As soon as he took office, Donald Trump reinstated Cuba on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. This decision blocks access to ESTA for travelers who had visited the island, forcing them to go through a more complex visa process.
On January 14, just a few days before stepping down as President, Joe Biden announced Cuba’s removal from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
However, in the early hours of his second term, Donald Trump decided to reverse a number of measures taken by the previous administration, including the removal of Cuba from this blacklist.
Cuba’s reinstatement on the list of state sponsors of terrorism has significant implications for international travelers.
Ineligible for ESTA, tourists who have visited Cuba must apply for a U.S. visa.
Since January 12, 2021, the date of Cuba’s first listing by the Trump administration, people who have visited Cuba are no longer eligible for ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) to enter the United States. These travelers must now apply for a traditional U.S. visa, a process that is longer, more complex and more expensive.
The temporary removal of Cuba from this list by the Biden administration had raised hopes of a relaxation of these restrictions, allowing travelers who had visited Cuba since 2021 to once again become eligible for ESTA.
However, with President Trump’s re-listing of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, these hopes have been dashed, and the previous restrictions remain in force.
As a result, anyone who has traveled to Cuba since January 12, 2021 remains ineligible for ESTA, and must obtain a U.S. visa (tourist “B-2” or business “B-1”) to travel to the United States.
This situation complicates the process for many international travelers, particularly those from Europe, who must now plan further ahead and prepare for more cumbersome administrative procedures to obtain the necessary visa.
Nationals of the 42 countries included in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) who have traveled to or been present in Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen since March 1, 2011 are also ineligible for ESTA authorization.
