Travelers with a Dutch passport must apply for a visa when traveling to the US if they have traveled to Cuba.

Since January 12, 2021, the U.S. Department of State has designated Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST) and has therefore introduced some changes regarding the requirements that countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) must adhere to when their residents travel to Cuba. These changes also apply to Dutch passport holders, but also to other nationalities within the EU. Travelers who traveled to Cuba on or after January 12, 2021, are no longer eligible to use the ESTA if they want to travel to the U.S.A. but must apply for a visa at the U.S. Consulate. Travelers who still try to go to the U.S. Traveling with the ESTA after being in Cuba risks having CBP revoke their ESTA and hinder their travel plans to the U.S.

There are certain exceptions for travelers traveling for diplomatic, work or military reasons.

The Visa must be applied for at the American Consulate in Curacao. If you wish to make a combination trip to both the U.S. and to Cuba, the traveler must apply for the respective visa for each country at both the American Embassy and the Cuban Embassy before traveling. This also applies to travelers who have a connecting flight or stop in Cuba on a cruise ship.

For more information, please refer to the following web pages:

1. www.nederlandwereldwijd.nl/reisadvies/Aruba (travel check list);
2. www.nederlandwereldwijd.nl/reisadvies/verenigde-staats-van-amerika (travel and transport);
3. www.cbp.gov

The DBB makes an urgent request to travelers with a Dutch or European passport to take these changes into account to prevent undesirable situations during their trip.