The Diplomat
The US Embassy in Madrid has issued a note recalling that an update to its visa waiver programme for travel to the US has come into force, cancelling the visa-free travel authorisations, known as ESTA, for those Spaniards who visited Cuba since 12 January 2021.
On that date, the then US Secretary of State included Cuba on the list of states that support terrorism and on 6 January 2021 it came into force that those who have been in Cuba since then do not meet the conditions for visa-free travel to the US and, if they do, their authorisations will be cancelled.
This does not mean – the Embassy warns – that they cannot travel to the United States, but it does mean that, from now on, if they wish to do so, they must apply for a non-immigrant visa at any US embassy or consulate.
The Embassy in Spain also indicated that those who need to travel to the US urgently for business, medical treatment or humanitarian reasons can request an emergency interview appointment at the embassy or consulate.
Such applicants should include the ESTA denial or revocation message on their emergency appointment request, along with the urgent reason for their travel.
The travel restriction under the visa waiver programme also applies to dual nationals, if the other is from a country participating in the visa waiver programme and Cuba.
