USA estas and Cuba

[jedclampett]

Hi we’ve booked the world cruise on Arcadia 2025.we need to get estas for USA,but is this right if you have been to Cuba since 2021 (which we have) you need to have a face to face interview at the American embassy in London and pay $140 each for a visa?

[AlanCruise]

The official policy is as you stated, but Simon Calder (known Travel Expert)  has recently stated the following in one of his emails!
 

The travel journalist added: "Now loads of people say actually I've been to Cuba and I've even got proof in my passport and I've still got in and there's evidence that customs and border protection are actually turning a blind eye."
 

He did warn: "You can not rely upon that," but quickly added, "all I can say is I've been to Cuba dozens of times but I've got a new passport and you wouldn't know that I'd ever been there. I'm not for a moment suggesting people don't tell the truth but it's difficult to see how any American official would know that I've ever been there."

[Britboys]

The USA position on Cuba has been very fluid, so it is quite possible it may change again...

[d9704011]

13 minutes ago, Britboys said:

The USA position on Cuba has been very fluid, so it is quite possible it may change again...

Maybe, but I wojldn't bet on it happening in the next couple of years.  If OP doesn't want to go through pain/expense of getting a visa stamp from the US embassy, best to get a new passport free of Cuba stamps.

[tring]

3 hours ago, AlanCruise said:

The official policy is as you stated, but Simon Calder (known Travel Expert)  has recently stated the following in one of his emails!
 

The travel journalist added: "Now loads of people say actually I've been to Cuba and I've even got proof in my passport and I've still got in and there's evidence that customs and border protection are actually turning a blind eye."
 

He did warn: "You can not rely upon that," but quickly added, "all I can say is I've been to Cuba dozens of times but I've got a new passport and you wouldn't know that I'd ever been there. I'm not for a moment suggesting people don't tell the truth but it's difficult to see how any American official would know that I've ever been there."

 

With a new passport I should think it unlikely anyone would know Simon Calder, or anyone else, had been to Cuba in that time but if a whole world cruise was at stake, I think I would grin and bear it, hence make an application for a full visa.  P&O may need to check people have the correct documentation, before letting them on the ship.

 

As Andrew says though the whole USA position on Cuba has been very fluid, so could well change, so it is not worth thinking too much about a visa until it really needs to be arranged (cannot leave it too long though, if a full visa may be needed).  One thing which would make me act though (and accept a full visa is needed, is if Trump gets back into The White House, since it was him who brought in the new rules for Cuban visitors.

 

A number of visas will be needed for a world cruise and USA may not be one of the more difficult ones.

 

 

[LA30]

I think P&O always check ESTAs before they let you board.

[Son of Anarchy]

1 hour ago, LA30 said:

I think P&O always check ESTAs before they let you board.

Certainly did last month.

[KforKitty]

I applied for our ESTAs yesterday and certainly one of the questions asks about recent travel to Cuba.  I do not know what happens if you say ‘yes’ but I would rather be honest and apply for the visa through the proper process than take the risk.

 

Catherine 

[Winifred 22]

2 hours ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Certainly did last month.

Yes in August too and I could see the lady at check in had a list of names who needed to needed to show their Esta. It’s my understanding you would have been denied boarding without being able to show it. 

[david63]

2 hours ago, Winifred 22 said:

It’s my understanding you would have been denied boarding without being able to show it. 

At one time if you did not have an ESTA you were allowed on board but had to get the ESTA using the ship's internet at the going rate.

[LifeonMars]

The Thread on Trip advisor, which has been going for over a year may be helpful. It seems presently that if you have travelled to Cuba before 12th Jan 2021 you should be ok for an ESTA .

see post 381 onwards may be useful

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g147270-i91-k13891453-o380-Anyone_renewed_an_ESTA_for_US_recently-Cuba.html

 

The link here for US Customs and Boarder Protection

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/visa-waiver-program/visa-waiver-program-improvement-and-terrorist-travel-prevention-act-faq

 

The last Paragraph may prove helpful

 

"The U.S. Department of State designated Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST) on January 12, 2021.With limited exceptions, a traveler who is found to have visited Cuba on or after this date is not eligible for travel under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) using an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and must apply for a visa to travel to the United States. Additionally, a traveler who at the time of application for an ESTA holds dual nationality with both a VWP country and Cuba is not eligible for travel under the VWP using an ESTA and must apply for a visa to travel to the United States.

If an ESTA has already been approved and it is later determined that the traveler has been present in Cuba or holds dual nationality with both a VWP country and Cuba, the ESTA will be revoked. Ineligibility for an ESTA is not a bar to travel to the United States. Individuals who are not eligible to travel under the VWP may apply for a visa at any U.S. embassy or consulate."

