem and this is the official site.

Edited 7 minutes ago by Gettingwarmer

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by Gettingwarmer

[linnychads]

We visited in 2018, but we were told by TA that we had to get visa if we travelled to Cuba since 2011!! I just don’t get it, we applied & got Esta because we were due to go to Alaska in 2020 (obvs prior to Trump putting Cuba on terrorism list) so backdating to 2011 doesn’t make sense?

[arlowood]

14 minutes ago, linnychads said:

We visited in 2018, but we were told by TA that we had to get visa if we travelled to Cuba since 2011!! I just don’t get it, we applied & got Esta because we were due to go to Alaska in 2020 (obvs prior to Trump putting Cuba on terrorism list) so backdating to 2011 doesn’t make sense?

The key thing is, when your cruise ship visited in 2018 did you have do go through an immigration process when you landed and were your passports stamped with a Cuban entry stamp. If the answer to these questions is NO then there is no way for the US authorities to be alerted to your visit unless you tell them.

 

However from all the previous posts by @Gettingwarmer it seems fairly evident that there was an initial confusion about the qualifying date for that Cuban exclusion clause. It seems quite clear that the operative date for visa vs ESTA requirement is the date Cuba was designated as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, namely 12/1/21

[linnychads]

21 minutes ago, arlowood said:

The key thing is, when your cruise ship visited in 2018 did you have do go through an immigration process when you landed and were your passports stamped with a Cuban entry stamp. If the answer to these questions is NO then there is no way for the US authorities to be alerted to your visit unless you tell them.

 

However from all the previous posts by @Gettingwarmer it seems fairly evident that there was an initial confusion about the qualifying date for that Cuban exclusion clause. It seems quite clear that the operative date for visa vs ESTA requirement is the date Cuba was designated as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, namely 12/1/21

Thank you, agree its all very confusing. 

[tring]

Our last visit to Cuba was also 2018.  We got the .notification which I had posted in #26 from an agent which is very well used by people on these boards.

 

However, we have heard since from them verbally (about four weeks back as we asked when making another booking) that they were having trouble with the US embassy in London who were insisting it is the earlier date that matters, yet the US embassy in France, for instance, was of the opinion it only affected visits after 2021!!

 

Since then we have spoken to our agent again and asked if they had got it sorted and they seemed to think it will be OK.  The airlines association, IATA are now clearly saying the problem is only for those who travelled since 2021.  We do not go to the US until September so not feeling bothered right now, but there are World cruises calling into the US about now, so hopefully any problems will be clarified soon to all.

 

We are not so much bothered about US entry, but if P&O will check before embarkation and not have the rules clear themselves.  I suggest you speak with an agent, if you have used one, and perhaps your cruise line to make sure all is clear to them.  Then again if you are flying into the US, you will be there before you embark your ship.

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by tring

[tring]

Just want to say that we only had the more recent verbal conversations with our agent as we were talking to them about a new cruise booking and asked.  As far as written notification from them goes, we have not had anything since the email which I posted above in #26,.

 

I cannot name an agent on CC as against the forum rules, but it is a very large cruise agent who take a lot of P&O bookings as well as other cruise lines. 

 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by tring

[tring]

7 hours ago, linnychads said:

Hi Tring,

 

Can kindly let me know what TA informed you it was 2021 not 2011 please, I am going around in circles and getting really stressed out.

 

We docked in Cuba in 2018 as part of a cruise & have got a cruise to Alaska booked for May 23 & I can't seem to get a straight answer from anyone!  

 

This is the most frustrating rule I think I have ever come across!

 

Any help will be gratefully recieved.

 

Thanks in advance

 

I understand there has been quite a bit of discussion regards this on the Trip Advisor Cuba forum, so you may find a first hand comment from a traveller who has been to the US recently.

 

[linnychads]

9 hours ago, tring said:

Just want to say that we only had the more recent verbal conversations with our agent as we were talking to them about a new cruise booking and asked.  As far as written notification from them goes, we have not had anything since the email which I posted above in #26,.

 

I cannot name an agent on CC as against the forum rules, but it is a very large cruise agent who take a lot of P&O bookings as well as other cruise lines. 

 

 

 

Thank you so much for responding, I really appreciate it. I also saw 2021 on US Embassy in France, shame it’s not so clear on UK site.  

[ace2542]

5 hours ago, linnychads said:

Thank you so much for responding, I really appreciate it. I also saw 2021 on US Embassy in France, shame it’s not so clear on UK site.  

We shouldn't be moaning the UK is lucky to be on the Visa Waiver Program 4 European countries are not

Edited January 18, 2023 by ace2542

[Britboys]

14 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

We shouldn't be moaning the UK is lucky to be on the Visa Waiver Program 4 European countries are not

I don't think anyone is complaining, merely confused by less than clear communication and worried about doing the right thing.

The USA is not as benevolent to us as we are to them. A US citizen can visit the UK without a visa or waiver and remain for up to six months...

[linnychads]

26 minutes ago, Britboys said:

I don't think anyone is complaining, merely confused by less than clear communication and worried about doing the right thing.

The USA is not as benevolent to us as we are to them. A US citizen can visit the UK without a visa or waiver and remain for up to six months...

Thank you for saying that, I wasn’t complaining, like you said, just very confusing mixed messages. 

[Snow Hill]

3 hours ago, ace2542 said:

We shouldn't be moaning the UK is lucky to be on the Visa Waiver Program 4 European countries are not

U.K. citizens will need the EU Visa Waiver from around November this year cheaper than US version at €7, lasts for 3 years or until passport expires if less, those under 18 or 70 and over won’t need one. 

Edited January 18, 2023 by Snow Hill

[ace2542]

16 hours ago, Snow Hill said:

U.K. citizens will need the EU Visa Waiver from around November this year cheaper than US version at €7, lasts for 3 years or until passport expires if less, those under 18 or 70 and over won’t need one. 

Shouldn't be moaning about that either you know. EU could have said all young brits need medicals over drinking because of the lager lout culture and they haven't done that.  I am surprised they haven't their police out there are sick to the back teeth of it. The U.S would have a long time ago.