There is still a refusal to enter the United States with an ESTA if you have been to Cuba before

The Colombian press this week warned its citizens that visiting Cuba could result in them being banned from entering the United States under the visa exemption system, known as ESTA. But they can also refuse you a tourist visa to the Nordic country, according to their own laws.

It is known that dual nationals of Cuba (for example, Cubans-Spanish), who were on the island, after 2021, cannot enter the aforementioned northern country with ESTA alone, and must obtain a tourist visa. Europeans who were in Cuba will also have to obtain visas to enter the United States. Hence, the Colombian press warned against trips to Cuba.

They explained that if you want to travel to the United States, you should keep in mind that the visa application process can be complex and expensive, because it requires meeting several requirements, paying fees, and waiting for a certain period. Therefore, it is very important that you do not neglect any aspect, to avoid your visa being rejected.

Visiting Cuba means canceling the ESTA and even the tourist visa

One of these aspects, according to note Semana, relating to your travel history to Cuba, a country the United States considers a “state sponsor of terrorism,” since January 12, 2021. Pursuant to Section 309 of the United States Code, if you have visited Cuba in the last 12 months before applying for your tourist visa B-2, you won’t be able to get it.

Additionally, if you are a Spanish citizen and have visited Cuba since January 12, 2021, you will also not be able to enter the United States using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which is a faster and easier option than a visa. . In this case, you will have to apply for a nonimmigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate.

There are some exceptions for people who travel to Cuba for medical, educational, or religious reasons, where they can request a special license that allows them to travel without affecting their visa to the United States, but the fact that the island’s government is placed on that list of supposed “allies” of terrorism, significantly limits The freedoms and rights of its citizens and visitors to subsequently travel to the United States.