 

 

 

Edited October 22, 2023 by LifeonMars

[Son of Anarchy]

As much as we would like to go to Cuba, the way the USA are treating those who have recently been there is putting us off going to Cuba.  Relatives and friends in the USA, plus a couple of cruises to the USA on the books.

[jedclampett]

Thanks for all the useful replies everybody ,unless anything changes in the next year or so I think we will have to declare we’ve been and purchase the full visa each.ouch!

[JudeB]

We applied for ESTAs recently. We admitted to having visited Cuba in 2018 as it's in our passports.

ESTAs  were received within a couple of hours no problem.  I think the 2021 date is the critical factor.

[ace2542]

On 10/18/2023 at 11:13 AM, KforKitty said:

I applied for our ESTAs yesterday and certainly one of the questions asks about recent travel to Cuba.  I do not know what happens if you say ‘yes’ but I would rather be honest and apply for the visa through the proper process than take the risk.

 

Catherine 

If you tick yes to that or any question I think it automatically rejects it.

[ace2542]

Lets hope they don't put have you ever been to Russia on that list because that will cause issue for a lot of people.

 

But as I have said in the Cunard section we should not be complaining and be grateful that the UK is on the Visa Waiver Program. Some EU countries are not you know.

[Snow Hill]

16 hours ago, ace2542 said:

Lets hope they don't put have you ever been to Russia on that list because that will cause issue for a lot of people.

 

But as I have said in the Cunard section we should not be complaining and be grateful that the UK is on the Visa Waiver Program. Some EU countries are not you know.

Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus all expect to join VWP by 2025. 

[ace2542]

1 hour ago, Snow Hill said:

Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus all expect to join VWP by 2025. 

A meaningless gesture considering the refusal rates for the visas, refusals which will lead to esta denial due to the B2 refusal at least a recent refusal -system refuses for a number of years apparently if you admit B2 denial - and more b2 denials due to esta denial and it becomes a cycle and then people have the problem of looking desperate. So perhaps not a reason for those countries to celebrate.

 

 

[ace2542]

On 10/17/2023 at 4:37 PM, jedclampett said:

Hi we’ve booked the world cruise on Arcadia 2025.we need to get estas for USA,but is this right if you have been to Cuba since 2021 (which we have) you need to have a face to face interview at the American embassy in London and pay $140 each for a visa?

Since you are doing a world cruise I take it are you of retiring age? So you will sail through the interview they just say so you have been to Cuba thanks for the honesty visa will come in a week or something like that. And your visa will probably be for TEN YEARS in length. You have time yet so why not make a nice weekend out of it do a bit of shopping a snag a monday morning appointment. I think the wait time is a few months though but you have got time but best to get it booked now.

[Denarius]

I first visited the USA in 1982, well before the visa waiver programme was introduced. In those days you needed a non resident visa for which you applied by post, sending your passport which was duly returned with a visa stamped in it. I was granted an indefinate visa valid for multiple entries even if the passport in which it was stamped had expired; all I needed to do was present the old passport with the current one. Then came the attack on the twin towers and all such visas were revoked.....

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, Denarius said:

I first visited the USA in 1982, well before the visa waiver programme was introduced. In those days you needed a non resident visa for which you applied by post, sending your passport which was duly returned with a visa stamped in it. I was granted an indefinate visa valid for multiple entries even if the passport in which it was stamped had expired; all I needed to do was present the old passport with the current one. Then came the attack on the twin towers and all such visas were revoked.....

We first visited the US in the late 1970s along with our Canadian relatives with whom we were holidaying.

I cannot remember exactly what we needed to present at the border, but whatever it was, it must have been easy to obtain at the border, or possibly as part of our entry requirements into Canada.

Similarly with our first direct entry in the 90s to Florida,  before ESTAs were needed, we just filled in entry forms on the plane.

[snaefell]

On 10/28/2023 at 11:34 AM, Denarius said:

I first visited the USA in 1982, well before the visa waiver programme was introduced. In those days you needed a non resident visa for which you applied by post, sending your passport which was duly returned with a visa stamped in it. I was granted an indefinate visa valid for multiple entries even if the passport in which it was stamped had expired; all I needed to do was present the old passport with the current one. Then came the attack on the twin towers and all such visas were revoked.....

We first visited the USA in 1980 & became regular visitors & we too had the Visa stamped in our passports,when the passports expired I asked if we could have the new passports stamped & was told that if we thought we needed a Visa somebody at Immigration would 'smell a rat' & you would likely be detained/delayed!