The government of Nicaragua has reinstated the visa requirement for citizens of Cuba, a measure that ends the visa-free entry that had been in place since 2021, but leaves a key condition for potential travelers.
The government's decision was confirmed this Sunday through an official statement from the Ministry of the Interior of Nicaragua, shared on social media.
The Ministry of the Interior reported that citizens "of the Republic of Cuba, holders of ordinary passports" are once again included among the nationalities that require a consulted visa to enter the Central American country.
The document states that, starting now, visa applications must be submitted online, via the institutional email solicitudes@mint.gob.ni, and can be processed "from anywhere in the world," as long as the requirements established by Nicaraguan law are met.
However, in the specific case of Cuban citizens with ordinary passports, the consulted visas will not have a cost.
The restoration of the visa occurs against a backdrop of increasing international pressure on the Nicaraguan government, led by Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo.
In recent years, Washington has accused Managua of serving as a transit point for migrants who then continue their journey to the United States, including Cuban, African, and Asian citizens.
The visa-free policy for Cubans was approved in 2021 with the aim of "promoting tourism" and facilitating the so-called "humanitarian family reunification," a policy that coincided with a significant increase in irregular migration from the island.
The new measure approved this Sunday comes amid increased pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump on the Cuban government, following the cut in Venezuelan oil supplies, which has deepened the energy crisis on the island.
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