Cuba's Cash-Only Rules and New Digital Entry Process

Cuba has become a markedly more demanding destination for foreign visitors, with rules on payments, entry documents and everyday conduct that require planning well before arrival. The most consequential change came in June, when the Cuban Central Bank announced that international cards such as Visa and Mastercard would no longer be accepted, effective 6 June. Travellers are now expected to bring enough cash to cover their entire stay, since withdrawals from ATMs using international cards are likely to fail.

Entry itself runs through a two-step digital process. Visitors need a tourist card or electronic visa, obtainable via the Cuban Embassy, a travel agent or the eVisa-Cuba site, which generates a ten-character code. That code must be entered on the D'Viajeros platform when completing advance passenger information, producing a QR code to present at the border. The online arrival form must be filled in within 72 hours before entry, and travellers are advised to download or print it in advance because wifi may not be available on arrival.

Conditions on the ground remain tough in places. Hurricane Melissa tore through eastern Cuba in October 2025, and power and water supplies in the east are still severely disrupted. Fuel shortages make long-distance driving difficult, basic medicines are hard to find outside clinics for foreigners, and the difficult economic climate has been linked to a rise in opportunistic crime in Havana. Officials also enforce strict rules on customs and conduct: drones are confiscated on arrival, unauthorised currency exchanges can bring fines or prison sentences, and photographs of military areas can be treated as espionage.

For US citizens, the restrictions are tighter still: direct travel from the United States to Cuba for tourism is prohibited, and only 12 approved categories of travel qualify. Since Cuba is a single-party state with restrictions on political activity, visitors are advised to steer clear of demonstrations and large gatherings.

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Card Bans, Hurricane Aftershocks and Enforcement: What They Mean for Visitors

Why the Card Ban Turns Cuba Into a Cash Economy

The decision by the Cuban Central Bank to drop Visa and Mastercard — announced 3 June, effective 6 June — is the single biggest practical shift for visitors. International cards will no longer work for payments, and the guidance is blunt: expect ATMs to be unusable with international cards. That means tourists must arrive with cash for their entire stay plus an emergency buffer. US dollars and euros are widely accepted and can be exchanged at Cadeca exchange houses; exchanging anywhere else is illegal and can result in fines or imprisonment. Hotels and tour providers should be contacted in advance about whether payments can be made ahead of arrival via international bank transfer. For an economy already under strain, the move deepens the separation between Cuba's official economy and its dollar-based tourist trade.

Hurricane Melissa's Aftershocks Still Shape the Itinerary

More than nine months after Hurricane Melissa struck in October 2025, infrastructure in eastern Cuba — electricity and water in particular — remains severely impacted. That matters for travellers who plan to leave Havana and tour the island's eastern provinces. Fuel shortages may complicate long drives, and drivers are advised to use cars hired with a driver who knows where to source petrol. With hurricane season running from June to November, flights can be delayed or cancelled in extreme weather, so itineraries should be treated as flexible rather than fixed.

The Gap Between the Facade and the Services

The familiar image of Havana — beautifully restored colonial buildings beside dilapidated tenements — captures a deeper reality. The architecture tourists admire is not matched by the services beneath it: intermittent internet, medicines that are hard to find in ordinary pharmacies, and clinics that ask for payment in foreign currency before treatment. The economic situation is also changing the security picture. Crime levels remain lower than in the UK, but authorities and guides point to an increase in opportunistic crime, including muggings in Havana, burglaries at casas particulares, and theft from airport baggage. Visitors are advised to shrink-wrap luggage, avoid displaying cash or jewellery, and use only registered yellow taxis. The warning about coco-taxis is stark: tourists have been injured and killed riding in them.

Rules That Carry Real Penalties

Cuba's regulatory environment is strict, and enforcement is not token. Drones are confiscated at the border and only returned on departure; GPS devices require import permits; and art and antiques need export certificates from the Country Heritage Office. Drug offences carry severe penalties, and being suspected of causing injury to someone can stop a traveller from leaving during an investigation. For travellers used to flexible destinations, Cuba demands a level of preparation and caution that most Caribbean trips do not.

What to Arrange Before Flying to Cuba

  • Bring enough cash for your entire stay in dollars or euros — Visa and Mastercard are no longer accepted since 6 June, and international ATMs are unlikely to work in Cuba.
  • Complete the D'Viajeros online arrival form within 72 hours before entry and save the QR code as a PDF or printout; wifi may not be available once you land.
  • Apply for your tourist card or eVisa before departure through the Cuban Embassy, a tour operator or the eVisa-Cuba site, and keep proof of onward or return travel.
  • Exchange money only at Cadeca houses and declare any foreign currency above $5,000 USD; street exchanges are illegal and may mean fines or prison.
  • Leave drones at home — they are confiscated on arrival and returned only on departure — and declare GPS devices, which are subject to import requirements.
  • Use registered yellow taxis or book classic car rides with reputable companies; avoid coco-taxis, which have caused injuries and deaths, and never hail private taxis.
  • US citizens cannot travel to Cuba directly from the US for tourism; only the 12 approved travel categories are permitted.