CUBAN VISITING VISAS

by Twyla
(Cayman Islands)

Dear Vic,
I am aware of the Visitors travelling visa to Cuba. However can you inform me if a visitor has a personal intimate friend in Cuba and is invitied to stay at their home, does that person have to obtain another kind of visa to stay at a friends home.

Answer: by Vic webmaster Havana-guide.com


Well, Twyla, I am afraid that my answer will disappoint you, for a "foreigner" it is not allowed to stay in the home of a Cuban citizen.
The Cuban citizen can get severe fines up to one thousand CUC (a small fortune for a Cuban) and confiscation of their house. The only exception on this law is when the Cuban citizen is married to the foreigner (to prove with a matrimonium certificate) in this case, the foreigner can
apply for a A2 visa, also named Family Visa, that allows to stay for two months in the house of the Cuban partner. Note, that the CDR's members (Comitees for Defence of the Revolution) who live in each Cuban district, have the authority to check this activities.

The rationale behind this law, is to control the income of the Cubans. The alternative is to stay in an official "casa particular" that you can rent and where the casa owner is obliged to note your identity. The casa particular owner has to pay each month a tax contribution to the Vivienda inspectors (Ministery of housing). I know that on the countryside sometimes the rules may be bent a bit, but the risk is entirely for the Cuban and I think it's not worth the risk.
I hope this explanation will help, some laws in Cuba may differ from what is applicable in your country.
Best Regards,
Vic