Cuba has traditionally applied effective citizenship: a Cuban is treated as Cuban on Cuban soil regardless of any other nationality, and must enter and leave the country on a Cuban passport. A new citizenship law, Law 172/2024, has been reshaping this framework, so anyone with a decision to make should check the current position rather than rely on how it worked before.
Quick facts
The practical instrument most families deal with is the multiple-entry endorsement on the passport. It is applied for once, allows unlimited entries, and permits stays of 90 days, extendable exceptionally through immigration in Cuba.
How it works in practice
| Situation | Position | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Cuban who emigrated and naturalised abroad | Still Cuban for Cuban purposes | Keep the passport current, obtain the endorsement |
| Child born in the U.S. to a Cuban parent | Entitled by descent | Register the birth, then apply for the passport |
| Foreign relatives travelling along | Not Cuban | A-2 visa for 90 days, extendable |
| Holders of permanent residence abroad status | Different regime | The endorsement does not apply to them |
Émigrés retain the right to keep property in Cuba and to inherit from close relatives, which is why so much consular work involves powers of attorney over housing and estates.
How to establish your documents
- Confirm your own status, which the consular section can clarify.
- Obtain or renew the Cuban passport, since it is what you travel on.
- Apply for the multiple-entry endorsement, a one-time formality.
- For a child born here, register the birth and then apply for their passport.
- Arrange A-2 visas for any foreign relatives travelling with you.
- Check the current position under the new citizenship law before making decisions with long-term effects.
Required documents
- Cuban passport, current or expired.
- Cuban birth certificate.
- Foreign naturalisation documents where applicable.
- Child’s U.S. birth certificate for descent claims.
- Proof of address in the United States.
- Completed forms and payment in the exact amount.
Where to apply
At the embassy in Washington, in person or by post.
Additional notes
The law is changing
Law 172/2024 is the first substantial rewrite of the citizenship framework in decades. Published guidance has lagged behind it, so verify anything decisive with the consular section.
The endorsement is once only
Unlike the old passport extension, the multiple-entry endorsement is not repeated. Anyone charging you for it annually is not describing the current rules.
Travel documents
Enter and leave Cuba on the Cuban passport and the United States on the U.S. one. Attempting otherwise causes problems at both ends.
Property and inheritance
Rights over property and inheritance survive emigration, which makes keeping documents current worth the trouble even for those who do not travel.