Cuban Consular Services in the United States — Washington, D.C. (only operating location since 1961)

Cuba operates exactly one diplomatic mission in the United States: the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in Washington, D.C., which since the United States and Cuba broke formal relations on January 3, 1961, has been the only Cuban consular office serving Cuban citizens and applicants throughout the United States.

For nearly 54 years between 1961 and 2015, the diplomatic interests of Cuba in the US were represented through the Cuban Interests Section of the Embassy of Switzerland in Washington (Cuba lacked formal embassy status during that period). On July 20, 2015, after the Obama-era restoration of formal relations, the Cuban Interests Section was upgraded to the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba. The Embassy’s consular section now handles all consular services for Cuban nationals living in any US state or territory.

Embassy of the Republic of Cuba — verified contact information

Consular services offered

The Cuban Embassy consular section in Washington provides the following services to Cuban citizens in the US:

• Passport renewal and issuance (HE-11 passport)
• HE-11 visa for non-Cuban travelers to Cuba
• A-2 visa for Cuban-American family visits
• Birth registration for children born in the US to Cuban citizens
• Marriage registration for Cuban citizens married in the US
• Power of attorney legalization for Cuban legal proceedings
• Apostille and document legalization for Cuban-issued documents
• Permission to live abroad (PRE) authorization renewal

Why there is no Cuban consulate in your US city

You may find references in older directories, Wikipedia, or third-party sites to “Cuban consulates” in cities like Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, New Orleans, San Francisco, Tampa, and others. These references are historical — those consulates closed in 1961 when US-Cuba relations were severed during the Eisenhower administration following the Cuban Revolution. They have not reopened in the more than six decades since.

Even after the 2015 restoration of formal diplomatic relations, Cuba chose not to open additional US consulates, citing reciprocity considerations (the US similarly operates only the Embassy in Havana, with no consular sections in other Cuban cities). All consular services for Cuban nationals in any US state must be handled through the Washington embassy.

What to do if you live far from Washington, D.C.

Cuban nationals living outside the Washington metro area have three options:

1. Travel to Washington, D.C. for in-person services. Most procedures (passport renewal, vital records) require physical presence at the consular section.
2. Use approved courier services for limited document requests. The Embassy publishes a list of authorized couriers on its official website; fees and processing times apply.
3. Use a Cuban consulate in a third country while traveling abroad. The most commonly used third-country consulates by US-based Cuban nationals are Mexico City, Mexico and Toronto, Canada — both reachable by short flights from major US cities.

Hours and visit protocol

• Consular section hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM (in-person services by appointment)
• Photo ID required: government-issued ID (US driver’s license, US passport, US permanent resident card, or Cuban passport)
• Online appointment required via servimedicos.com — walk-ins are generally not accepted for routine services
• Payment: most fees collected via Servimedicos online; cash payment at the embassy is being phased out

Related resources

• Other diplomatic missions of Cuba worldwide: misiones.cubaminrex.cu
• US State Department on US-Cuba relations: state.gov/u-s-relations-with-cuba
• Know Your Rights — what to do if ICE detains you: /know-your-rights/
• Other Spanish-speaking country consulates in the US: /consulates/

Information current as of 2026-05-27. The Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in Washington, D.C. is the sole Cuban consular office in the United States; there are no Cuban consulates in any other US city. This page is general information, not legal advice — consult an immigration attorney for your specific situation.