Cuba ends entry with expired passports: From today, a valid document is required

From today, Cuban citizens need to carry a valid passport to be able to enter the country, according to a provision announced by the Cuban regime in December of last year, which will officially take effect on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

The official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX), Ana Teresita González Fraga, Director General of Consular Affairs and Attention to Cubans Residing Abroad, confirmed the implementation of the measure through a message on the social network X (formerly Twitter).

"As announced, starting today, April 1, Cuban citizens must present their valid passport to enter Cuba. The provisions established in March 2020, which allowed entry into the country with an expired passport, are no longer in effect," it stated.

The regulation revokes an exceptional measure that had been in effect for more than four years, established in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, the Cuban government authorized the entry of nationals with expired passports as a means to facilitate the return of those who were stranded outside the country during the global health emergency.

According to an official statement by González Fraga issued on December 6, 2024, the decision to end this migration exception was made after considering the normalization of international flights and the restoration of services at Cuban consular offices abroad, which —he stated— are capable of handling document renewals "with the promptness required."

With the measure now in effect, Cuban citizens abroad who wish to enter the country will need to obtain and carry a valid passport, which could particularly affect those living in nations where consular procedures are slow or expensive.

Entering with an expired passport has been a key alternative for thousands of Cubans in recent years, amid a migration context marked by economic crisis, consulate closures, and travel restrictions.

The end of this migratory exception means a tightening of entry requirements and could create new difficulties for the Cuban diaspora.