The same authorization in two skins

Both the paper tourist card and the electronic eVisa do the same job: they authorize a 90-day, single-entry visit to Cuba for tourism. The difference is purely operational.

Paper tourist card

  • Issued by the airline at check-in or at the gate.
  • Pink card from most Latin American departures, green from a few others.
  • Cost varies by airline; typically $50–100 USD.
  • You keep one stub during your trip and surrender the other on departure.

eVisa

  • Issued online by MINREX-authorized providers, days or weeks before travel.
  • Tied to your passport number, delivered as a PDF.
  • Standard price ≈ US$85.
  • Nothing to surrender on departure — the record is electronic.

Which one will I get?

For nearly all U.S. departures and most European routes, you receive the eVisa. For some Latin American carriers and Caribbean charter operations, you may still receive a paper card at the airport. Your airline's confirmation email is the reliable source — search it for "tourist card," "tarjeta," or "visa" before you fly.

Which is better?

The eVisa is more convenient for most travelers because it removes a last-minute airport step. The paper card has one quiet advantage: there's no upstream digital system that can fail, so there's no scenario where you arrive at the airport and your visa "isn't in the system." Both are fine in normal conditions.

For the document checklist that goes with either format, see our requirements page.

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